On Content and Form

[Typhoid Harry 23]

Good lord, the point of the whole thing is that it's stupid to try to fight on the internet.

And here I thought the whole point was for you to accumulate posts and watch your silly words come back and bite you on your fat hairy ass.

Is this another one of your exes, TH?

 

There are so many. And I just gave this one a present, too.

[Harvester Of Souls 40]

[maryportfuncity 10,645]

No, no, no: Cliff Mitchelmore is the dullest excuse for a thread we've ever encountered. This one isn't a whole lot better, mind.

[Tuber Mirum 125]

There's a whole lot of hipocrisy surrounding political correctness and right and wrong words for things and people.

I could go on about it for ever, but I'm not going to.

I'll just say that I agree with nearly everyone who has posted on this thread, but in particular with Hein (who is an expert on putting my thoughts into words) and most of what Typhoid Harry writes, though he can be unnecessarily provocative at times.

 

I looked at that site. My opinion:

 

The disclaimer is fair enough

 

"If you think this mocks anyone, this is because you are bringing these prejudices to the site, they are not here to begin with."

 

says it all really.

 

I don't find the site disrespectful, nor do I find it terribly funny, but that's just because it isn't.

[Captain Oates 21]

I would love to be able to agree with Hein and Notapotato on the PC hypocrisy thing.

In an ideal world inhabited by intelligent thoughful people, such as they are, there would be no need for PC language; everyone would instantly and automatically understand every one else's point of view and be ready to accomodate any differences of opinion.

 

But also...

 

...there would be no raw nerves to snag with an unwary word, no-one would ever be so depressed or so agitated that just hearing an uncongenial expression would tip them over the edge, no-one would ever think of insulting anyone else....

 

Until we all turn into saints or are lobotomised into zombies there will remain a need to use words carefully.

 

I absolutely agree with Hein, Notapotato and Typhoid Harry when they say that it is the predjudice that needs to be addressed. In reality, there is not an easy solution. Refusing to be "PC" is roughly equivalent to walking down the street laughing and pointing at every big nose, every unfashionable suit, every frail unsteady old lady. It does not indicate any sort of respect.

[in eternum+ 22]

Isn't there also the issue here of (re)appropriation of terminology, and who has the "right" to use what labels? Like black people appropriating the term 'N-word', gay people appropriating the term 'fag', and women (re)appropriating the term 'girls'?

 

It's (apparently) okay for one black person to call another a 'N-word' but not for a white person to call a black person such, and it's en vogue for women to refer to each other as 'girls' but condescending for men to do so, and it's pretty much the norm for gay people to call each other fags but still slightly unsettling when straight people do so.

 

So it seems to me that part of the problem lies with who is employing the terminology: is it okay for non-physically challenged/handicapped people to call those who are physically handicapped 'retarded'? Or is that "right" still reserved for the less-than-entirely-able-bodied?

 

And what's this got to do with the DeathList, anyway?

[Godot 149]

Isn't there also the issue here of (re)appropriation of terminology, and who has the "right" to use what labels? Like black people appropriating the term 'N-word', gay people appropriating the term 'fag', and women (re)appropriating the term 'girls'?

 

It's (apparently) okay for one black person to call another a 'N-word' but not for a white person to call a black person such, and it's en vogue for women to refer to each other as 'girls' but condescending for men to do so, and it's pretty much the norm for gay people to call each other fags but still slightly unsettling when straight people do so.

 

So it seems to me that part of the problem lies with who is employing the terminology: is it okay for non-physically challenged/handicapped people to call those who are physically handicapped 'retarded'? Or is that "right" still reserved for the less-than-entirely-able-bodied?

 

And what's this got to do with the DeathList, anyway?

As far as I can see the use of the word "retarded" in the US is fairly mainstream and doesn't carry the stigma that it does in the UK. On your last question (asked so many times before), the answer is nothing and everything. There is nothing more powerful here than the collective vote of the "no reply". Does this mean I've had the last word?

[Captain Oates 21]

As far as I can see the use of the word "retarded" in the US is fairly mainstream and doesn't carry the stigma that it does in the UK. On your last question (asked so many times before), the answer is nothing and everything. There is nothing more powerful here than the collective vote of the "no reply". Does this mean I've had the last word?

This argument is approximately where we started.

[Josco 49]

.........................

 

Refusing to be "PC" is roughly equivalent to walking down the street laughing and pointing at every big nose, every unfashionable suit, every frail unsteady old lady. It does not indicate any sort of respect.

That would be me then.

 

This is a big and messy subject; I agree with TH in the round, but I also empathise with MH's succinct and pithy observations.

 

Oh dear, I sound like NaP.

 

I do have my own opinions.

 

Really.

 

Until we all turn into saints or are lobotomised into zombies there will remain a need to use words carefully.

 

It is true that our ability to think, do & say what we wish is being severely curtailed. The thought police are among us and gaining in power.........

[Tuber Mirum 125]

Refusing to be "PC" is roughly equivalent to walking down the street laughing and pointing at every big nose, every unfashionable suit, every frail unsteady old lady. It does not indicate any sort of respect.

And being "PC" is roughly equivalent to walking down the street demonstratively wearing a sandwich board saying "Look at me I am not laughing and pointing at every big nose, every unfashionable suit, every frail unsteady old lady." It also does not indicate any sort of respect.

 

Let us not confuse good manners, and civilised, cultivated, respectful behaviour with a ridiculous vogue for pseudo-could-be-considered-respectful sort-of-euphemisms.

 

Next thing they will be telling us Tennent's Lager is a Beer.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, somewhere in Oxfordshire.....

[Tempus Fugit 214]

Isn't it best just to be polite and try to treat other people the way you yourself would want to be treated,

regardless of race, religion or disability.

 

We all have our irrational prejudices, I just don't see any value in airing them.

 

There's more than enough unpleasantness already in the world without needlessly adding to it.

[in eternum+ 22]

Isn't it best just to be polite and try to treat other people the way you yourself would want to be treated,

regardless of race, religion or disability.

 

We all have our irrational prejudices, I just don't see any value in airing them.

 

There's more than enough unpleasantness already in the world without needlessly adding to it.

[The Pooka 26]

Isn't it best just to be polite and try to treat other people the way you yourself would want to be treated,

regardless of race, religion or disability.

 

We all have our irrational prejudices, I just don't see any value in airing them.

 

There's more than enough unpleasantness already in the world without needlessly adding to it.

TF - have you been reading The People's Friend again?

[Harvester Of Souls 40]

As a Bangladeshi, homosexual, spastic I take great offence at everyone in this thread...

 

I calling my team of Human Rights lawyers...

[Josco 49]

As a Bangladeshi, homosexual, spastic I take great offence at everyone in this thread...

Is that with a veil?

I calling my team of Human Rights lawyers...

That'll be our Cherry Blair then!

[Banshees Scream 110]

It's (apparently) okay for one black person to call another a 'N-word' but not for a white person to call a black person such, and it's en vogue for women to refer to each other as 'girls' but condescending for men to do so, and it's pretty much the norm for gay people to call each other fags but still slightly unsettling when straight people do so.

 

These days 'girl' black people call eachother 'N-word' like America uses the word 'what'. It's amazing how many people say it to eachother. I hear other girls call there friends 'girls' all the time. There is absolutely nothing strange about that. In todays world words are takin less harshly then in the past.

 

And what's this got to do with the DeathList, anyway?

 

It has everything to do with Deathlist.

[themaninblack 2,112]

It's (apparently) okay for one black person to call another a 'N-word' but not for a white person to call a black person such, and it's en vogue for women to refer to each other as 'girls' but condescending for men to do so, and it's pretty much the norm for gay people to call each other fags but still slightly unsettling when straight people do so.

 

These days 'girl' black people call eachother 'N-word' like America uses the word 'what'. It's amazing how many people say it to eachother. I hear other girls call there friends 'girls' all the time. There is absolutely nothing strange about that. In todays world words are takin less harshly then in the past.

 

And what's this got to do with the DeathList, anyway?

 

It has everything to do with Deathlist.

 

Maybe white people should turn it on its head and call each other 'whitey'....

[Banshees Scream 110]

Maybe white people should turn it on its head and call each other 'whitey'....

 

But that would be wrong. That was my eighty nine year old uncles name.

 

(He died back in May)

[Godot 149]

Maybe white people should turn it on its head and call each other 'whitey'....

 

But that would be wrong. That was my eighty nine year old uncles name.

 

(He died back in May)

I remember when I used to paint my Airfix soldiers, the paint described as "flesh" colour was pinkish. What's a young black kid who paints soldiers to think of that? It could be argued that flesh is the colour under the skin but that won't wash. To do it yourself the mix was a bit of white, a bit of yellow and little bit of red.

 

No, on reflection, those Airfix paints definitely descriminated against blacks.

 

Come to think of it there has never been a good way of describing the colour of Caucasian skin in painting sets. White is no good. Pink doesn't work either. Flesh is racist. So what's left? Orange? Surely nobody is that colour.

[Banshees Scream 110]

Come to think of it there has never been a good way of describing the colour of Caucasian skin in painting sets. White is no good. Pink doesn't work either. Flesh is racist. So what's left? Orange? Surely nobody is that colour.

 

There is a color for this. I have not a doubt in my mind. I just don't know how to spell it.