4 chapters across the catalog
The "Standard Man" or "Reference Man" is a theoretical model established by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in 1974. This individual is defined as being 20-30 years old, weighing 70 kilograms (154 lbs), and standing 170 centimeters (5'6") tall. The definition specifically identifies the subject as a Caucasian of Western European or North American habitat, a standard now criticized for its lack of diversity.
Actor Seth Rogen recounted an encounter with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan at an Alzheimer's charity event. Rogen claimed he refused a photo with Ryan in front of his children and told the politician he hated what he was doing to the country, an anecdote characterized by the hosts as extreme virtue signaling.
Historical texts like "The Races of Man" from the 1920s categorized ethnicities like the Irish, Scots, and Swedes as distinct races based on physical stereotypes. Post-WWII anthropology shifted toward a three-race model—Asian, Negroid, and Caucasian—based on genetics rather than nationality. Modern discourse is criticized for conflating religion or culture with race, such as labeling opposition to Islam as "racism" when Islam is not a racial group.
The language guide's section on race and ethnicity discourages the use of the term "American" because it fails to recognize South America. It defines "people of color" as a broad category excluding white people and suggests "European American individual" as a replacement for "Caucasian." The term "foreigner" is replaced by "international people," and the guide insists on specifying countries of origin rather than continents.
