[century19]

You'd need to define that something special, else you sound really racist. More likely Europe stumbled on a couple of things such as reading glasses (that gave much longer working lives to scientists) or the steam engine that gave an advantage.

[smolder]

They don't owe you an explanation just because something they probably said innocently could be construed as having racist undertones. While I'm willing to believe that you believe you are doing the right, anti-racist thing by calling them out, you basically attacked them before knowing what they meant, and that feels more like the bad-faith race-trolling that sometimes pretends to be anti-racism online.

[century19]

White supremacy is basically this, "we are special". Needs to be called out in its tracks. They don't have to explain, but they can expect push back like I gave and can easily clarify if I was misinterpreting, which they chose not to.

[smolder]

You didn't even establish that they're white before you attacked.

[century19]

Like I said, I called it out in its tracks and gave them the chance to correct if there was a misunderstanding.

[fsckboy]

European achievements in the Enlightenment and Rennaissance and Classical Period and Industrial Revolution were special, full stop. You're the racist if you think it's because of their race, as evidenced by you injecting race into the conversation. You see things racially.

[century19]

The OP said the Chinese did some good things but nothing like the special Europeans. It was clearly a race discussion.

[fantasticshower]

I should probably finish reading it but doesn't "Guns, Germs and Steel" give a totally non-racial explanation for what they are saying?

[dragonwriter]

It does, though, while an interesting story, its been criticized as being one that is inadequately supported.

[boondoggle16]

>You'd need to define that something special, else you sound really racist.

...I think that says more about you than me.

[century19]

That I'm not racist? What is so special about Europeans?