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Comment by zohch | Hacker News Reader

Rather tone deaf to still refer to it as a masters degree.

Stop creating problems where there are none. Homonyms exist, words have multiple meanings. A master is " a person who shows a lot of skill at something".

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/englis...

True, but why the shitshow with "master" in a number of git repos and other fields?

I know why. Virtue signalling. "Masters degree" is too hard to change.

> "Masters degree" is too hard to change.

Only if you don't care about the hurt it causes people every day.

Citation needed. US slavery ended in 1865, which means that nobody has (or knows) a living relative/person that was affected by it.

If you are unhappy because of that word, work on yourself.

> Homonyms exist, words have multiple meanings.

Homonyms can exist and this can still be tone deaf.

> Stop creating problems where there are none.

Since when is the consequences of slavery not a problem?

I think master is less offensive in this context since it's not also coupled with something called 'slave'.

It was not coupled with something called slave in git either.

Incorrect. Branches subservient to the master were called slave by many, a simple look around GitHub would show this was true. I challenge you to find the "slave" part of a master's degree (except TAing ;) )

I assume you're "tone deaf" comment refers to recent societal relations in the US, and the response from organizations like Github to rename master branch to main branch. The master/slave duality is certainly an important notion to be worked through in the US. Respectfully, in the context presented here I disagree the "master" context always requires a slave to be a complete concept.

This has a good discussion on it: https://www.etymonline.com/word/master

It's simple to ban (antithesis) the status quo (thesis), but ultimately embracing the nuance leads to a more useful harmony (synthesis) that helps society grow and expand (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectic)

> ultimately embracing the nuance leads to a more useful harmony (synthesis) that helps society grow and expand

Conversely, derailing conversation with calls for nuance is a good way to maintain the status quo. (Though without seeing the -- now flagged -- parent I can't see which your comment is doing)

I said: "Rather tone deaf to still refer to it as a masters degree."

Which apparently is forbidden to do. Maybe it hit's a bit too close to home for comfort around here.

> The master/slave duality is certainly an important notion to be worked through in the US.

I have never seen a slave branch in Git, have you?

Would stating my experience or view make a difference in opening your mind? If so, I am happy to discuss.

Eh?

Stupid sjw bs. Just ignore that.

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