So-Called Political Correctness

[livius drusus]

From what I've read (which admittedly is not a whole helluvalot), the term "politically correct" entered the lexicon in the late sixties from Maoist circles, and they meant it quite literally: certain lines of thought were not deemed correct when measured against their political standards.

The wider leftist/progressive community then adopted it in an ironic sense to poke fun at the hardcore Maoist types and that's pretty much where it stayed for a while -- hovering around in perpetual air quotes -- until conservatives found it in the late 80s and began to parade "political correctness" as an exemplary strawman caricature of leftists positions in general, especially the ones related to minority empowerment and self-determination.

So you hear total bullshit like "vertically challenged", as if anyone had ever seriously proposed that we refer to short people as such, and my personal hardon and inspiration for this thread, the "I'm not PC therefore I am smugly self-justified in using whatever offensive language I like because I'm rebelling against THE MAN/liberal media/pinko commies trying to stifle my freedoms" excrescence.

I just could not hate that more. Whether it's laziness, ignorance or maliciousness which drives it, that dismissal of COMMON DECENCY and FUCKING MANNERS as nothing but playing politics while the dismisser's utter lack of giving a shit is presented as a principled stance makes me want to beat myself to death with my own shoe.

Figuring out that terms like "coloreds" or "negroes" are outdated and offensive isn't exactly brain surgery, after all, and I'm sick of hearing some bullshit leftist chimera which doesn't exist and never really did used as a justification for people's ethnocentrism/pathologically self-absorbed laziness.

Okay. Rant over. Carry on.

[Waluigi]

They're not called rants anymore... "frustration expulsion" is the PC phrase to use...

(runs and hides)

[lisarea]

You know, I remember that meme really taking off, and I distinctly remember much of the impetus being this dumbassed little joke book, like the kind of thing marketed as an impulse purchase at airports and coffeeshops or whatever.

And many of the examples of 'political correctness' that I've seen tossed around since can be traced directly to that book of JOKES. Made-up jokes.

I think 'vertically challenged' is one of them, in fact.

[livius drusus]

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by lisarea

And many of the examples of 'political correctness' that I've seen tossed around since can be traced directly to that book of JOKES. Made-up jokes.

That wouldn't surprise me in the least. I've got to see if I can confirm this and find the evil little volume.

[Ari]

I find it ironic that conservatives who hate PC terms use plenty of them compared to the KKK.

[LadyShea]

Agreed. Calling someone "PC" has become an insult and mockery...and I fail to see how using more sensitive, and in many cases more precise, terms than "Oriental" or "colored folk" or "retard" is something worthy of mockery.

[viscousmemories]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

So you hear total bullshit like "vertically challenged", as if anyone had ever seriously proposed that we refer to short people as such, and my personal hardon and inspiration for this thread, the "I'm not PC therefore I am smugly self-justified in using whatever offensive language I like because I'm rebelling against THE MAN/liberal media/pinko commies trying to stifle my freedoms" excrescence.

And it's far from limited to language anymore. People use 'PC' as a term of derision in reference to pretty much any ideas that don't conform to their own worldview. Thus taking a principled stance against any opinion the speaker holds is 'PC'. So if the speaker opposes gun control, anyone who disagrees is 'PC', etc.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

And it's far from limited to language anymore. People use 'PC' as a term of derision in reference to pretty much any ideas that don't conform to their own worldview. Thus taking a principled stance against any opinion the speaker holds is 'PC'. So if the speaker opposes gun control, anyone who disagrees is 'PC', etc.

Good point, and you're right.

[Ari]

It's simple, next time someone calls you PC, call them toothless cousin fucking trailer trash. Afterall, they should be proud you didn't use a "PC term" like Alabama resident or bush supporter.

[xyza]

I just get confussed and peeved when it constantly changes all the time. One minute I'm allowed to use a term the next I'm being racist whatever for using it.

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Figuring out that terms like "coloreds" or "negroes" are outdated and offensive isn't exactly brain surgery, after all, and I'm sick of hearing some bullshit leftist chimera which doesn't exist and never really did used as a justification for people's ethnocentrism/pathologically self-absorbed laziness.

Oh and I would so love to post something that was said on another forum about the same thing, it showed total ignorance but in a completely naive way. Had to post it, remove it if it's a big no, no.

In answer to "We shorten 'british' to 'brit', we dont get offended, so why should..."

ive often thought that..

why is it wong? everything gets broken down..
pakistani = paki
nigerians = nigger
johovah's = joho's
chinese = chinks
australians = aussies
french = frogs
japanese = japs
scottish = scots
americans = yanks
and many more

surely the only thing that could be wrong is getting the wrong country/religeon to people mixed up

Outcome of that post was she learnt something new

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

And it's far from limited to language anymore. People use 'PC' as a term of derision in reference to pretty much any ideas that don't conform to their own worldview. Thus taking a principled stance against any opinion the speaker holds is 'PC'. So if the speaker opposes gun control, anyone who disagrees is 'PC', etc.

Yes! That's so true, and again, it always seems to be progressive or leftist positions which get painted with this crusty, threadbare brush, particularly ones grounded in minority empowerment struggles. Think discrimination still exists? You're just being PC, most likely to get some of that fine PC-loving pussy.

[HighOnHotSauce]

I think you should take a bow after such a laudable post.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I just could not hate that more. Whether it's laziness, ignorance or maliciousness which drives it, that dismissal of COMMON DECENCY and FUCKING MANNERS as nothing but playing politics while the dismisser's utter lack of giving a shit is presented as a principled stance makes me want to beat myself to death with my own shoe.

No, no, you've got it all wrong. You should want to beat someone else to death, not yourself. And use a harder and sharper object than a shoe. It's the PC thing to do.

[fragment]

Yeah, well said liv. This has been getting my goat for a while now.

Oh well, I guess applying a derisory label to challenging viewpoints in order to avoid engaging with them in an intellectually honest fashion is nothing new. More's the pity.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Yes! That's so true, and again, it always seems to be progressive or leftist positions which get painted with this crusty, threadbare brush, particularly ones grounded in minority empowerment struggles. Think discrimination still exists? You're just being PC, most likely to get some of that fine PC-loving pussy.

Oh my gawd. Yeah, if you're a guy and think women ought to get equal pay for equal work or some other "feminazi" ideal, you're just being PC to get laid or some shit.

Gah!

[BDS]

Mumbai or Bombay?

[Chatter]

Originally Posted by xyza

In answer to "We shorten 'british' to 'brit', we dont get offended, so why should..."

Frogs isn't a shorter version of French. They are called frogs because they eat frogs legs. Similarly, brits are sometimes referred to as roast beef, germans as krauts, and americans as...er...fat?

[Ari]

I thought they were Frogs because that's what they sound like when they laugh.
American = French fries.

[xyza]

Nor is nigger a shortened version of Nigerian ... You should have a guess at how old this person

[Veritas]

I woul object to being called a Jock as it's usually used as an insult. An English friend of mine had trouble understanding me when we first met so referred to my speech as "Jockanese" - which was a joke so that was all right. He could get away with it.

I wonder if called xyza an 'angle' would insult her...

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by Chatter

Similarly, brits are sometimes referred to as roast beef...

Limeys.

Since when is Yank a shortened version of American?

[Veritas]

Is it rhyming slang?

Oh, and Limeys refers to English people, not Brits.

[beyelzu]

conversely, college universities punish unacceptable speech with a closeminded dogmatic approach, because it is unacceptable thought. things that are deemed offensive. sometimes when the term politically correct is used it is incredibly accurate,

take the recent ncaa banning of all native american mascots from national championship play. the florida state seminoles are one such team, even though they have official sanction to use the name from the seminole tribal council.

[MonCapitan2002]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I just could not hate that more. Whether it's laziness, ignorance or maliciousness which drives it, that dismissal of COMMON DECENCY and FUCKING MANNERS as nothing but playing politics while the dismisser's utter lack of giving a shit is presented as a principled stance makes me want to beat myself to death with my own shoe.

Don't beat yourself to death with your shoe liv. Beat the idiot promoting that viewpoint with your shoe instead. There is no need to take your justifiable frustration on yourself. In order to lift your spirits, I shall display some smilies to cheer you up.