Implications of Social-Construct terms of "Humanity" and "Beast"

[Moogly900]

Is it accurate for me to say that terms like man or humans and beasts are simply just social construct terms to designate between the playable races and the "beast" tribes in the game? Because I've read the Eorzea encyclopedia, and the writer does suggest the implications of these terms that divide these groups apart which even the writer calls these tribes as just as men as they are, and that the playable races aren't any less beast than them as well.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...encyclopaedia/

I mean, I don't see the Hyur as say the same species as us even despite on the fact that they're the most human in appearance for me as well sort of like in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies(forgot the name of the alien race, but they look 100% Human).

What do you guys think?

[KageTokage]

That same excerpt explains how the term "beast tribe" came into existence.

It's strictly Eorzea that uses it; it being an originally negative designation the Syndicate attached to Amal'jaa for having the audacity to resist the aggressive expansion of the Uldahns into their territory then later extended to include the rest of the so-called beastmen.

At this point most people are simply unaware of the racist connotations attached to the phrase.

[Moogly900]

That same excerpt explains how the term "beast tribe" came into existence.

It's strictly Eorzea that uses it; it being an originally negative designation the Syndicate attached to Amal'jaa for having the audacity to resist the aggressive expansion of the Uldahns into their territory then later extended to include the rest of the so-called beastmen.

At this point most people are simply unaware of the racist connotations attached to the phrase.

Yeah, but I just find it a bit strange that some people in Reddit think that the Spoken races are Humans even though the term isn't..well, is the same meaning as in our world. I mean, is it accurate to say that terms like man or human are simply just social constructs, and not actually biological?

[GoldStarz]

Without getting too into it, you're essentially correct. Beast Tribe is just a social construct to describe a species of Spoken creature that hasn't fully integrated into the society that other races have established. Later story content will address this and the implications of what it means down the line.

[Moogly900]

Without getting too into it, you're essentially correct. Beast Tribe is just a social construct to describe a species of Spoken creature that hasn't fully integrated into the society that other races have established. Later story content will address this and the implications of what it means down the line.

Same for terms like man, children of man, humans and etc which are terms for the Spoken races, right?

[GoldStarz]

Same for terms like man, children of man, humans and etc which are terms for the Spoken races, right?

Yeah "man" and "human" applies to any playable Spoken race and a few additional races like Garleans.

[Enkidoh]

The 'beast tribe' thing is a holdover from FFXIV's earlier MMO predecessor FFXI which stated outright that beastmen were a seperate order of sentient life from 'the races of Altana' (the player races), beastmen were created by Altana's dark opposite and enemy Promathia and were thus in eternal opposition with the five races of Altana - although as is typical of the FF series the actual truth was far more complicated and murkier than it was made out to be.

Here in FFXIV however, 'beastman' simply seems to refer to a vaguely humanoid race that are considered more tribal and 'primitive' that generally have created their own independent societies seperate from mainstream Hydaelyn... but again the term is very vague and ill-defined. By that definition, races like the viera or even miqo'te could even probably be considered 'beast tribes' given their traditional tribal nature, but they're considered among the races of 'people', so yeah.

[Vyrerus]

The 'beast tribe' thing is a holdover from FFXIV's earlier MMO predecessor FFXI which stated outright that beastmen were a seperate order of sentient life from 'the races of Altana' (the player races), beastmen were created by Altana's dark opposite and enemy Promathia and were thus in eternal opposition with the five races of Altana - although as is typical of the FF series the actual truth was far more complicated and murkier than it was made out to be.

Here in FFXIV however, 'beastman' simply seems to refer to a vaguely humanoid race that are considered more tribal and 'primitive' that generally have created their own independent societies seperate from mainstream Hydaelyn... but again the term is very vague and ill-defined. By that definition, races like the viera or even miqo'te could even probably be considered 'beast tribes' given their traditional tribal nature, but they're considered among the races of 'people', so yeah.

Enkidoh gonna give me memory whiplash making me remember Garden of Ruh'met and climbing those dang ole towers to get the Shards of Apathy, Envy, Cowardice, Pride, and Rage.

[KageTokage]

I kind of hope that they decide to formally abolish the phrase in the aftermath of 6.0 in interest of removing any divides that exist among the spoken populace of Eorzea.

Hopefully Ul'dah and Gridania will axe their "no beastmen allowed" policy as well.

[ReynTime]

I still think it's weird how Au'ra from the Steppe aren't considered beastmen when some of the beast tribes are a lot more integrated in modern society and more civilized than they are.