Can’t believe I had to have this conversation again today, with someone who should know better. You can’t just un-racist a word because it makes you feel bad man.
Edit to add more context:
Rice burner is a pejorative term originally applied to Japanese motorcycles and which later expanded to include Japanese cars or any East Asian-made vehicles. Variations include rice rocket, referring most often to Japanese superbikes, rice machine, rice grinder or simply ricer.
Riced out is an adjective denigrating a badly customized sports car, “usually with oversized or ill-matched exterior appointments”. Rice boy is a US derogatory term for the driver or builder of an import-car hot rod. The terms may disparage cars or car enthusiasts as imposters or wanna-bes, using cheap modifications to imitate the appearance of high performance.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
I’d like you to read this from a guy who’s father is from the Philippines. His mother is American. Then have a good think about it. Actually think about it for a day or so.
Palting: (reenlist forums)
*When you call a car a “ricer”, you are saying that it is not a nice car, possibly even an atrocious car. I don’t believe you will ever hear a statement like “Look at that gorgeous ricer!!” So, in response to the question, is it derogatory, the answer is that the term ricer is most definitely derogatory.
The question then becomes, is it racist? The term “ricer” was coined to denote the cars that were made in Japan or Korea that were subsequently modded and are obnoxious to the observer. You can ask 100 people what car brand comes to mind when you say “ricer” and 100 of them will come up with an Asian brand. Ask those same 100 people what country or race comes to mind, and 100 will say some Asian country. We can safely say that “ricer” would indicate the Asian culture where rice is the staple food. We can define a term racist if the term pertaining to a race or a race’s cultural character is considered derogatory. Therefore, the term ricer is most definitely racist.
If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a “******”? The term “ricer” most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.
My mother is from the USA, my father is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Filipino. I am not a “halfer”, nor “mestizo”, nor anything other than a Filipino national who chose to reside in the US as an American citizen.*
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what
Some people believe that labelling certain words as dirty because they have prejudicial or offensive connotations in a completely unrelated context is effective activism, passing judgement to feel like they’re doing something.
One such word is “ricing”. It comes from “rice burner”, which is a pejorative term referring to East Asian cars and motorcycles. The modern usage has nothing to do with cars or ethnicity.
On a related note, the word “queer” has a similar history.
I’d also like to point out that Queer has been reclaimed by Queer people. Whereas a bunch of, mostly white, Linux users have “reclaimed” it. But, in the context with my friend today, it was the car modification usage ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Right so that offensive term is fine but this other offensive term is still super bad, actually.
I have absolutely no idea what anything in this post is about but it seems to me like a majority of people who use the term use it because that’s what it was called when they were learning about… Whatever it is that it’s referring to. Not because they’re racist.
I’m a queer person, I get to use that term. As well, collectively, queer people have decided that it’s a good umbrella term for our community. If someone decided to use it pejoratively, that still wouldn’t be okay.
When referencing cars, it is being used as a pejorative though, so that seems pretty clear cut.
Gay isn’t a slur, but when you use it to mean something is bad, you are still being homophobic…
The modern usage has a direct connection to it’s historical usage.
I’d like you to read this from a guy who’s father is from the Philippines. His mother is American. Then have a good think about it. Actually think about it for a day or so.
Palting: (reenlist forums)
*When you call a car a “ricer”, you are saying that it is not a nice car, possibly even an atrocious car. I don’t believe you will ever hear a statement like “Look at that gorgeous ricer!!” So, in response to the question, is it derogatory, the answer is that the term ricer is most definitely derogatory.
The question then becomes, is it racist? The term “ricer” was coined to denote the cars that were made in Japan or Korea that were subsequently modded and are obnoxious to the observer. You can ask 100 people what car brand comes to mind when you say “ricer” and 100 of them will come up with an Asian brand. Ask those same 100 people what country or race comes to mind, and 100 will say some Asian country. We can safely say that “ricer” would indicate the Asian culture where rice is the staple food. We can define a term racist if the term pertaining to a race or a race’s cultural character is considered derogatory. Therefore, the term ricer is most definitely racist.
If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a “******”? The term “ricer” most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.
My mother is from the USA, my father is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Filipino. I am not a “halfer”, nor “mestizo”, nor anything other than a Filipino national who chose to reside in the US as an American citizen.*
Not that I disagree about using “rice” in this context, but I just want to paraphrase something I think a comedian said but I forget the source now. But basically, no, it’s not as bad as “the n-word” and I know that because you censored “the n-word” but didnt censor the word rice.
I still think it’s rude and not a particularly good term.
If you look at the source, the person who wrote that is filipino, so the n-word isn’t one he gets to use, would be my explanation for that.
what?
Could have used that reply to clarify
Clarify what though?
It started out as a pejorative (like a cheap car with cheap mods) but has become a positive term associated with customization and a respect for effort involved regardless of financial resources (sometimes cheaper being more impressive).
So uh… Nah I’m gonna keep saying that. You do you.
You can’t just un-racist a word because it makes you feel bad man.
*Taps the sign.*
If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a “******”? The term “ricer” most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.
You can’t just un-racist a word because it makes you feel bad man.
I think you should look into reclaiming slurs. The once derogatory term now has a positive meaning and that’s imo a good thing. Look at the word ‘Queer’, most people (especially young people) don’t know it used to be derogatory, and I don’t think people should stop using it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReappropriationWith an obvious albeit obligatory note that if you use a word in a derogatory way that’s obviously not ok, if you use it with the compliment definition it’s a bit different.
Some reappropriation can be at varying levels in different countries which is why (I assume) it’s seen as worse in other countries.
If you are to respond I would request to hear your rebuttal without copy and pasting the same article please.
The claim that “queer” is being reclaimed is easily supported. Not so with OP’s term. If you have evidence to the contrary I’ll look at it.
Sorry, let me clarify. You can’t just un-racist a word, unless you’re the targeted group, because it makes you feel bad man. I figured that I didn’t need to add that caveat? I’ve talked about the word Queer in other places in the thread.
It was a derogatory insult toward poor gear heads, who else can reclaim it? Only the Asian born subset? Asian people who never touched a motorcycle? It was never about any Asian traits of the riders or the vehicles but strictly that they were imported and the low cost.
Would you be ardently crusading in a hypothetical alternate history where these people had access to cheap Soviet Ladas? Surely cabbage burner would be just as offensive?
While we’re on the subject, here is a non-exhaustive list of European heritage word associations you are no longer allowed to say in any context outside of a recipe:
- Pasta
- Sauerkraut
- Rye
- Potato
- Beet
- Milk
- Mayo
- Butter
- Burger
- Donut
- Cucumber
- Beer
- Vodka
- Baguette
- Pickles/Pickled
- Radish
- Herring
Much like your anecdotal blog post source, I personally find these highly offensive.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
I can also insert block quotes as an authoritative source - Wikipedia 2025
When it was a common pejorative it was aracial, only determined by a person’s association with an object. As commented above, the people who own those objects are embracing the word in a positive framing. Seems fair to me.
Rice is, in reality, a very general word. It’s a staple food for half the world, independently domesticated on 3 separate continents. If anything, it should be associated with being cheap and versatile. Reinforcing the idea that it’s uniquely Asian is probably doing more harm than good when not all parts of Asia rely on it as a staple (eg: wheat and barley are far more common in northern China).
If you were someone of Asian heritage posting your personal experience on a forum for car mods I would understand. That would be a useful discussion within the community about what is/is not OK and how they could be more inclusive.
This post is the complete opposite. You are decreeing (as an ‘ally’) a phrase as racist in an unrelated community that rarely, if ever, sees any usage of it. Judging by the comments, it’s far more common for this community to know it in the context of the RICE backronym or a cheap “rice and beans” framing. Who have we helped here? Why don’t we spend our digital ink on a more important topic?
If you were someone of Asian heritage posting your personal experience on a forum for car mods I would understand. That would be a useful discussion within the community about what is/is not OK and how they could be more inclusive.
Did you know that, as an ally, one of the most important things you can do is speak up for minorities on issues that concern them?
ah that kinda makes sense. Can you explain why who’s reclaiming a slur makes a difference? I don’t really understand why you wouldn’t like a positive meaning to a once negative word. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me.
I’d reference how “cunty” (used as a compliment) isn’t exactly only said by women, but people who are generally seen as ‘in the loop’. How come the word referenced in the post isn’t treated the same way? I genuinely am asking and find this really interesting.
Also idk if it did but sorry if my message came off as rude before, I was kinda stressed about an advising meeting when I wrote it
I don’t really have the spoons to explain it to you. If you aren’t the aggrieved party, it’s just not reclamation.
please come back when you have the energy to continue this conversation 👍
I’ll start calling it a sleeper now.
A sleeper is something else though, sort of the opposite of a ricer. A sleeper Honda Civic would look largely unmodded but be a monster under the hood. A ricer Honda Civic is gonna have a wing and loud, giant exhaust and other very obvious modifications.
Personally I love a heavily modified Japanese car, and in my experience of car culture, “ricer” has largely been reclaimed by the people who drive them.
I call them chavved out, which is merely classist and not racist.
It’s not their term to reclaim unfortunately.
That’s not really how language and culture work. Some words are going to evolve and change whether you think they’re allowed to or not.
Okay, why don’t you start using the n-word to mean the colour black and see how many friends that gets you sweetie! 😊💜
Okay, why don’t you start using the n-word to mean the colour black and see how many friends that gets you sweetie! 😊💜
Because that’s not really how language and culture work. I don’t get to decide how a word is used any more than you do.
Honestly, that’s a 10/10 idea 🙏
Thank you. I’m Asian and it is honestly a bit maddening when I get white-splained as to why the term isn’t racist towards Asians.
I may be white, but I’m trans and get awful stuff said at/around me too, so I get it. Gotta have solidarity with other minorities and lift each other up! 💪
I agree with the overall message here; there’s definitely better words for customisation of a Window Manager/Desktop Environment.
I can’t agree that everyone using that term is racist though. I doubt that everyone who uses it is doing so to discriminate or abuse another race. As proven by this thread, the history of that word isn’t exactly common knowledge in the spaces people are using it.
“bigot” might be a better term to describe people that know the history of the word and actively refuse to change their ways. It feels like throwing “racist” on here where it doesn’t exactly apply sort of dampens the impact of the word. But that’s just me.
The people that now know the meaning, but are trying to argue that it doesn’t matter, are no longer ignorant, and therefore don’t have an excuse.
Another example of this is that I grew up with the term “gyped” meaning to have been taken advantage of when making a deal. When I learnt that it was a racist term that denigrates Romani/Traveller peoples, I stopped using it. If I’d continued too, then that would have made me racist :)
The people that now know the meaning, but are trying to argue that it doesn’t matter, are no longer ignorant, and therefore don’t have an excuse.
I agree, but you’re meme implies that using the term at all makes you racist
The equivalent of this meme would be someone calling you a racist the very first time you ever used the term “gyped”. You yourself stated you didn’t know that term had racist history, so how could you have been racist?
It’s a different situation when someone has knowledge of history and then goes on to use the term. That’s textbook bigotry and I would agree that’s also racsim, but you’re casting a much wider net with this meme encompassing everyone who uses the term knowledgable or not
You can be part of systemic racism and not know it. It still affects the other person even if you didn’t intend it to.
We live in a society. It’s not a personal failing if you were racist and didn’t know it. But I think it is a responsibility to try and change for the better, just like in all aspects of life.
My friend, it is a meme. The format doesn’t lend well to longform explanation. Why are you choosing to come after me for that, when there are people in this very thread saying that they’ll use it regardless?
Why are you choosing to come after me for that, when there are people in this very thread saying that they’ll use it regardless?
I tried to answer this with my first comment
It feels like throwing “racist” on here where it doesn’t exactly apply sort of dampens the impact of the word. But that’s just me.
I hope I’m not coming off agressive or nothing. I’m not saying what you’re doing is entirely wrong or anything because it benefits everyone to spread knowledge especially for something like this. I really dislike that it’s made normal in Linux circles. But this meme is calling everyone that uses a fairly common term racist while you drop good history lessons on individual comments of people that don’t know better. Maybe there’s a more effective way to get your point across?
I hope I’m not coming off agressive or nothing. I’m not saying what you’re doing is entirely wrong or anything because it benefits everyone to spread knowledge especially for something like this. I really dislike that it’s made normal in Linux circles. But this meme is calling everyone that uses a fairly common term racist while you drop good history lessons on individual comments of people that don’t know better. Maybe there’s a more effective way to get your point across?
That’s fair, I’m sorry if I came across standoffish. This is a meme community though, and a simplified meme wasn’t going to be able to convey that full meaning, which is why I brought it up in the comments. Maybe I shoulda dropped it in the text section but I was just frustrated with my friend and wanted to vent a bit of steam. I can go add some stuff to the post.
there’s definitely better words for customisation of a Window Manager/Desktop Environment.
Any recommendations?
Theming
Well that’s just trans/enby phobic /s
Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements. That’s what rice has always meant to me, and as far as I know everyone around me. You can rice an American car and you can rice a German car just as much as you can rice a Japanese car.
I think this kind of linguistic prescriptivism is one of many things wrong with modern anti-racism movements. It’s such a non-issue.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
That is a backronym that was invented to try and coverup the racist origins of the term. Like I’ve said in other comments, why don’t you start using the n-word to mean the colour black and see how many friends that makes you 😊
Oh, I had only ever heard this term in the context of Linux desktop customization. Like in the context of superfluous over the top additions that look pretty but ultimately do not add anything to a system and may to some extent degrade performance.
I dont know why I never connected it with the car scene or with racist attitudes. I’m ashamed to say I think I’ve used the term myself once or twice. Thanks for sharing an explanation of the history of this evidently very racist term, I imagine there are others like myself who have failed to make that connection.
Idk why its so hard to just say “setup”. I’m not sure that a use case this particular warrants its own terminology.
I’m ashamed to say I think I’ve used the term myself once or twice.
It’s okay, you didn’t know then, so didn’t use it intentionally to cause harm.
Calling the term “rice” in connection to focusing on aesthetics over preformance racist just seems insane to me. There are objectly racist uses of the word rice to harm Asians. However when 99% of the community never even correlated this useage of the word to anything derogatory twords asians, and even use it positivly when someone genuinely likes JDM or overbuilt cars, the word stops being racist
You cant claim racist undertones to a word when people don’t corelate that word whatsoever to anything derogatory twords Asians. The modern use of the word spoke about a car that looked like a racecar but didn’t have the preformance of one, making it “ugly”, and then branched to become a positive term when talking about putting lots of efforts into the aesthetic of something
The evolution of the word is not a moral failing but a redirection from a derogatory borderline slur to a word that captures the idea of “looks over preformance”
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
Reading through your responses it seems you really dont give a fuck about actually having discussion. Your view is right and everyone else is wrong, because of the simple fact “racism bad”
Theres no reason to ever redirect a racist phrase into something positive and completely seperated from its racist past, dispite the community at large already doing that. Words cannot change or evolve, and any word with even an inkling of negativity should be banned from ever being spoken (/s). I specifically called out that rice can be used in a racist and as a borderline slur, but that the modern useage of the word is painfully obviously removed from that connotation: considering the massive amount of people under this post also claiming they have never used, or even knew, the word could at all relate to degrading asians.
Oh and since you’ve responded often rejecting opinions just because “its a white person claiming its not racist” let me ask you, how many Japanese people (since the old meaning of the word was specifically targeted at the japanese) do you know take genuine offence to the word? Because funnily enough my Japanese friends in the car scene love calling things riced out
There is literally a person in this thread who says they’re uncomfortable about the usage?
BTW, have you actually asked any of your friends about the term? Because plenty of minorities will just play along with slurs because calling it out is hard and results in *gestures broadly* this sort of response. Just like trans people often won’t call out when they’re deadnamed or misgendered. Or autistic people not calling out when the r-slur is used. It’s kind of pretty common.
Well with how often they use the word freely themselves, I’d assume they like the word. But I did ask and yes they like the word, and were very confused why I needed to ask LMAO
Fair enough. Still doesn’t change that there’s someone in this thread who’d prefer it wasn’t used. Dunno what to tell you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mean thats the thing with any word. If someone tells you their uncomfortable with the useage of it ill either stop using that word around them or remove myself from the conversarion. However I don’t think its right to ban a word completely that has evolved into a simple meaning of “looks over or at the cost of preformance”
Why would I ask them without any prompting or context? They don’t interact with any communities that use it or know how it’s origin. Seems like a leading question with no constructive purpose other than to remind them that they should feel sad/angry about who they are as a person.
I’m sorry, I must’ve been mistaken, was I talking to you lovely?
Ah so no actual response; no discussion to be had on when and where support is necessary and what we can do to meet that need. Very constructive, thank you. Glad to know your position is so hollow and self serving.
I feel like a lot of people here need to stop taking this information so damn personally. You didn’t know, great, that means you’re not racist. Now you do know. So just… Stop? That’s it. OP wasn’t even a dick about it.
Personally, I’m grateful when I get a heads up that certain terms are racist, so thank you OP!
Thank you! 🙏
I actually extended your PSA over to my Misskey. A great discussion ensued followed by this term and one other being added to the slur list. :P
Hell yeah, nice work! 💜
“Rice” as a food or plant, that’s fine. “Rice” as a word for a group of people, not really
Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate.
Funnily enough the Finnish version of that mnemonic definitely sounds super racist:
Kylmä (cold)
Koho (form of “raise/rise”)
Kompressio (probably obvious, I hope)KKK (aka. the 3 K treatment)
In German, it’s PECH (bad luck):
- Pause
- Eis
- Compression (for some reason written with C here)
- Hochlagern
wow, we have the same word for bad luck in Polish, I had no idea it was originally German
Compression (for some reason written with C here)
Gotta make that mnemonic work! PEKH sounds more like something a Klingon would shout at you
Fulfilling their cliché, the Finnish seem to be chill people, so that they don’t need to take extra rest if they’re injured.
I bet it’s sisu, the (supposedly positive…) pigheaded determination and stoicism that we’re famous for.
“It’s fine, I don’t need to rest. Give me a cold compress and I’ll be OK; I’ll have someone reattach the other leg after work.”
FYI That’s not the recommended treatment for injuries anymore, mostly the i, and a bit the r.
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/rice-protocol-for-injuries
True, I would say that usage is completely innocent. The backronym “Racing Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements” is a red herring though. Folks try to use it to explain how the term doesn’t carry racial connotations.
It’s moreso its use to discuss cosmetic modifications that I’m calling out, either on cars/motorbikes, but also it’s newer use for customising your Linux DE. Rice as in the food/plant is obviously fine.
Ok, that is something i didn’t know. What is the connection between rice and racism here?
Thank you (and the two others also explaining it)
No worries, thanks for being willing to listen, appreciate it :)
Looks like rice burner was originally a pejorative term for all Japanese and then all East Asian cars. Not too much of a stretch to see how that could have roots in racist stereotypes
Gonna add these screenshots because they more clearly answer your actual question I think:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_burner
Customizing a machine is often known as ricing. People want to use it innocently enough, but the history taints the expression.
There is nothing wrong with the term ricing as in customizing, when cooking rice you have to clean out the rice for any dirt inside I found screws in my rice once
Yes, there is.
Also rice is eaten and cooked in different colors sometimes, yellow, orange it’s widely used and pretty delicious etc. so It doesn’t make sense to use it in a bad way
so It doesn’t make sense to use it in a bad way
Then don’t use the racist meaning? Seems simple enough.
What’s your preferred term? “Linux desktop customization” is a bit of a mouthful.
That’s the problem. People aren’t going to stop using rice as a verb until some new term exists that’s appropriately specific, and there is no alternative term I’m aware of.
They’re not wrong though. You have to push an attractive alternative.
No, you don’t.
I think you might be talking about two different things. On an individual level, sure, it’s easy to simply stop using a word and use a lengthier or less accurate term, but I think they are talking more societally/culturally, where you have to where you have to educate the entire culture that is racist, and assuming everyone gives a shit about being a lil racist enough to stop using it.
To effectively change a term like that with a relatively small group, you do kinda need a better/very close term to replace it.
Turn it into an acronym, LUSC (Linux UI and System Customization)
I hope you mean to pronounce it like lush because I absolutely love it.
I’m new to this idea as of this thread, so maybe I’m not understanding the issue correctly, but:
- mog
- style
- furbish
- theme
- vamp
- spruce
- look
- snazz
- attune
- deck
- alter
- finify
- spiff
I hope this list is at least helpful in generating ideas.
As far as I’m aware, blinged out is perfectly acceptables :3Edit: Someone pointed out that this is theft of AAVE, which is a point I hadn’t considered.
As far as I’m aware, blinged out is perfectly acceptables :3
really? Let’s substitute the term we’re sensitive about because it might offend asian people for one that might offend black people?
Blinged out doesn’t have a history that includes racist usage. I did some searching and it didn’t surface anything problematic, but if you know something I don’t then I’ll happily stop using it :)Edit: Someone pointed out that this is theft of AAVE, which is a point I hadn’t considered.
That sounds like decorating something with gems and precious metals. Doesn’t make a lot of sense for desktop customization, considering that most linux destop customizers go for a very minimalist look.
Do you have any other ideas? That’s the best I could come up with on the spot.
I appreciate the history lesson. I was always really confused by the term, but just accepted it as a silly random easy to remember word.
I’d prefer if it wasn’t hidden in the comments tho. Presenting it this way is very much inviting conflict, considering most people have no clue.
I didn’t mean to hide it, I thought most would know the usage I was referencing. It seems like, even despite the explanations, people are wanting to argue it’s not racist anymore anyway.
deleted by creator
The irony of bitching about being racist while stealing AAVE amd then arguing its less racist is hilarious. I haven’t used this term in ages but jesus if that aint some regressivist leftism i dont know what is.
That’s a fair point, you’re right. Have you got other ideas for what would suit the Linux customising usage? Someone mentioned ‘sleeper’ and I think that’s a pretty good option.
If used for PC that’s just a modern, fast computer built inside of an old beige case with similar looking HID.
Defs for the PC itself, I think it might work for the OS customisation though? Based off this other comment: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/comment/16611692
(I dunno, my linux is pretty stock.)
“ricing” in the context of Linux customization is specifically about modifying the UI (or at least I’ve never seen it outside of that context). “Sleeper” is pretty much the opposite of that.
what???
what?
It’s a racist term, but a lot of people simply don’t know that. How I react depends on their general attitude.
But that’s how I remember to Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate injuries
