to be glad that people find more things offensive these days?

[Goldmandra]

This is inspired by a comment on another thread which implied that this is a bad thing.

Isn't it better that jokes about mental health, immigration, rape, etc, are seen as less socially acceptable than they used to be. I think it's a sign that our society is changing in a positive way.

Or is it PC gone mad?

[BomChickaMeowMeow]

Yes of course. But if you are offended, it doesn't mean some law of political correctness has always been broken.

I was just pointing out that there is not a direct correlation.

You might be offended by violence in a TV programme, it doesn't mean the TV programme was not politically correct.

I say again, PC is more about preventing unfairness rather than preventing people from being offended. Ever.

[Goldmandra]

PC is more about preventing unfairness rather than preventing people from being offended.

Of course.

My point is that people being offended is a symptom of society progressing and therefore good.

[dawndonnaagain]

They can be as offended as they like, so long as they don't sit there trying to impede free speech.
I shall try to impede free speech when it is racist/sexist/disablist.

[BomChickaMeowMeow]

Depends what you are offended by of course, in terms of measuring progress. It is also a measure of progress that people are not so regularly offended by some things that used to cause offence 50 years ago. Like homosexuality, sex before marriage and working mothers.

[Hakluyt]

Whenever I come across the "political correctness has gone too far" brigade, I try to find out what they want to do or say that they can't because of political correctness. I have never yet found anything that isn't either racist, sexist, homophobic or disablist.

So hurray for Political Correctness, I say. Or, to give it it's old fashioned name, good manners.

[BackforGood]

I'm not sure about the word offended, tbh.
Some people on MN really do take the biscuit, and "are offended" by such trivial things, that they are being ridiculous.
I don't consider that to be the same as challenging people who say things that are genuinely offensive to most of the population.

I also think that you need to respond to the intent - yes, maybe explaining that this word or that offends some people but not having a go at a person who may just be being a bit clumsy with their wording, or may have grown up /live amongst people who don't know any better.

[Bonsoir]

People accuse others of being offensive as a way of avoiding engaging in a discussion that they might lose...

[ICanSeeTheSun]

I think the word offensive is losing its meaning.

[settingsitting]

It cant be healthy to be offended all the time.

[Pagwatch]

Equally some people accuse others of not being able to take a joke or of being PO to avoid justifying wanky opinions.

[Koothrapanties]

Yanbu, it's not ok to make jokes of such serious issues. It shows no regard for the effect these things have on real people.

[Andrewofgg]

Spaz and retard . . . at school in the Sixties we had a whole "culture" built round the word spastic.

People younger than I am, and that's most MNers, may like to wonder: what are we all saying and doing now as a matter of course that will make you - not me - squirm with embarrassment at the memory of it thirty or forty years down the line?

[AnyFucker]

Oh Andrew, don't get me started ...

[PhaedraIsMyName]

I agree with you.

There's some terrible nit-picking on here. I agree that many of the wonderful social and cultural reforms I've seen are due to someone being offended at the arbitrary cruelty and unfairness of what, was at the time, the accepted norm.

Oh and "PC gone mad" = "I'm losing the argument, you know I'm losing it, this is the best I can come up with"

[LewisNaiceHamilton]

I am offended by hazey misquoting Smiths lyrics

[MaidOfStars]

PC gone mad" = "I'm losing the argument, you know I'm losing it, this is the best I can come up with

I agree, but acknowledge that exactly the same accusation applies to those who claim to be offended, with no particular explanation as to why.

[Nancy66]

I agree about the 'spaz,' 'retard' thing....and 'Joey' as well (after Joey Deacon) I don't think that would happen in schools now.

I also (unless I'm wrong) don't find that kids have the same sick jokes that we did. Remember all those jokes about starving Ethiopians?

[OTheHugeManatee]

I agree with MaidOfStars. I think if something's rude, or unfair, or objectionable, then it should be possible to just say so and not go making it all about your personal feelings.

I think it's because we've all got very morally relativist. We're all taught that we shouldn't judge other people's value systems, which in turn makes it much harder to say that something is wrong, or immoral, or just plain unacceptable. Because if you do some queen of the Po person is bound to turn round and say 'Oh, but you mustn't judge, you can't say that, you don't know the circumstances blah blah'. So instead we have to fall back on saying we personally find it offensive, as the rules of relativism also say that no-one can tell you what you are or aren't offended by. Because it's personal.

So in a roundabout way morality becomes either about identity politics (I am offended by X because it says something nasty about group Y, of which I am a member) or else about personal taste, and nothing to do with social cohesion at all. Which is very odd, and arguably counterproductive

[Hakluyt]

"I agree, but acknowledge that exactly the same accusation applies to those who claim to be offended, with no particular explanation as to why."

Any examples?

[hazeyjane]

Lewis, i apologise for any offence ( and misquotation of Smiths lyrics is pretty bloody awful), but I can't see where I have got it wrong?!

it is not about taking personal offence, I can be offended about racist language whilst being white, I can be offended about people using the word retard (which people still do) without having learning difficulties.

[Andrewofgg]

Nancy66 If you don't think kids have the same sick jokes as you did, you are probably right. They have different sick jokes. But sick jokes are part of childhood.

I don't suppose they use the N-word, either, but they call kids with a weight problem, obese kids, kids with a high BMI, by an Anglo-Saxon three letter word which begins with F!

[Hakluyt]

"So instead we have to fall back on saying we personally find it offensive, as the rules of relativism also say that no-one can tell you what you are or aren't offended by. Because it's personal"

I don't think that's true. I speak out about lots of things that I don't findpersonally offensive? I am not black, or gay or disabled - but I will certainly speak out about racist, disablist or homophobic language or actions.........

[LewisNaiceHamilton]

It takes strength, Hazey. Although I should probably Google in case I'm making a tit of myself.

Yanbu, anyway Op.

The one time I get a little irked is when posters here inadvertently use an offensive word and get a kicking for it. Thankfully most people are kinder and more polite, and explain before accusing the accidental offender of hideous bigotry. There's the odd one though.

[hazeyjane]

Strength first, then guts....god i am a Smiths nerd.