Political Correctness.

Stanaccy · 13-07-2007, 18:28

I know I may starting something here that could see my reputation slide faster than greased sledge in a very high ice mountain but here goes.

There have been a lot of threads on here on that have had people attacking "the PC Brigade" or saying The PC lot won't like this but...

Personally I do not believe the PC brigade exist, neither does Political Correctness. In my viewpoint what you are saying is Political Correctness in most forms is respecting the wishes of others and not insulting them.

If for example we find something insulting we mention it and complain and we say "didn't they even think before doing it?" Well what is the problem of us thinking first before acting and insulting someone.

I'm not talking about rewriting history, I think it is fantastic the way we have developed as a nation and been able to absorb so many cultures. These have mainly enriched our lives and enable a wide and more varied viewpoint to be taken over a lot of aspects of our daily lives.

If you start a statement with "The PC Brigade won't like this but...." Just takes me back to the seventies/eighties when people used to say "I'm not a racist but.." or "I don't hate gays but...".

SamF · 13-07-2007, 18:30

Well said... but your right this post will get you hated by many.

cashman · 13-07-2007, 18:36

surprised me that stan, are you on the same planet?

Margaret Pilkington · 13-07-2007, 19:41

I don't hate you for having a view...everyone is entitled to their opinion......and there are many differing opinions.
I agree to some of the things you say, but I do think that political correctness stilts some relationships and prevents people from sometimes saying what they really mean. Calling a spade a spade. If you say exactly what you mean then no-one is in any doubt about what you have said....pussyfooting about, and trying not to cause offence to anyone gets in the way of some messages.
We have to be able to put our point across eloquently, sometimes this will cause offence because people have become more sensitised to what they perceive as slights...when in actual fact they are not at all.
Personally I prefer people who tell it like it is. The truth is the truth...and sometimes the truth is painful.

Margaret Pilkington · 13-07-2007, 19:44

Oh and before someone shoots me down in flames, I would like to say that my maxim in life is to 'Treat people how you would want to be treated yourself'......I try always to be courteous and respectful. That is how we were brought up

SPUGGIE J · 13-07-2007, 19:50

I do believe it exists and that people are a brigade for it. I have no objection to curtousy good manners and respect to others but hate it rammed down my throught. Some may feel it protects them but others hate it when they are in the same boat but its ok for them to take the crud that is usually prevented by PC because they are not of a certain "label" and I have copped a load of it while up here.

garinda · 13-07-2007, 20:52

I too hate the term 'the Poitically Correct Brigade'. Referring to it as if it is an actual body, something you can sign up and join like the Boy's Brigade.

Political correctness was started by a few American academics, at east coast universities in the late seventies/early eighties. It's primary concern was to change the way some words, and names, were used prejudicially, with the intent to hurt. Initally a noble cause.

Now it's just a term used by lazy journalists, to report breathlessy about anything which signifies a perceived change for the worse, and to my mind is a fairly meaningless term.

Eric · 13-07-2007, 21:07

It is not surprising that political correctness grew up in the US. One could argue that it is a wider application of euphemism. The perception that some common words are inapproriate in themselves, that they are somehow impolite or insulting regardless of how they are used is an aspect of a country which grew up conservative and more than a little puritanical. The idea of correctness is ousting some harmless and useful words; "second hand" is now no longer appropriate. "Previously owned" is Ok, and so is "Previously enjoyed" (unless it is applied to a divorced woman). I'm sure everyone can think of more. But it is not words which are offensive, but people and contexts.

SPUGGIE J · 13-07-2007, 21:36

All in all its bonkers. When will they realise that as G has comented before that all people are individuals and therefore we are capable of not insulting insinuating propigating trouble by our actions.

Ianto.W. · 13-07-2007, 21:41

Quote:

Stanaccy, Personally I do not believe the PC brigade exist, neither does Political Correctness. In my viewpoint what you are saying is Political Correctness in most forms is respecting the wishes of others and not insulting them.

Oh yes they do, they are people who dress in funny clothes and the last thing they respect is the wishes of others!

WillowTheWhisp · 13-07-2007, 22:05

I think I know what you're saying Stanaccy and in an ideal world I would agree with you. I'm sure that the majority of people never set out to offend anyone but end up being offended by people trying to prevent other people being offended. This despite the fact the most of the time the people perceived to have been, or feared to potentially be, offended haven't actually been. nor would be. offended by the thing which is perceived by some to be offensive.

For example the renaming of Christmas by some well-intentioned body to 'Winterfest' so as not to upset those who do not celebrate Christmas when in fact those who do not celebrate Christmas have no objection to those who do celebrate Christmas from calling it that. Or the avoidance of describing things as 'black' which are black in order not to offend people with dark brown skin. (Silly nonsense about 'rainbow sheep' comes to mind)

If black is a colour then so is white, but I was always told that neither are colours they are both shades. People (even pale pink pathetic people like yours truly) come in shades of brown ranging from deep and dark to the palest of beige. We are all far more alike than some of us think.

I'm short. I describe myself as short. Why should I describe myself as vertically challenged? In fact sometimes I describe myself as "a little squirt" when I can't reach things on high shelves, or a "dumpy little squirt". If someone wants to be offensive they can do it even using the most politically correct terminology. I think it's the intention which really matters.

I don't think the person who failed to do accurate research on black puddings intended to offend Barbra Streisand - do you?

Mancie · 13-07-2007, 23:00

Spot on.. no such or organisation as the "PC brigade" exists and there is no need for such an organisation.
If a section of our society take offence to being called/labelled in a particular way e.g "pakis" or "nigger" or even "yankee"?... unless you are intent in causing offence why would anyone persist in discribing people in these terms? it boils down to basic manners.

cashman · 13-07-2007, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mancie

Spot on.. no such or organisation as the "PC brigade" exists and there is no need for such an organisation.
If a section of our society take offence to being called/labelled in a particular way e.g "pakis" or "nigger" or even "yankee"?... unless you are intent in causing offence why would anyone persist in discribing people in these terms? it boils down to basic manners.

of coarse there is no such organisation,its a term used by media etc to describe odiuos pricks in society, who also happen to think they are such,as far as bad manners using those terms cant see it mancie,worked for 23 years with mainly asian men (many are still mates) who in the main addressed each other as "that "pak1" over there,n i used to call most em "stan" its not bad manners to me,its just mates making light of the daft crap that some people make it.

Mancie · 13-07-2007, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

of coarse there is no such organisation,its a term used by media etc to describe odiuos pricks in society, who also happen to think they are such,as far as bad manners using those terms cant see it mancie,worked for 23 years with mainly asian men (many are still mates) who in the main addressed each other as "that "pak1" over there,n i used to call most em "stan" its not bad manners to me,its just mates making light of the daft crap that some people make it.

OK Cashy.. how long ago was that?.. I'm saying that if you knew people did not liked to be called a **** or nignog would you persist in calling them by that name?...manners cost nowt my son.. PC brigade or not

garinda · 13-07-2007, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

its a term used by media etc to describe odiuos pricks in society

Yes, but if one loony (non-PC, appologies to all loonies) on a council comes up with an idea to call Christmas 'Winterfest', the press jump on it, and conjure up this big massive conspiracy theory, that there is an organised attempt to undermine the very fabric of society.

There have always been a few people with a few mad ideas, all this PC brigade nonesense just whips up hysteria, like there is some sinister plot. There isn't, just a few nutters who are being given a wider audience because of all this.