Political Correctness.
 

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...".

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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

Re: Political Correctness.
 

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.;)

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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

Re: Political Correctness.
 

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.