To be totally fed up with Political Correctness

[rubetube]

I'm all for manners, equality and respect but my word, it's all becoming over the top don't you think?

No specific examples, just noticed it recently.

YANBU - but I frequently am. I've been living outside the UK for more than 10 years now and always say the wrong thing. The language has changed. Topics of discussion have changed - or rather topics have been made taboo.

What wrong things skihorse?

well yes times change and the public perception of certain things alters.

So what?

Would it really be so great if we were all still guffawing at Benny Hill, goosing the secretaries at work and watching the Black and White Minstrel Show?

"or rather topics have been made taboo. "

What topics, skihorse?

Political Correctness IS politeness.

Not really in the mood for stating ANY of the topics in question - don't fancy an afternoon of "you bastard, I'm phoning social services on you" or "go polish your broomstick" type stuff.

Weird though, I don't remember the black & white minstrel show in 99, was it touring your town?

I can't think of anything that's become taboo since 1999

Ooojimaflip I think Political Correctness is politeness managed by the state. That's what annoys people who are capable of being polite all by themselves.

Actually here's one - I work in a nursery and we don't call children naughty or bad anymore.

I do find this odd. I can't imagine a single thing that I would want to say in public that "political correctness" prevents me from saying. I genuinely can't. Can anyone else?

Ursula Le Guin is nothing if not a feminist and a Liberal. The non-PC aspects of Earthsea are to make it more believable from a fantasy/medieval setting and are there in order to be commented on.

The Lathe of Heaven and The Dispossessed are better books though.

Middle Earth is the invention of an Oxford professor with a 19th century mindset lamenting the loss of an idealised pastoral England to industrialisation.

Narnis is christian allegory by another academic with very traditional social views.

The Screwtape Letters is better though.

I don't remember much MZB.

Pern is also deliberatly un-PC in order to explore themes around feminism etc.

sallyJayGorce - In what sense is it managed by the state? councils may have lists of terms etc. but that is a way of ensuring consistency, like any style guide.

I love Narnia. Didn't get all the Christian stuff as a child - just the magic. I thought the lion was called Alan though, which was disappointingly prosaic. I love Coriolanus too and he witters on about the plebs all the time. Roman mindset via Elizabethans. Just what you'd expect from some unemployed bald Brummie.

OK, here's one.

I have absolutely NO idea what the correct term is to describe a child who is "mentally handicapped" anymore. I honestly don't.

sallyJayGorce "I think Political Correctness is politeness managed by the state"

Not so much by the state, as changing public attitudes. If you were drinking down the pub with me and my mates, and made a joke about 'Pakis' or 'retards', say (I'm not saying you personally would! ), you'd probably get horrified looks and not be invited again.
Not because we read some Great Socialist Directive, but because we just don't think that's a very nice way to talk about people...

(Still chuckling about backing up an argument with evidence from Yahoo Answers. Must give that a go on my next OU assignment)

Oooj - That's what I mean. Lists of terms which are prescribed by the state. Terms which often change for the sake of change and make people like Skihorse worry about correct terminology because she doesn't want to sound unintentionally offensive.

Most council workers I know take no notice. I know a group of primary school teachers who use the acronym TAPS for failing kids. When I asked what it meant they said 'Thick as pig Shit' - no hope for any of them'. Of course they don't use that officially, just between themselves. I think there is a perception that terms officially approved for public use are masks for this kind of private attitude. So 'political correctness' has become a symbol of a fundamental dishonesty and failure to really grapple with negative attitudes at their core.

Skihorse - I would use "mentally handicapped".

sallyJayGorce - That's not mandated by the state though it is mandated by various different organisations and agencies. And there will be a certain amount of change for change sake to justify someones job as in any bureaucracy. But there is a need for consistency of terminology within organisations, otherwise you can't communicate clearly.

"By Missus84 Wed 21-Apr-10 11:08:11
Actually here's one - I work in a nursery and we don't call children naughty or bad anymore."

But that's nothing to do with being PC. That's to do with changing ideas about how categorising a child in a certain way can actually reinforce the behaviour you are trying to change.

Skihorse - re your comment on the Black and White Minstrel show touring in 1999, clearly you missed my point.

Obviously I wasn't claiming that the Black and White Minstrel show was around the last time you were in Britain.

I was making the point that the changes you are objecting to are part of a constant progression of change that's been going on since the 50s (and before). You can't decide that all the changes up to the point you stopped paying attention are fine, but everything since you left the UK is "PC gone mad".

theyoungvisitor - I believe you're trying to attribute words/phrases to me which I did not type.

sally tbh I'm not really worried, just somewhat perplexed - and have been shouted down on these boards before and wondered "was I really out of order or were people over-reacting?". The "not that bright" kids issue I think is an interesting one.

Sorry, what part of "Weird though, I don't remember the black & white minstrel show in 99, was it touring your town?" did you not type?

Missus - you need to read some literature about what it does to children to be labelled bad or naughty before you criticise that very sensible piece of guidance.

And at the 'thick as pig shit' comment! How lovely that those children are being taught by people with attitudes like that

The trouble with political correctness is that you can tell people not to use certain terms as much as you like, doesn't stop them being bigotted, racist, sexist, twattish fuckwits!

Oh FGS youngvisitor - I am quite clearly referring to the diatribe you wrote including, but not limited to, "PC gone mad" - or am I mistaken? Did you in fact not write that?

mrswobble Do you not see the absolute irony in what you've just written?

Yus, I am from Earthsea. I've always thought it was very PC actually.

Irony? In saying it's really unhelpful to label young children as bad or naughty, but that adults who don't see any problem in calling someone a paki is bigotted and racist?