"Political Correctness Gone Mad"

[Flex Your Head]

Anyone read any Christopher Brookmyre? Great author.

In one of his novels, he describes the phrase "Political correctness gone mad" as "the distress call of the thwarted bigot".

"It was a phrase that certain conservative elements had thought up because they needed a stick to beat back at the liberals with. It was a phrase coined by people who resented the fact that you couldn’t treat n******, yids, shirt-lifters, bints and cripples the way you used to, who wanted to believe that it was all part of some organised agenda (and therefore reversible), rather than a natural, gradual, evolved process of increased understanding and therefore tolerance, which was leaving them all behind."

He's right. Isn't he?

 

[Nibble]

Yes. He is.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Are you two a double act?

 

[W.C.]

The one that I like is 'You can't say anything anymore.'

What exactly is it you can't say anymore that really needs to be said? I've managed to get through 41 years without thinking 'Shit, I wish I could still say that.'

Unless they mean things like, 'Oooh I can't wait to watch Swap Shop on Saturday then go down the newsagents to buy a 10p mix'. I guess I can't say that anymore.

 

[beorhthelm]

not really. it may have been once, when all political correctness was about were getting rid of such language and casual offense. but PC have moved on to cover areas beyond simple language, into the realms of policy and diktats that tell you can cant do something in case it might offend someone, even if there is no inherent offense.

The one that I like is 'You can't say anything anymore.'

What exactly is it you can't say anymore that really needs to be said? I've managed to get through 41 years without thinking 'Shit, I wish I could still say that.'

how about when you are behind the times on what is and isnt acceptable? i have used the term recently myself when a college described someone as "half caste". they were puzzled what the problem was, they hadn't got the memo its not a "correct" term any more. they are Asian, which illustrates the point rather well.

 

[Buzzer]

This is political correctness gone mad:

 

[mikeyjh]

This is political correctness gone mad:

No, this is an idiot. Ms Morgan, not you, although you might be of course, I don't know.

 

[Buzzer]

No, this is an idiot. Ms Morgan, not you, although you might be of course, I don't know.

Yes, she's an idiot and yes it's an example of political correctness gone mad. Well, it is to me anyway.

Actually, it's just about the worst case of P.C.G.M. that I've ever read. I'm embarrassed for Ms Morgan after reading that.

 

[W.C.]

not really. it may have been once, when all political correctness was about were getting rid of such language and casual offense. but PC have moved on to cover areas beyond simple language, into the realms of policy and diktats that tell you can cant do something in case it might offend someone, even if there is no inherent offense.



how about when you are behind the times on what is and isnt acceptable? i have used the term recently myself when a college described someone as "half caste". they were puzzled what the problem was, they hadn't got the memo its not a "correct" term any more. they are Asian, which illustrates the point rather well.

bugger, I thought I'd pop in for a quick joke and then leave but here I am again.

Really? I remember using the term half-caste when I was younger. Was a fairly common term I think. You can hear, was it, Tricky? using it on MA's Blue Lines album.

But that's over 20 years ago. Your 'memo' comment to me sounds just a touch patronising, apologies if I've taking it the wrong way, like it's all some kind of trendy in thing not to use terms like Half-caste. Surely it's just being polite and moving on?

 

[mikeyjh]

Yes, she's an idiot and yes it's an example of political correctness gone mad. Well, it is to me anyway.

Actually, it's just about the worst case of P.C.G.M. that I've ever read. I'm embarrassed for Ms Morgan after reading that.

We disagree on PCGM, it kind of plays up the quote at the top. That said, a person like Ms Morgan does absolutely nothing to dispel the PCGM tune. The odd thing is, could you she peel herself inside out? Not literally, but she could give up her privilege and become part of the oppressed if she really wanted to, fairly sure of that.

 

[jackanada]

Often when someone says "you can't say anything anymore" I find they go on to say quite a lot of highly bigoted tripe thereby proving you can still say quite a lot.

 

[Nibble]

Most of the things the WellquickWoody's et al of this world believe to be PC gone mad, things they think have been said, banned from being said, deemed as inappropriate etc usually turn out to be spun hokum from the likes of The Daily Mail or other such wind pie and air gravy.

 

[Nibble]

Yes, she's an idiot and yes it's an example of political correctness gone mad. Well, it is to me anyway.

Actually, it's just about the worst case of P.C.G.M. that I've ever read. I'm embarrassed for Ms Morgan after reading that.

That is not PCGM at all. That is one spectacular nonsense of a woman talking out of her arris. PCGM, although rare, is a different thing altogether. PCGM is when a company or official body issues a directive or an individual censors themselves through fear of offending someone, not one woman's daft opinion.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Yes, she's an idiot and yes it's an example of political correctness gone mad. Well, it is to me anyway.

Actually, it's just about the worst case of P.C.G.M. that I've ever read. I'm embarrassed for Ms Morgan after reading that.

All apart from the third sentence are personal statements and nothing to do with anyone else. Not any different to someone saying that they want to chop off their manhood and become a women. You might think it strange but it isn't imposing anything on you.

That just leaves the insufferable privileges drivel, which is truly dumb. There isn't a single person on this planet today, who does not owe their privileged existence to the ability of their ancestors to pick the right fights to fight and to win them.

It may be a load of old guff, but I am not convinced about the political correctness of it.

 

[Kumquat]

The one that I like is 'You can't say anything anymore.'

What exactly is it you can't say anymore that really needs to be said? I've managed to get through 41 years without thinking 'Shit, I wish I could still say that.'

Unless they mean things like, 'Oooh I can't wait to watch Swap Shop on Saturday then go down the newsagents to buy a 10p mix'. I guess I can't say that anymore.

Stewart Lee does a good comedy routine on that I seem to remember.

 

[MattBackHome]

This is political correctness gone mad:

There is a whisper of a case to say this statement is politically INcorrect; it is simultaneously offensive to Whites, patronising to non-whites and utterly lacking in any understanding (or desire to understand) of what it means to be 'oppressed'.

Regardless, it's obviously bollocks, a point on which we can all happily agree.

 

[Kumquat]

In fact Stewart Lee did another good parody of it with one about a cab driver he disagreed with who replied to one of his arguments with "Well, you can prove anything with facts, can't you?"

 

[Buzzer]

That is not PCGM at all. That is one spectacular nonsense of a woman talking out of her arris. PCGM, although rare, is a different thing altogether.

Okay, can you humour me and tell me why it isn't?

As far as I can see it she's taking a quite worthy argument -that historically, white people oppressed black people and she's acknowledging that fact - that's political correctness in my eyes and I agree with her on this point. I've got no problem with that sort of political correctness at all. It's a good thing - as the OP has said. It shows society is developing. The language we now use to describe different people is borne from this. We don't refer to black people using the 'n****r' word any more because we can see that it was oppressive. That we were the oppressors. We've acknowledged that. It's all linked.

And then she goes completely mental and starts spouting all sorts of tripe. In other words, political correctness gone mad.

 

[W.C.]

Stewart Lee does a good comedy routine on that I seem to remember.

gah! So, it could be said before. And was!

 

[Nibble]

Okay, can you humour me and tell me why it isn't?

As far as I can see it she's taking a quite worthy argument -that historically, white people oppressed black people and she's acknowledging that fact - that's political correctness in my eyes and I agree with her on this point. I've got no problem with that sort of political correctness at all. It's a good thing - as the OP has said. It shows society is developing. The language we now use to describe different people is borne from this. We don't refer to black people using the 'n****r' word any more because we can see that it was oppressive. That we were the oppressors. We've acknowledged that. It's all linked.

And then she goes completely mental and starts spouting all sorts of tripe. In other words, political correctness gone mad.

Nah, you won't agree and you're only asking me to pick a binfest, plenty of others pointed out, quite correctly that your post doesn't represent PCGM, ask one of them.