NationStates Jolt Archive

What's your stance on the PC thing?

I like them. I've never used apple computers.

I like mine. Much better than a MAC. :D

Heh--Mac kicks PC ass. :p

Macs prods PC buttock, and Steve Jobs is apparently famous for his political incorrectness. :D

I would have voted (2), but decided that I'm undecided. Does that make sense?

I do think that it has gone TOO far though.
Like now we can't say "brain storm" in case it offends epileptic children, or "spider diagram" because of arachnophobics.

And, get this, certain large banks have now decided that, instead of using Piggy Banks in their marketing and for young children, they will now use that annoying Howard Brown cartoon guy from the Halifax advert and a boring plastic box. Just so that the piggy bank doesn't offend Muslims.

Nick Ferrari, who just happens to be one of the two best radio presenters in the country - tied with Sandi Toksvig - did a show on this a few weeks ago, and asked Muslims to phone in and say if they were offended or not by a Piggy bank. Of all the calls received in two hours, not a sinlge Muslim said they were offended by a piggy bank.

You see? Political correctness gone WAY too far.

But for when it could actually offend someone, I totally agree with it.
BUT NOT FOR PIGGY BANKS AND BRAINSTORMS!!!

I should have voted (2).

well, it could be a little faster, but its good for what its used for

There's a lot of stupidity done in the name of "Political Correctness". Do I think some aspects of what is lumped into "PC" have some merit? Yep. But I think a lot of what is happening these days is a step too far, to the point where some people are trying to prevent things from offending people that no one is actually offended by.

By the same token, all the whining about "teh PC GONE MAD!!!!" is often just as stupid as the stuff being whined about in the first place.

The trouble with people who hate PC is that they fail to realise that what is now called "PC" is what used to be called "common courtesy".

Like saying "happy holidays" ... people think that's PC gone amuck in destroying Christmas because they chant "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" when, in fact, Hanukkah has been celebrated during this season longer than Christmas has, and even before Jesus was born, and it's the rotation of the earth that is the reason for the season, not some old dead carpenter's son.

Saying "happy holidays", calling a black man "african american" instead of "******", and various things of the like are simple common courtesy. If you can't handle that, buy bullets, insert one in brain, make a lot of people happy for it.

The trouble with people who hate PC is that they fail to realise that what is now called "PC" is what used to be called "common courtesy".

Like saying "happy holidays" ... people think that's PC gone amuck in destroying Christmas because they chant "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" when, in fact, Hanukkah has been celebrated during this season longer than Christmas has, and even before Jesus was born, and it's the rotation of the earth that is the reason for the season, not some old dead carpenter's son.

Saying "happy holidays", calling a black man "african american" instead of "******", and various things of the like are simple common courtesy. If you can't handle that, buy bullets, insert one in brain, make a lot of people happy for it.Just to piggyback off your statement there, commercialization is, to my mind, the biggest reason for the switch to Happy Holidays--the less specific we make the season, the more people feel involved in it, and the more money they spend.

Just to piggyback off your statement there, commercialization is, to my mind, the biggest reason for the switch to Happy Holidays--the less specific we make the season, the more people feel involved in it, and the more money they spend.

As explained in Bottle's recent post on the subject, Christmas is really just a hodge-podge, mish-mash of various cultures' festivals, anyway, so we may as well take money from anyone who's willing to shell it out. Mmmmmm... I smell consumers!

The trouble with people who hate PC is that they fail to realise that what is now called "PC" is what used to be called "common courtesy".

Like saying "happy holidays" ... people think that's PC gone amuck in destroying Christmas because they chant "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" when, in fact, Hanukkah has been celebrated during this season longer than Christmas has, and even before Jesus was born, and it's the rotation of the earth that is the reason for the season, not some old dead carpenter's son.

Saying "happy holidays", calling a black man "african american" instead of "******", and various things of the like are simple common courtesy. If you can't handle that, buy bullets, insert one in brain, make a lot of people happy for it.

On the contrary, I'm not talking about common courtesy. I am talking about PC being taken too far. For example, the aforementioned examples. THAT is not common courtesy. It is PC gone mad. Do you not agree that deciding to change a "tradition" -ie, piggy banks - so as not to offend a certain minority - who, notably, aren't actually that bothered - is a little extreme?

PC is good as long as it stays in boundaries. I mean if it gets to the point where we have to rename Christmas "The Day of Gifts, commonly celebrated by members of an unnamed religion(for fairness)" just because some atheist(not picking on anyone) doesn't want his family to be subjected to "the evil Christians" holiday, but still wants to reap the benfit therof.

(i hope that made sense) :P

On the contrary, I'm not talking about common courtesy. I am talking about PC being taken too far. For example, the aforementioned examples. THAT is not common courtesy. It is PC gone mad. Do you not agree that deciding to change a "tradition" -ie, piggy banks - so as not to offend a certain minority - who, notably, aren't actually that bothered - is a little extreme?
I look at it as a business decision--why alienate a potentially large group of customers when all you have to do is change a logo?

I dunno, I try to be as anti-politically correct as possible. There is no reason to mutilate the launguage and act stupid in order to try to keep everyone from being offended or "left out". In fact, when they do that, I find it offensive and feel left out...

Incidentally, this is not to say I am rude to people. I go out of my way to be not only polite, but friendly. And if they celebrate something other than Christmas, I'm very happy not to say "Happy Holidays" but, "Happy Hanukkah" or with them whatever is appropriate to their celebration... and expect them to wish me a "Merry Christmas" because that's what I celebrate. Impersonalizing it is much more rude to me than getting it wrong. Seems to me PC makes you care about nobody, not everybody.

I look at it as a business decision--why alienate a potentially large group of customers when all you have to do is change a logo?

Change a logo? I'm talking about a piggy bank!!! Kiddies in Britain have been saving pennies in piggy banks since the dawn of time!*

And why should it alienate Muslims? Because Muslims can't eat pork? I have MUslim friends - quite a few actually - and none of them find Piggy banks offensive: hell, one of my friends collects them! My Muslim friends - as well as my Jewish friend - said that scrapping the Piggy bank was pathetic, and taking the whole PC thing too far.

Yes, it is a business decision, but I don't see why it was necessary.
Like I've already mentioned about Nick Ferrari, not a single Muslim I have heard speak or have spoken to on the matter is offended by a Piggy Bank.

*Psst...the piggy bank isn't a logo - it's a marketing thing

Change a logo? I'm talking about a piggy bank!!! Kiddies in Britain have been saving pennies in piggy banks since the dawn of time!*

And why should it alienate Muslims? Because Muslims can't eat pork? I have MUslim friends - quite a few actually - and none of them find Piggy banks offensive: hell, one of my friends collects them! My Muslim friends - as well as my Jewish friend - said that scrapping the Piggy bank was pathetic, and taking the whole PC thing too far.

Yes, it is a business decision, but I don't see why it was necessary.
Like I've already mentioned about Nick Ferrari, not a single Muslim I have heard speak or have spoken to on the matter is offended by a Piggy Bank.

*Psst...the piggy bank isn't a logo - it's a marketing thing
Logo, marketing thing--big deal. It's a business decision. If someone else wants to pick up where this company left off, I'm sure there are plenty of people who will support it. This company decided it wasn't worth the bother and made the call.

Saying "happy holidays", calling a black man "african american" instead of "******", and various things of the like are simple common courtesy. If you can't handle that, buy bullets, insert one in brain, make a lot of people happy for it.

A white man calling a black man African American instead of ****** is like calling a woman you just met "miss" instead of "a cocksucking whore". That is not PC or common curtesy it is a blatant insult. Really bad example.

Calling a "black" man "african American" is PC.

I try to be politically correct. I once even had a phase where I'd get angry at people who said indian instead of native american. But having a Holiday tree? Way too much...not that I want a nativity scene on capitol hill either. But christmas trees have evolved into a secular sybol of the season. I'm a reform jew, and not offended in the least. See, it is a CHRISTMAS tree now and forever. There are no Chanukkah or Ramadan or Kwanzaa or Dewali trees. If you want to be nice, place a symbol of other holidays in a display as well (for private businesses or buildings of course, we shouldn't have that on public property because you'll inevitably leave people out).

A white man calling a black man African American instead of ****** is like calling a woman you just met "miss" instead of "a cocksucking whore". That is not PC or common curtesy it is a blatant insult. Really bad example.

Calling a "black" man "african American" is PC.
Agree totally FG. Although I usually say African American, ****** is a racial slur, not just an impoliteness.

I try to be politically correct. I once even had a phase where I'd get angry at people who said indian instead of native american. But having a Holiday tree? Way too much...not that I want a nativity scene on capitol hill either. But christmas trees have evolved into a secular sybol of the season. I'm a reform jew, and not offended in the least. See, it is a CHRISTMAS tree now and forever. There are no Chanukkah or Ramadan or Kwanzaa or Dewali trees. If you want to be nice, place a symbol of other holidays in a display as well (for private businesses or buildings of course, we shouldn't have that on public property because you'll inevitably leave people out).

THANKYOU!!!

Please tell me that a Piggy bank doesn't offend you!

I try to be politically correct. I once even had a phase where I'd get angry at people who said indian instead of native american. But having a Holiday tree? Way too much...not that I want a nativity scene on capitol hill either. But christmas trees have evolved into a secular sybol of the season. I'm a reform jew, and not offended in the least. See, it is a CHRISTMAS tree now and forever. There are no Chanukkah or Ramadan or Kwanzaa or Dewali trees. If you want to be nice, place a symbol of other holidays in a display as well (for private businesses or buildings of course, we shouldn't have that on public property because you'll inevitably leave people out).
Here's the thing though--don't blame activists or political correctness for the change. They don't sell the trees. They don't name the trees that get sold. Marketers name the trees that get sold as holiday trees, and they're the ones making the change from christmas to holiday. Political correctness has nothing to do with it--expanding the consumer base has everything to do with it.

How about we wish everyone a "Happy Ramahanukwanzmas"?


(Disclaimer: Idea not original)

Some stupid PC that may or may not have been mentioned:
no more piggy banks-it's like saying Jews and Muslims are sue-happy super-sensitive people.
renaming Indian Red to Chestnut to avoid upsetting Native Americans-It's a color that originated somewhere near India. Also, chest and nut are two of the most sexist words I ever heard. Wanna bet how long it takes for them to change it?
multiple validictorians-what's the point of the rank now?
holiday tree-There are no Kranza or New years trees that I know of. It's called a Christmas tree for a reason. It's used to celebrate Christmas. It's like saying Jews use candle holders and square tops to celebrate Hannaka.

PC went from merely giving people rights and ending discrimination to butchering stuff.

PC takes all the fun away from humor. :(

But at least it's better than Mac.