Derogatory term: Wog

Question answered by remiel in Scientology

FredricRice asked this question on 9/5/2000:

I've run across Robert A. Heinlein's use of the term "Wog" in his book, "The Number of the Beast." I know that L. Ron Hubbard hated "Chinks" as he called them, and that the Scientology cult uses the derogatory term for anyone who hasn't been suckered into the cult.

Did Hubbard get the term from Heinlein? Or was the racist term merely one od many used in Hubbard's time and Hubbard -- and his insane cult -- merely adopt the use of the term?

Thanks.

remiel gave this response on 9/5/2000:

the theory I have heard about this is that Hubbard spent a long time in England, and at one point attempted to establish a base in Rhodesia. Possibly at this time he tried to cultivate the air of the ex-pat colonial gentleman (it sounds like the kind of affectation he would adopt), and so started to use their terminology. 'wog' has been used as a racial slur since long before Hubbard's time (for proof, check any Enid Blyton book), but was a very British term, especially in the colonies. It is possible that he picked the term up here and decided to use it in the growing terminology of Scientology. Hubbard was, in my opinion, more a packrat than a plagariser, although he was both, and the phrase was appropriated and flung into his mishmash of terms and ideas.

Return to The Skeptic Tank's main Index page.