The recording industry is becoming woke in an interesting way
Language is an ever-evolving thing that responds to changes in society. Take architecture, for example. There’s a slow movement to expunge terms like “master bedroom” because of what some people see as difficult historical connotations of the word “master.” The main bedroom is now the “primary bedroom.”
The recording industry is undergoing the same thing as some are looking to replace common terms with new ones that are more…neutral. For example, the term “master recording”–the final result from which all copies are made–is on the way out because it’s seen as racist and is loaded with microaggressions.
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Association (via Josh) is also on board and is urging its members to modify its nomenclature
Use of “master” and “slave” are verboten. “Primary” and “secondary” are preferred. “Male” and “female” connectors are out. “Plugs” and “sockets” are in. No more “whitelists” and” blacklists.” Instead, it’s “inclusion” or “exclusion” lists. Even the word “dummy” is out (as in a “dummy load” on a circuit). The preferred term is now “placeholder.”
There’s more. Go here.
Thoughts?
Only people who work in these industries or use these terms should even be aware or care. Asking the general population feels designed to polarize.
I work in software and we have changed the terms we use to be more inclusive or less polarizing. I don’t care and I don’t think any of my peers do either. As you wrote, language evolves.
Extreme virtue signalling . Plan and simple.
The terms “master” and “slave” literally come from slavery. Your stubbornness is extreme.
So eliminating the term will somehow prevent slavery from occurring in the future? And erase the fact it happened at all? Remind me to never say “ I’m a slave to my job “ ever again. Please oh pretty please
And you imagine keeping those words around is what’s shielding our society from slavery?
Also wtf finding a post from over a year ago to pick a fight with.
I work at a university, so working with 18-22 age student techs has me thinking about this type of thing frequently, the techie shorthand that’s developed over the years, it’s all embedded with gender and racial undertones. I think we even asked amongst ourselves once if they developed a better set of terms. Looks like they did.
Uh, no. Like many words they have different meanings in different contexts. Master in this instance, just like in software often means an original…. this is from webster. Lighten up Francis, and stop insulting people you don’t know by labeling them as stubborn.
: an original from which copies can be made
especially : a master recording (such as a magnetic tape)