To find it hysterical that political correctness has eaten itself?

[Babycham1979]

This article is the icing on the cake for me;

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/23/yoga-classes-cultural-appropriation

Now, I'm perfectly aware that the Grauniad is the epitome of hand-wringing, bed-wetting, self-loathing white liberal guilt, but this surely takes the biscuit.

On top of the silencing of Julie Bindell and Germaine Greer, it really does appear that the weapons of the liberal left have been turned against it. I say this as a lefty myself, but it's kind of funny, isn't it?

First, they came for the sexist comedians and I did nothing; then they came for the nationalists and I did nothing; then they came for the radical feminists and I did nothing; then they came for the health-obsessed yoga-fanatics and, again, I did nothing. When they came for me, there was no-one left to stop them......

[redstrawberry10]

It's hard to know what's going on.

In North America (and here I think) this halloween was fraught with controversy.

It is indeed "funny", but far more disturbing. Apparently, this movement is coming from the students on university campuses. The students! they used to be the radical, but now are trying to silence just about everyone and everything just in case they might get offended.

A number of comedians have talked about what it's like to play university campuses, and they haven't been positive.

[VestalVirgin]

Babycham, I think it is a bit more nuanced - those who silence radical feminists are likely in the same camp that is for "freedom of speech" for sexist comedians. Even though they'd never admit it.

After all, if sex doesn't exist (as the genderists who silence radical feminists believe) then how can sexism?

It's a clever counter-attack by patriarchy in my opinion. Some well-meaning but not too bright feminists may have joined in, but at the core of it is misogyny.

[redstrawberry10]

those who silence radical feminists are likely in the same camp that is for "freedom of speech" for sexist comedians. Even though they'd never admit it.

but do radical feminists get silenced?

there have been many attempts at blocking visitors from speaking at universities, often people with controversial views. Not sure if radical feminists have had this happen to them.

[Babycham1979]

those who silence radical feminists are likely in the same camp that is for "freedom of speech" for sexist comedians. Even though they'd never admit it.

Really?! I don't agree with that at all. The censorious, 'no platform' nonsense always seems to come from the left, be it 'anti-racists' or feminists. The fans of the likes of Dapper Laughs don't seem to ask for very much to be banned of censored.

The most recent series of South Park pillories this nonsense brilliantly. I challenge anyone to watch the first episode of the series, with the introduction of PC Principal, and not laugh out loud while simultaneously cringing at the incisiveness of it all.

[mollie123]

loved this comment from the article
The politically correct may be against "cultural appropriation" and they are really keen on "cultural imposition".
where does it end - who owns cultural activities and behaviours ?

[Leelu6]

YABU. the Graun has presented two sides of the argument and let the readers comment. That's what news websites do.

If you're that hysterical, consider giving yourself a slap to snap out of it.

[SilentlyScreamingAgain]

I do wish that some people would grasp the difference between no-platforming and censoring. There is plenty of nonsense I don’t want being promoted by my taxes, and allowing a platform is promoting, that I would defend someone’s absolute right to say. The BNP, Islamic militants, TERFS can all spread their hateful stupidity, as long as they stop short of actually promoting violence but not at places of education or in other public buildings.

I wouldn’t allow David Cameron to speak in my sitting room but that’s hardly censoring him. He has plenty of other spaces to beat up on the poor, disabled and disenfranchised.

[CallaLilli]

Julie Bindel and Germaine Greer are hardly in the same league as the BNP and Islamic militants though.

[ouryve]

Funny? I mustn't have got to the punchline, yet.

[redstrawberry10]

The BNP

the BNP are a legal political party. Are you saying they should be barred from having a presence like other groups on a university campus?

[Babycham1979]

I do wish that some people would grasp the difference between no-platforming and censoring. There is plenty of nonsense I don’t want being promoted by my taxes, and allowing a platform is promoting, that I would defend someone’s absolute right to say. The BNP, Islamic militants, TERFS can all spread their hateful stupidity, as long as they stop short of actually promoting violence but not at places of education or in other public buildings.

Eh? There are plenty of people who find radical feminists, LGBT activists and militant animal rights activists deeply offensive. From an objective perspective, many of these groups have much in common with the likes of those they seek to ban.

Just because you deem something nonsense doesn't mean that it necessarily is. 'No platforming' is most definitely censorship. To claim otherwise is completely disingenuous and profoundly hypocritical. Universities are supposed to be places of debate and intellectual challenge, not right-on group think.

[Lostcat2]

They are just student kids. Of course they are dick heads.

Who cares. They will grow up eventually. Hopefully!

[SilentlyScreamingAgain]

Just because you deem something nonsense doesn't mean that it necessarily is. 'No platforming' is most definitely censorship. To claim otherwise is completely disingenuous and profoundly hypocritical. Universities are supposed to be places of debate and intellectual challenge, not right-on group think.

You claim that a woman who writes for a national newspaper and another woman who often writes for numerous national newspapers and has published a book, on average, every five years since 1970 are being censored and I’m the one who’s being disingenuous?

They are not being censored or silenced, their views are simply being rejected, in the same way that Bindel’s views that more women should ‘try to be lesbians’ has been rejected and Greer comparison of FGM to male circumcision has been rejected. Neither of those views are being debated because they are not worthy of debate.

[HaydeeofMonteCristo]

1. It hasn't.
   
2. If it had, why would it be funny?
   

So called "political correctness" is, to my mind, another way of saying "treating people politely and with respect, and trying not to deliberately offend anyone". Could also be called manners.

This is, to my mind, a good thing.

How it can " eat itself " I don't know. Sometimes the right answer to a question isn't obvious. Decent people get accused of "hand wringing, bed wetting" liberalism when unsure of, for instance, how to balance the right of an adult woman to cover her hair with a scarf of she chooses with the need to ensure that individual women aren't forced to wear a particular kind of clothing by others (often men) in their community.

It's not political correctness eating itself, but a question without an obvious three-second answer (I.e how does anyone know who is put under pressure to wear a head scarf and who is not).

If it were 'eating itself', I.e. we had lost our sense of respect for others and of how to treat people fairly, that wouldn't be funny.

[ZoeTurtle]

YABU. Actually you sound very childish and ignorant.

[redstrawberry10]

'No platforming' is most definitely censorship.

no platforming turns into censorship when it's assumed that different groups have equal access to the space. On a university campus, you'd think all students and clubs have the same claim to space.

[Spellcaster]

It is hand wringing nonsense. Doesn't help that the Guardian appears to be written by 20 year olds with no life experience beyond their "gap yah" and whatever privileged school yada yada. Just manufactured "controversy" over total minutiae at the expense of addressing any actual issues. Like that article saying eating out was racist. Insane.

[Babycham1979]

If it were 'eating itself', I.e. we had lost our sense of respect for others and of how to treat people fairly

Yet that's exactly what's happened!