You know what I hate?
Dec. 24th, 2004 07:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
The phrase "politically correct". People use that phrase when they don't like something. Usually, however, the correct phrase for what they don't like is either closer to polite or to stupid than to "politically correct".
You don't like the name a group has picked for themselves? Calling them a name that they consider offensive isn't being un-PC, it's being rude. Call people what they want to be called. There's no crime in ignorance (does this person prefer "handicapped" or "disabled"? Is he black or African-American?) but when somebody tells you "I prefer this term", it's only polite to use that term. And, of course, some things we can guess are rude. Most people will automatically shy away from "crippled" or "nigger" without even thinking.
What about insults? You're so upset because your favorite insult is now a victim of the so-called PC police? You think that you should be able to say "gay means stupid" and "gyp and jew mean stealing"? Yeah, you need to knock it off. First of all, they're insults, they're rude anyway. Secondly, here's something important. Even though *you* think that you're not actually talking about gays or gypsies or Jews, nobody else knows that. Find a better word, one that doesn't imply that gays are stupid, or Jews and gypsies are thieves and stingy.
Some things derided as "politically correct" really *are* stupid, of course. I am too busy to list them, but I'm sure you can think of some. I still hate the term. Just say "that was stupid" not "OMG! THE PC POLICE ARE HERE!!!!" Please? It'll make you sound a lot less reactionary, and possibly more mature.
Course I can't stop you from saying what you will. I can just rant in my journal.
You don't like the name a group has picked for themselves? Calling them a name that they consider offensive isn't being un-PC, it's being rude. Call people what they want to be called. There's no crime in ignorance (does this person prefer "handicapped" or "disabled"? Is he black or African-American?) but when somebody tells you "I prefer this term", it's only polite to use that term. And, of course, some things we can guess are rude. Most people will automatically shy away from "crippled" or "nigger" without even thinking.
What about insults? You're so upset because your favorite insult is now a victim of the so-called PC police? You think that you should be able to say "gay means stupid" and "gyp and jew mean stealing"? Yeah, you need to knock it off. First of all, they're insults, they're rude anyway. Secondly, here's something important. Even though *you* think that you're not actually talking about gays or gypsies or Jews, nobody else knows that. Find a better word, one that doesn't imply that gays are stupid, or Jews and gypsies are thieves and stingy.
Some things derided as "politically correct" really *are* stupid, of course. I am too busy to list them, but I'm sure you can think of some. I still hate the term. Just say "that was stupid" not "OMG! THE PC POLICE ARE HERE!!!!" Please? It'll make you sound a lot less reactionary, and possibly more mature.
Course I can't stop you from saying what you will. I can just rant in my journal.
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-26 07:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-26 12:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-27 06:23 am (UTC)I'm a simple creature. I'm also ignorant about a lot of the weight behind words in the US (which spreads to Canada, sometimes). To me, 'coloured' is just a descriptive term, like 'blue-eyed' or 'tattoo'd'. Nothing mean behind it at all.
I'm glad you told me, though, so I don't make some horrible blunder without knowing about it. In all honesty, I don't normally make a skintone distinction unless it somehow applies to a story I'm telling about that person, but I'm glad to know anyhow.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-27 01:00 pm (UTC)