We all know that the west uses two different words for the same thing depending on where it is happening.

e.g. Secret Police vs Plainclothes Officer
Regime vs Government

Can we have a compilation thread of these words? I am probably using many of them unconsciously without critical examination.

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[–] 36 points 2 years ago (1 child)

Prime minister and Supreme leader are literally synonyms yet have such wildly different implications.

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    damn that's true lmao, never even thought of that.

    kind of reminds me how chinese titles and names will often get translated into their literal english counterparts, which have weird connotations in english that aren't there in mandarin. can't think of examples off the top of my head

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Propaganda vs Public Relation Campaigns

    From what I understand, Chinese use the same word for both.

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  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago

    Internship vs unpaid labor

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  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago* (5 children)

    Their authoritarianism vs our law and order.

    Their warcrime vs our collateral damage.

    Their dictator vs our leader.

    Their reeducation vs our rehabilitation.

    Their state media vs our public media.

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    [–] 33 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    Defector/refugee - Illegal immigrant
    Community service - Forced labor
    Liberation - Occupation
    Enhanced interrogation techniques - Torture

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  • [–] 32 points 2 years ago

    "The adults in the room" versus "the unaccountable ruling class and their puppets"

    THEY ARE THE SAME FUCKING THING

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  • [–] 30 points 2 years ago

    oligarchy - entrepreneurs

    invasion - humanitarian intervention

    indoctrination - common sense

    surveillance - CCTV

    attacking free press - defending national security

    racial profiling/transphobia - stopping cultural marxism

    freedom fighters - terrorists

    united states - america

    football - soccer

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  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    The various ways they avoid using "oligarch" for westerns. Western Billionaire, entrepreneur, etc, whereas it's always "Russian Oligarchs."

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  • [–] 26 points 2 years ago

    our riots vs their protests for freedom

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  • [–] 26 points 2 years ago (2 children)
  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)

    Expat is a useful word, but it has been co-opted by those who very obviously aren’t expats and just don’t want to call themselves immigrants.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago*

    I do the reverse thing of calling myself an immigrant and you can see people having an error in their heads. Because I am an immigrant, I came here unemployed with nowhere to stay, looking for a better life. But I'm white, so expat it is for them 🤷

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I think this isn't always true because they do mean different things. You're not an "immigrant" unless you're trying to stay there permanently, whereas "expats" can be sort of transient

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  • [–] 26 points 2 years ago

    There's just a kajillion of them:

    Their Stasi Vs our neighborhood watch

    Their whataboutism Vs our providing important context

    Their unaccountable regime security forces Vs our police officer who feared for his safety

    Their re-education Vs our cult deprogramming

    Their GULAG Vs our federal bureau of prisons

    Their prison camps Vs our prisons

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  • [–] 25 points 2 years ago

    The Dictator's hand-picked successor.

    The President's endorsement.

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  • [–] 25 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    manifest destiny vs. the holocaust

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  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago*

    Paid volunteers vs mercenaries

    White nationalism vs white supremacist

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  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago*

    In terms of Israel: Skirmishes vs terrorist attacks

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    freedom fighters vs terrorists
    Media really had a field day with these over the last 20 years.

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    Our routine missile test vs their provocative missile launch

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago

    Their police state versus our safety.

    Authoritarian spying apparatus versus smart advertising.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)
    • Bribery/corruption vs lobbying
    • Oligarch vs job creator
    • Warlord vs leader/general
    • Preventable deaths are social murder
    • Propaganda vs public relations
    • Terrorist/guerilla and freedom fighter just depends on which side of the violence you're on
    • Any use of the term "extremist"
    • And the worst is that they call their fascists "neoliberals"

    Mandatory Viewing

    Optional Reading

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    [–] [S] 15 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    I'll start the thread.

    Billionaire vs Oligarch
    Custom vs Ritual
    Freedom fighter vs Terrorist
    Anime vs Cartoon

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  • Terrorists vs freedom fighters

    dictator vs president

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago

    Defence contractor vs weapons manufacturer

    Used depending on who's buying weapons from whom

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    Savages committing human sacrifices vs Carrying out God's divine justice

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    gulag vs prison oligarch vs entrepreneur

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago*

    our 'hard-hitting journalism', their 'state-funded propaganda'

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Their regime, our administration

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    [–] 9 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Our prison, their prison camp

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    security forces vs police
    i like using that one about america, it makes liberals weirdly defensive lol

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