the political correctness parody

... enough is enough ! ... get it off me !

Published on August 27, 2004 By mignuna In Current Events

I'm the first person to agree that political correctness for the most part forms a good base for decent, or at the very least, tolerable behaviour. Yes, some of the 'rules' annoy me, (ok to be frank, some of the 'rules' make me want to throw things for their unwitting encouragement of segregation and/or their very triviality), but I for the most part at least see the benefits of these 'rules'.

Yet even I am beginning to become a little worried about the extremes that this 'PC' stuff seems to be leading us to. Like some new informal moral legislation, the politically correct monster grows daily not only more petty, but much closer to irreparably dividing the self-righteous, separated populace it was supposed to bridge.

I refuse to believe that the majority of people, regardless of their weight, would support the Dutch protest group "Small Intestines Anonymous" in their bid to have the word 'thin' removed from the dictionary on (their) grounds that it is 'a term of abuse' used by 'fat over-rulers' to insult slender people.

(I can only hope that the irony in a group calling for 'equality' choosing to do so by calling those larger than themselves 'fat over-rulers' was intentional).

And it doesn't stop there. Recently, a British businesswoman was prevented by JobCentre from posting her vacancy advertisement because she asked for a 'hardworking' person. According to JobCentre, this advertisement did not meet policy as it was 'discriminatory against people who are not industrious'.

(Come on. They're saying that it's offensive for lazy people to have to read the word 'hardworking' in a job vacancy ad ?. Why ?. Because it makes them feel bad for being lazy, perhaps ?. Ooooh, we can't have that now, can we ?).

In this world, some of us have no rights at all, not even the right to clean water and adequate food and shelter, yet some of us have so many rights that we think we deserve more and more without stopping to consult with, or be guided by, our good sense and natural decency. Pretending words don't exist or altering them to make them 'gender neutral' is going a little too far.

I mean, if this keeps up, what are we going to call the mailman ? ... the personperson ?

Comments

citahellion

on Aug 27, 2004

Actually, the mailman is 'properly' known as the "postal worker" now.

I would certainly hope that the people who compile the Dutch dictionary have enough gumption to say that if words like "tall" or "stupid" are good enough for the dictionary, so is "thin."
Of course I may have just spawned 2 more protest groups... :-?

And if you really want to get worked up on a regular basis, check out Tongue Tied. (Though they're on hiatus for the next week, you can always go through the archives.)

citahellion

on Aug 28, 2004

Well, I was hoping that someone else would have commented by now, but I guess I'll follow up to myself...

Anyway, I was thinking about the function of "PC" as "a good base for decent or tolerable behavior" and contrasting that goal to my own distaste for most things PC. Yet I consider myself to be very interested in behaving decently or tolerably. And I realized that the biggest problem that I have with this whole PC thing is its inherently one-sided social contract: "We must go out of our way not to needlessly offend someone" is essentially what political correctness is all about.

In order for PC to be fair and balanced, the other half of that social contract has to be fulfilled: "We must go out of our way not to take offense needlessly."

THAT is what I don't see happening. The idea of PC seems to have promoted an ideology that taking offense at any old thing is your right and privilege, and that if you don't like something, the world owes it to you to see that you are not compelled to deal with that thing.

More and more things in the world are being labeled as "offensive to group X", or even "potentially offensive", and therefore to be avoided. Things that used to be perfectly acceptable because they reflected the way things are in the world. Nice, simple descriptive words that clearly and unambiguously lay out just what it is you're talking about. As somewhat of a language purist, I also hate to see the language degenerating in this way.

Sally jacobs

on Aug 28, 2004

Great article Mig. It appears that being 'PC' is the popular thing to do at the moment. To go against the norm, to think for yourself, and to speak your mind, are not so in at the moment. I live in hope there will be a rebellion and some time soon freedom of speech will return to us, hehe. Don't get me wrong, I think somethings shouldn't be said, but as you have pointed out, this is just verging on the ridiculous. But what isn't ridiculous at the moment?

mignuna

on Aug 28, 2004

Actually, the mailman is 'properly' known as the "postal worker" now

hehe i know citahellion, but it was too funny to resist !. i had to use it !

I would certainly hope that the people who compile the Dutch dictionary have enough gumption to say that if words like "tall" or "stupid" are good enough for the dictionary, so is "thin."

oh no, look out, citahellion .....

Of course I may have just spawned 2 more protest groups... :-?

exactly ! bwwwww haaaaa ~

And if you really want to get worked up on a regular basis, check out Tongue Tied

i do ! and i will !. thankyou

Well, I was hoping that someone else would have commented by now, but I guess I'll follow up to myself

you too huh ? lol

"We must go out of our way not to take offense needlessly."

BRAVO !!!!. I am pleased to have written the article for this comment alone, citahellion. this is exactly my point. thanks for adding this.

Anyway, I was thinking about the function of "PC" as "a good base for decent or tolerable behavior" and contrasting that goal to my own distaste for most things PC. Yet I consider myself to be very interested in behaving decently or tolerably.

my thoughts exactly, citahellion.

THAT is what I don't see happening. The idea of PC seems to have promoted an ideology that taking offense at any old thing is your right and privilege, and that if you don't like something, the world owes it to you to see that you are not compelled to deal with that thing.

indeed. and in promoting this, it causes further divide, resentment, and misunderstanding.

As somewhat of a language purist, I also hate to see the language degenerating in this way.

citahellion, i wrote an article a while back about the awful dilution of the english language through all the new 'words' being added by the oxford dictionary (i can't recall if you read it, but it basically echoed your point above). 'words' such as 'bling, bling" being in the english language dictionary is nothing short of idiotic as far as i'm concerned.

thankyou so much for both comments citahellion, i am always so pleased to have your insightful input

Great article Mig. It appears that being 'PC' is the popular thing to do at the moment

it is !. and sal, you're here ? helloooo sal !!!. are you having a fab time ?. i'll go check your blog for new posts

Don't get me wrong, I think somethings shouldn't be said, but as you have pointed out, this is just verging on the ridiculous. But what isn't ridiculous at the moment?

yes, sal, the world has gone extremely mad !!!. thanks for your comment, chicky

vanessa/mig XX

citahellion

on Aug 29, 2004

"bi-polar" is one of the extremely rare instances where the PC version is actually shorter than the original version.

And I think a better term for armed civilians making money from a war zone is actually "war profiteers", a well-known class of scum.

mignuna

on Aug 29, 2004

Ahh migsy...you are getting bolder in your topic choices!

i'm glad you noticed, sabrina. i do actually really enjoy getting into this stuff, and you're right, i am getting braver !.

The dilution of our language in the effort to be totally bland and non offensive is one of my pet peeves

oh, mine too, sabrina. i can't seem to shut up about it, either ! hehe

My illustrious Hubby is not "differently abled"...He is deformed. (Polands syndrome, affecting His left hand..or what He has of a left hand)

exactly, sabrina. you know, one of my close friends has spina bifida, and he's the most easygoing guy, a champion wheelchair athlete, good job, happiest bloke you could ever hope to meet, and even he gets frustrated by this 'otherly-abled' nonsense. he feels it makes too fine a point of the differences and serves as a hinderance rather than a help, and i tend to agree.

I am not "bi-polar." I am manic-depressive

yeah. that one is a real doozy, isn't it ?. 'bi polar' sounds far more extreme, and is much less likely to be a term understood by the layperson. 'manic depression' is a factual term. it makes sense and it explains clearly the condition. bi-polar is a uselessly confusing term. i'm sure it's sufferers would prefer understanding instead of a polite name for their condition, right ?.

No one is guaranteed the right to go through life unoffended.

indeed, sabrina. this "PC" bullshit encourages the attitude that it's our right to never hear the truth in a clear or (to some people) unpalatable way. i'd sooner we got over it and worked on the real problems in the world.

"bi-polar" is one of the extremely rare instances where the PC version is actually shorter than the original version.

that's very interesting, citahellion. now that you mention it, that is a trend in this area. now i'll have to give that some more thought !

And I think a better term for armed civilians making money from a war zone is actually "war profiteers", a well-known class of scum.

it is interesting that the "PC" rules only apply to the 'positive' aspects, isn't it?. i don't see anyone calling terrorists 'savage fighters for different beliefs'. very telling, that. thanks for adding this.

I guess it was devised because some sensitive souls didnt like the connotation that came with "maniac" (manic)

i suspect you're right, sabrina

I much prefer the old term, its more accurate. Bi-polar....eh? What are the poles? Hum-drum and mildy happy? Slightly annoyed and somewhat pleased? A little impatient and kind of calm? Plah.

*falls off chair laughing*. oh, sabrina, you really hit the nail on the head there. we are headed into PC madness on full speed.

I go from ecstatic to suicidal. Utter rage to extreme joy. Moving at the speed of light to slothfulness that would put the 3 toed variety to shame. The term bi-polar just doesnt do it justice.

the term bi-polar also seems to imply a permanent occupation in one of the two states (ie: mania or depression), which is not the case in many patients. it falsely represents the periods of normalcy experienced by a lot of depression sufferers, and implies that they are constantly defined by one of the two extremes.

thanks so much for your comments

vanessa/mig XX

citahellion

on Aug 31, 2004

i don't see anyone calling terrorists 'savage fighters for different beliefs'

Actually, I think if you look around carefully you will see that many groups that were previously labeled "rebels" or "insurgents" are now being called "freedom fighters" in spite of their use of terroristic tactics....

Anyway, on the trend of polysyllabic nomenclature, George Carlin has a great piece where he talks about the PC trend specifically as it related to "shell shock"; a term which was created in WWI to describe a person's nerves being stretched beyond the breaking point by the stress of combat. Then it became "battle fatigue", then "operational exhaustion", and now it's "Post-traumatic stress disorder."

I found a copy of it here:
joerg.antville.org
It's a good read.

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mignuna

on Sep 03, 2004

citahellion, my apologies, as i only just found this comment of yours.

George Carlin has a great piece where he talks about the PC trend specifically as it related to "shell shock";

thankyou for the link to this citahellion, i'll be sure to read it.

vanessa/mig XX

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