PC

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PC

No¦ not computers or members of the constabulary, but everyone's favourite or least favourite concept: political correctness.

Historically, the term only ever seems to have been used pejoratively, by the right and the left, and its excesses have been well documented (speech codes, capability-neutral terminology, and so on). But I feel it also gets used as a lazy catch-all term by reactionaries, who see it as some sort of cap on their freedom to voice controversial or disrespectful opinions.

For myself, I acknowledge the excesses. I used to work with a guy who criticised me for liking the music of Wagner ' for reasons you can all probably guess. My liking it offended his sensibilities because he felt it was disrespectful towards Jews ' and he felt I should have acknowledged that. Well? Did he have a case, or is that PC gone mad? I ask because I have to admit that I get confused by it all sometimes. I like to think of myself as respectful and sensitive in my dealings with others ' especially if they're people I don't know very well. In my view, therefore, nothing could be more disrespectful of someone than to presuppose that they share my opinions, sense of humour, tastes, etc.

Here's an example of what I mean. I went for a haircut a few weeks back, at a place I'd never been before. The hairdresser got me on the subject of football. I mentioned that I used to follow football in my teens, in the 70s, but not now. "Ah, he chimed in, "You mean back in the good old days when the coach didn't need to speak a dozen languages to make himself understood. Okay, a harmless enough remark, maybe¦ but I could tell what this guy's agenda was, really, and I could see where it was going. We got onto the subject of work ' and Bob's yer uncle, off he goes on the problems of immigration. 'Foreigners' (perhaps preceded by an offensive adjective) were obviously his pet thing and he liked to take every opportunity he could to bring the subject up. He assumed I would automatically agree with him, probably because he saw me in a certain light: white, seemingly English, and with a working-class-sounding voice (yeah, a whole load of assumptions there). The whole thing had me seething ' and you can bet your life that if I'd come back at him, he'd have categorised me as 'another politically correct wanker.' He might even have cut my ears off. Yet, for all he knew, I could be an immigrant, or married to a foreigner. I classed his behaviour as presumptuous and, therefore, disrespectful. Oversensitivity on my part? PC?

What's do you think? What's your definition?

I think the whole PC thing is way OTT. Like I said on the other thread, people who are looking to feel offended by something will usually find it. I don't dig racism, however. My mother-in-law, who, ironically, immigrated from Yugoslavia in the 40s, conveniently forgets she was stateless during WWII, and is convinced that immigrants (meaning, non-white immigrants) nowdays come to the UK to spread disease and steal from people, but fer chrissakes: trying to use PC language at all times will render the English language unintelligible at some point.
I mostly agree with BBF on this. The right-wing press and some politicians always have and continue to twist PC stories so they can justify their general racism and nastiness. There is some stupid stuff, though, particularly in local government. I used to work for a community youth magazine and I remember being told by the lady from agency commissioning a particular article - on sex and relationships - that it was inappropriate to illustrate the article with a picture of a white couple because this was 'not representative of the borough as a whole'. Aside from the bizarre notion that it's possible or desirable to accurately represent the entire demographic make-up of a whole London Borough in every picture in every article in a magazine, this position was simply factually wrong. The borough where I was working had a 'white, British' population of around 55% and as people are generally more likely to date people from the same backgrounds as them, if you picked a couple in the borough at random, they would be more likely to be two 'white, British' people than any other combination. I should probably have pointed this out but I didn't really care that much.

 

I agree with BBF, too - and you, Buk. That example you cite is something I used to come across when I worked in local government. I agree, archergirl, that it’s gone too far in many ways. Part of the issue is, I suppose – how far do you go with it? I work with special needs adults. I hope none of us wants to go back to the bad old days of referring to them as spastics and cripples – even though those terms may be accurate in describing their condition. Everyone I work with is comfortable with the terms ‘special needs’ and ‘challenging behaviour’, and no one uses the terms ‘handicapped’ or ‘retarded’ – even though, again, they are accurate descriptions. We all KNOW they are handicapped and retarded, but they’re not discussed in those terms in the working environment. With most of our service users (company policy that we use that term), it wouldn’t make the slightest difference what sort of terminology you used. With their families, though, it’s a different matter. Some are very sensitive on the issue – even if you refer to someone as ‘suffering from cerebral palsy’ or whatever. It’s the idea of their ‘suffering’. So we have to be sensitive to that. Yet even there, there are disagreements. One mother insists on referring to her son as handicapped and retarded. Well, so be it, as far as I’m concerned. What we have to do is find some middle ground. ‘Special needs’ seems to cover it. But who’s right and who’s wrong in a circumstance like that? Is the mother right because she’s being realistic?
I agree with BBF too, he *is* a 'big orrible looking skinhead'

 

Ha, alan_benefit, I understand completely. I work for a council, and also work with special needs children, specifically 'hearing impaired'. 'Deaf' still seems to be an okay term to use, however, so I'm lucky I don't have to watch my language too much; but some of the kids have a whole range of disabilities (not 'handicaps', but why not make it ultra-PC and call them 'challenges'?). It seems silly to have to have such a 'softly, softly' approach. I do agree about the 'cripple and spastic' terminology, although I occasionally slip and say something like, "What a retarded thing to do!" and then wince, ever so slightly.
errm racism is bad mmmmkay but the days when they could air something like this ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRhSHSNVVV8 jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

 

Ha ha! Classic! But in truth, I *have* met a couple of nice ones.
Don't know if anyone caught this when I posted it a few weeks ago. I didn't write it, but I wish I had. It says it all: "Please accept with no obligation, implicit or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally-conscious, socially-responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with total respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, and their choice not to practise religious or secular traditions at all... and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Britain great (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country nor is it the only "BRITAIN" in the northern hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, sexual orientation and choice of computer platform of the wishee. By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wishee actually to implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher." ...well, have a good one, anyway!
"but some of the kids have a whole range of disabilities (not 'handicaps', but why not make it ultra-PC and call them 'challenges'?)." I obviously can't speak for the people who write the policies but the reason why I'd use disability rather than handicap is that handicap is more likely to be used to describe a restriction that's imposed - either by a person or by specific circumstances - and can be removed. That's not in terms of the dictionary definition - the dictionary describes a 'disability' as a 'disadvantage or handicap' - but in terms of general usage.

 

PC-ness is self-defeating. When will we come to the point where we describe things in such vague, non-political, non-racial, non-whatever-al terms that we don’t know who or what the skiddly-doo we are talking about? It seems to me to be far more empowering when people own the phrases and terminology which may otherwise be used pejoratively to describe them… such as black people who call themselves “niggers”… or someone I used to work with who called herself a “crip”… or the fact that even the term “Christian” used to be pejorative… If such terms are “owned,” they lose their negative connotations and therefore power… {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

From a totally personal perspective, I am called all sorts of things by various members of these forums… I generally deal with this, not by “fighting” back, but by accepting and “owning” the terms and accusations that are thrown at me. Whatever anyone else thinks of me, I know this approach helps me to keep my sense of self-worth, which snowballs into improving my confidence, etc, etc, etc… OK, so the “relationships” within the ABCtales forums are the tiniest of microcosms of the “real” world, and I would not for a minute deign to equate my personal situation with that of, for example, a black kid suffering racial abuse from his peers… but language is powerful, and if one is able, in whatever circumstance, to positively contextualise the meanings and connotations of various terms, I think it is bound to have a positive psychological effect… which inevitably will snowball into a number of benefits with regard of one’s relationships with society and the individuals therein. That said, I think the world is not quite ready for the “friendly” usage by “hip” young whites of the “n” word… {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

It might. {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

But you'd be a happy twat. :-) {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

"PC-ness is self-defeating." Well, no it isn't. As BBF suggests a lot of unpleasant phrases that used to be commonplace are now not commonplace and PC is partly responsible for that. "When will we come to the point where we describe things in such vague, non-political, non-racial, non-whatever-al terms that we don’t know who or what the skiddly-doo we are talking about?" We won't. Catch-all offensive terms are often extemely imprecise and convey very litte information. For example, my friend whose dad is from Pakistan and whose mum is from Mauritius has no problem with people saying so or be being described as coming from an Asian background. He's obviously less keen on being described by a catch-all racial slur for people of Asian appearance but I'm not clear what more information anyone would get from having him described in these terms. Similarly describing people as 'mixed-race' is simply more accurate than describing people as a 'half-caste'. And for Bruce's benefit, it's much closer to plain English. These are just a couple of narrowly focussed examples where the PC option is both more linguistically accurate and more easily comprehensible. That doesn't make extreme PC - such as the example I mentionned above - any less ridiculous but I certainly don't accept that the effects of it have been or are entirely negative. In terms of the empowerment and owning phrases, this can work in some circumstances but it's not an excuse for people outside the group to use those phrases perjoratively - and it also doesn't make them officially acceptable. I don't think some gay people's claiming of the word 'queer' means that local councils should have 'Queer rights officers'.

 

Any pejorative use of language is (or can be) offensive. However, language is generally contextually and culturally sensitive. I’m not saying we can solve all the world’s problems by re-contextualising language, but I think refusing to respond negatively to negatively-intended words and phrases can only be a good thing… {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

What the stupid twat is on about is that he ignores personal crticism in the belief that it's never justified and that he's really an intelligent, lovable, popular guy. It's his way of dealing with those like me that keep telling him he's a pain in the arse. If he was marginally as bright as he believes himself to be he'd at least wonder if there is any truth in the claims. The sad bit is, he may well be a likeable guy, but his persistent starting of kids threads and posting childish stuff makes a lot of people think otherwise.

 

The fact that you, Missi, and some other ABCers, think I am a twat (or whatever the pejorative term of the hour is) has absolutely no bearing on my life whatsoever... Why do I need to take you seriously? Back to the matter at hand... BBF: “Yes, it might nulify the effect of those words to an extent” ... nullifying the effects to an extent is better than no effect, is it not? What I’m getting at is that I think there is a danger of PC terminology being as offensive, also patronising, as some of the terminology it seeks to replace. Some, not all. Of course one should defend and, where possible, stand up for the right of every citizen in the world to be respected as a human being of equal standing to every other human being. But if black people call themselves the “n” word or a disabled person calls herself a “crip,” what right have we to tell them this is wrong? It’s the meanings behind words, the intentions of the person using them, that surely have far more relevance than the words themselves. {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

"Put it this way, the last bloke who used the 'n' word to insult one of my black mates got seriously re-contextualised. This is a real world issue, maybe if you lived in it you might understand." Well pointed out, and I sincerely hope he was seriously re-contextualised in a painful way. My wifes Romany Gypsy, one of the few races still fair game in the media. She was brought up in a multi-cultural area yet at school was repeatedly abused. Had the abusers done the same to any other minority they'd have copped it, because it was gypsies it was ignored. Funnily enough she grew up quite a looker, and many of those that threw insults were trying a different kind of verbal exchange. nobody
I got your political correctness right here. *grabs crotch & tugs Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

"the last bloke who used the 'n' word to insult one of my black mates got seriously re-contextualised." ... Well that's my point, BBF. He used it to insult your mate. I'm not sure you or you mate would have been comfortable someone using the word in a, well let's say "friendly" way, but I it would make a difference, wouldn't it? I admit I am personally not comfortable using, even writing, the word - and obviously it's fair enough that people like Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby aren't - but would it perhaps not be useful to examine the reasons behind this and therefore maybe to find a way of "disarming" the word? Racial hatred will exist, whatever words the bigots choose to use. I think focusing on language too much detracts from the core issues. {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Interesting article. I think ultimately we're on different sides of the same boat - although me being me, no doubt I'll find myself wandering around different parts of that boat! {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

I recommend the plank

 

Thank you for that useful suggestion, Mr Dan, but I think I shall decline... :-) {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

I can imagine that very little has any bearing on your life. It wasn't meant to, nor would I expect or want you take me or anyone else seriously, cocooned as you are in your pathetic little world. My comment was in answer to Tim. I wouldn't bother trying to reason with the likes of you when there are intelligent people to address.

 

I got your brain right here. *grabs crotch & tugs Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

I'd rather not, brain or no brain. Dons rubber gloves, grabs Gary's crotch and ties to back of truck....

 

Missi: "I can imagine... blah blah blah" ... and once again it comes down to mud-slinging. Sorry, remind me, who are the intelligent ones here? {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Peps...you don't get it. Miss isn't slinging mud, he's running a stick across the bars of your cage. Be a proper monkey and throw poop at him. Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

Poop. {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Yes...poop. Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

Poop poop poop. And faeces. {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Similarly describing people as 'mixed-race' is simply more accurate than describing people as a 'half-caste'. I am a half-caste (I know the term technically has nothing to do with caste) I always have used the term and always will - I would never refer to myself as 'of mixed race'. The rest of the world may insist that I tippy-toe around other people with PC niceties but they can't make me do so with myself. half-caste jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

 

No....just poop. Monkeys aren't educated. Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

PJ: "half-caste jude"... :-) RD: big steaming turds? {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

"I am a half-caste (I know the term technically has nothing to do with caste) I always have used the term and always will - I would never refer to myself as 'of mixed race'. The rest of the world may insist that I tippy-toe around other people with PC niceties but they can't make me do so with myself." Not clear how tippy-toeing is involved here. 'Mixed-race' is more modern, plain English description of people who have parents from different racial backgrounds. It's not a euphemism. You can obviously choose to describe yourself either or neither of these terms, though. Do you find the term 'half-caste' communicates something about you that 'of mixed-race' doesn't? The Concise Oxford English dictionary only describes 'half-caste' as an 'offensive' term for 'a person of mixed-race'. Before looking it up, I hadn't regarded 'half-caste' as neccessarily being offensive, I'd just seen it as archaic and too historically connected to particular racial mixes to accurately describe everyone who's 'of mixed race'.

 

I think the term half caste communicates that I am half white European and half cape-coloured. Maybe it doesn't and I'm wrong but it seems like the most apt term to me. My main reason for favouring the term is that it is one I learned (not sure where from) to describe myself at a very young age, and being able to describe myself isn't always easy so I appreciated it. When I look at racial monitoring forms, for example on my census form, I put myself as 'White European' because 'White European -Black other mix' which I think was the closest match makes me sound like a cake recipe. I wasn't aware of any historical issues with the term and I wasn't aware of the term being offensive until I used the term at work and was told to say 'mixed race' - hence the enforced use of language. And the tippy toeing is having to carefully watch words to ensure I am not accused of racism. I have also been told to say 'person of colour' not 'coloured person' and really did think FFS... jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

 

,,,,and once again it comes down to mud-slinging. Sorry, remind me, who are the intelligent ones here?,,,, I wasn't mud-slinging, just telling the truth about the way more than a few see YOU, but don't feel liberated enough to say. It makes no difference WHO the intelligent ones here are, as you wouldn't know how to interact with them, suffice it to say you ain't one of 'em.

 

"I have also been told to say 'person of colour' not 'coloured person' and really did think FFS..." I'm definitely with you there, if for no other reason than I - as a white person - don't accept the description 'person of no colour' and, assuming no else does either, 'person of colour' means nothing whatsoever. "I wasn't aware of any historical issues with the term and I wasn't aware of the term being offensive until I used the term at work and was told to say 'mixed race' - hence the enforced use of language." Well in terms of describing yourself, I think you're perfectly within your rights to tell them to piss off. I don't know the full history the origins of 'half-caste'. It might have specific offensive meanings or it might - like 'spastic' - be a specific descriptive term that became offensive by being used offensively. Mixed-race is more of a technical term. Most 'mixed-race' people I know wouldn't use it as a description beyond the form-filling. They're more likely to say "I'm half-Turkish Cypriot and half Macedonian" or whatever's relevant.

 

Whatever, Missi. Interesting how the "Concise Oxford English Dictionary" or variations thereof are brought up as a kind of last word on this sort of issue. This dictionary and its variations are indeed the "official" word on... erm... words - the definitions thereof. But the social, political, cultural, etc, etc, etc, definitions of words is far more complex and probably can't be summarised in one reasonable-sized book. Of course, that's aside from the fact that "the" dictionary itself is constantly under revision... {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

"But the social, political, cultural, etc, etc, etc, definitions of words is far more complex and probably can't be summarised in one reasonable-sized book." You don't have to buy the 'consise' oed.

 

On the origins of half caste I'm not 100% sure but I have some recollection that it comes from the British in India. Indian women who had children from soldiers etc the kids were reffered to as half-caste. It may well have been derogatory. As I said I'm not 100% sure but it's something like that. nobody
"Interesting how the "Concise Oxford English Dictionary" or variations thereof are brought up as a kind of last word on this sort of issue." No, the last word, is everyone's individual understanding - which is made up of a combination of learning and life experience. And obviouslt lots of words have meanings beyond or different to their current official meaning but official bodies have to work from agreed definitions or no one has any idea what's going on.

 

... in English at least, languages like French and Dutch have standards comities to define them. I wouldn't say that the last word on English is anything really, that's the fun of it, there is no last word. Dictionaries only document how it is currently used.

 

As a slight diversion, and just out of plain interest, how do some of you women feel about blokes referring to you as either 'ladies' or 'girls' nowadays? I ask because I've heard all sorts of arguments on this issue. Many of the women I know don't really give a monkey's how they're referred to - though one or two, especially the younger ones (late teens to mid-20s) say they don't particularly like to be referred to as 'women'. I'm not sure what the issue is. I'll have to ask them - although one has told me that she found the term, in her words, 'too formal and old-fashioned.' I was smack-gobbed by this, and was wondering if 'girls' is now becoming more acceptable. Or if anyone really cares at all any more.
The OED is, and has always been, a record of words in the English language thus far, and the multitude of uses of the words thus far. It has NEVER been definitive, or up to date for that matter, as uses change almost daily and new words added with the same frequency. I thought that was common knowledge but evidently not. It probably needs contextualising.

 

WHY are these peeople attacking this pepsoid? He is only a small child, I think. You should lebave him alone, pick on someone who is aduolt.

 

'He is only a small child, I think. You should lebave him alone, pick on someone who is aduolt.' HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, god, someone will have a field day with this. Sorry, Peps! *guffaws* Peps is *youthful*, I would say; but a child he ain't.
Thank you, Arch, you lovely lass you! :-))) {{{_"P"_}}} ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com - latest... Can We Ever Really Know the Truth About Anything?)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Im sorry i thought pepzoid was a child i didnt mean offense. has ahe a difficultymaybe?

 

I doubt Peps finds it offensive to be considered youthful. His only 'difficulty', as far as I can tell, is being perpetually misunderstood by several members of this forum, perhaps deliberately. :-)

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