Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I don't think you can ignore it. I mean, it's there. I don't think it should be ignored, because it can make up a part of who you are. But, you shouldn't judge a person solely on that, either. That's when it becomes a problem. For example, if you are a female with blonde hair, you are sometimes instantly classed as an "airhead." These connections are wrong. So, in essence, I think we agree on the same things? Haha. As far as I can see, we agree one hundred percent, simply repeating each other's exact points with different words and wordings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayseven Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 It's all about where the cheeks and tongues are at, if you ask me. If my colleagues/bosses overheard half the stuff I said to customers I'd probably be a lot less 'employed'. The problem is that it was ever a problem to begin with. I hate it when negative connotations are put into words where they don't belong. Just with the terms 'gay', 'nice', 'cute' and a trillion other words, meanings change over time, often simply flipping to mean the opposite due to, pretty much, an over-application of sarcasm/irony. Calling a negro 'black' used to be offensive, just as now calling a black person a negro is offensive. Shrug shrug. Ultimately, if you don't mean offense, then... whatever. I live with a black guy and he has to do a stereotypical black-dude thing every day. Luckily we live down the road from KFC... In days gone by the word "retarded" used to be completely acceptable in society. Now its frowned on, because people use these terms in nasty ways. Every term that comes around gets abused by society then its suddenly become unacceptable. Spastics society FTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Ultimately, if you don't mean offense, then... whatever. Exactly, which is why "political correctness" is so ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyellowbloke Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Health and Safety has gone mad. Agree with this one to some extent. It seems like many of the fun outdoor activities I used to do as a kid organised by general volunteers are becoming much harder to put on due to all the health and safety checks that have to be done. People just can't be arsed with it all and so things don't end up happening. As for political correctness, I don't have a problem with it. It's just another term for not being a total tosser to someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Political correctness has a sad tendency to always go ridiculous. I've always felt that being respectful to whatever crowd you're currently with is the best policy. Someone deciding's what right or wrong to say or do seems a little strange - surely it's up to those who might actually get offended to decide? Not everyone will cry out because of a swear word. It's all about knowing your audience. Because to be fair they're not black (nor are Caucasians generally white unless they're pasty motherfuckers like me) but I think the uproar/drama regarding the term "black" is because its not describing what someone is, but rather what someone isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayseven Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 It's not about accurate labels, Mr. Jones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Shhh its work in progress. Changing a name ain't easy or cheap you know! :p Besides, Sapir-Wharf my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Because to be fair they're not black (nor are Caucasians generally white unless they're pasty motherfuckers like me) but I think the uproar/drama regarding the term "black" is because its not describing what someone is, but rather what someone isn't. But that's still someone's interpretation of the term. A negative connotation which has been put into the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 But that's still someone's interpretation of the term. A negative connotation which has been put into the word. I'd wager that if you explore the etymology of the word "black" (in this usage) it won't have been someone's interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raining_again Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I'd wager that if you explore the etymology of the word "black" (in this usage) it won't have been someone's interpretation. or that "black" people actually used to be almost black. Now blacks and whites breed between each other and you see less and less truly "black" people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I'd wager that if you explore the etymology of the word "black" (in this usage) it won't have been someone's interpretation. I am more inclined to believe that the word was originally pretty neutral, but because the general view of black people then was negative, the negative connotations were associated with the word used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnas Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I am more inclined to believe that the word was originally pretty neutral, but because the general view of black people then was negative, the negative connotations were associated with the word used. Yes. "Nigger" used to be a word that meant "Dark coloured", but because it was used when referring to black people in a negative light, the word's negative connotations grew into the taboo we know nowadays. As for my views in the topic at hand, "Political Correctness" annoys me to no end. It means people are focusing more on what words might be found offensive, regardless of the context they were used. Honestly, I don't think I can add anything else to what has already been said here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shino Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 It annoys me too, it goes to ridiculous levels when people start saying N-Word or F-Word. With a bit of common sense you can fully understand if someone truly intends to offend just by the tone or context it is said. It utterly amazes me how PC American society is, but I guess if over here I could be sued just by that, I would be too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 It doesn't bother me to be honest. I'm mixed race (white and black caribbean) and people who don't know me call me black but the people who do know me say I'm white. It's an odd thing really. I'm mostly white and I'm quarter black. I don't look at myself as either of these, I just look at myself as me. I'm not black and I'm not white, I'm brown but I don't expect people to call me it and I'm not bothered if they do call me brown or black or white. I'm a person and as long as they can see that, I couldn't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 It annoys me too, it goes to ridiculous levels when people start saying N-Word or F-Word. What the fuck's the F word? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 What the fuck's the F word? It's "fudge". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 It's "fudge". What the fudge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 What the fudge? Watch your tongue. There are ladies reading this forum, y'know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I presume the F-word was meant to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rummy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) Why is "black" so bad? A black person, a white person - it's describing the effing skin colour. African American doesn't always work, because black people aren't only from Africa. Plus, if he or she isn't living in America, but for example in Denmark, the term doesn't fit, either. The fact is that the most covering term when talking about someone with a darker skin colour is "black" - even though most "black" people's skin is actually more brown than black. The problem is that both in the past and now, some people have the insane idea that black people are "less human" or "not worth as much" as white people. Thus, pretty much any word we use when referring to people with a darker skin colour is at some point deemed racist or politically incorrect simply because of the fact that it distinguishes black people from white people. It's like we're trying to deny the fact that we look different. And that seems to me even more politically incorrect. I read this, and it made me wonder just one thing, what am I? Not rhetorical either, I expect an answer. Edited October 11, 2009 by Rummy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I read this, and it made me wonder just one thing, what am I? Not rhetorical either, I expect an answer. You're a Rummy. You fall outside of the standard categories altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fierce_LiNk Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I read this, and it made me wonder just one thing, what am I? Not rhetorical either, I expect an answer. Look at your gender, fool. You a man. You de man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rummy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) Heh, but that's the problem, with being 'black' and 'white', there's no distinction for some categories and it's from there the offense can come. If you're brown(actually what I used to think we'd be called whe I was little lol, cos there's black and there's white, why not brown eh?) and you're lumped in with the blacks, you're not black and you feel it's ignorant of a person, if you're brown and NOT lumped in with the blacks as such, but there's still just 'black' and 'white' and you never talked about, then why are you not worth enough to be recognised as either? It's certainly a very tricky thing, and I didn't want to end up making the thread focus on probably the most obvious facet of PC-ness and nothing else, especially at risk of being accused of playing any sort of race card, but also I don't think it's something you can truly ever understand if you've not been a minority ethnicity. I think that's the biggest part of the reason why some racial jokes are acceptable from an ethnic person, but not from a non-ethnic person. I dunno if ethnic is even PC, should it be minority and non-minority? I was also thinking on the subject of acceptibility and someone's post earlier, about evolution and etymology of the words and a cycling, how negro actually literally meant black, then I wondered if it got stigmatised as a bad word and people starting using 'black' instead to try and be less offensive or more casual or something, and it got stigmatised as well. I actually find it unlikely given supposed olden day attitudes, but it'd be interesting if it was. Edited October 11, 2009 by Rummy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayseven Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Well, yes. My undestanding is that negro is a bit too close to 'nigger', which means a lesser being (or something, iunno). Back 'then' it was more offensive to be called 'black' than 'negro', but I'm no pro on the subject so don't quote me on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I'm from the fens of Lincolnshire where some people call black people "darkies". Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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