- Location
- London
yes - I always have to look that up -
Stupid names for everyday things
- Thread starter Drago
- Start date
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Profpointy
Legendary Member
There is an interesting point though about what is PC changing over time - and let's simplify the term PC to mean simply what is polite.
Apparently Spastics, no longer the approved term, was a deliberately chosen kinder alternative to "cripple". Similarly you hear Martin Luther King, no less, referring unironically to "the negro" in his speeches, which few of us would feel comfortable with now. I (a white British guy) felt that "people of colour" sounded very wrong, yet it seems the Princess and (black) Americans are perfectly Ok with it, whilst the innocently-meant term "coloured people" of my childhood doesn't sound right to me at all now. An ex-colleague (himself white British) matter of factly refers to his own "mixed race" children, which again wouldn't have been a term I'd have previously used - though it could be that my science sensibility rather than my politics finds "race" a bit of a questionable category in the first place - a bit like the term "reptile" which is basically a nonsense. Hopefully if you try and be polite and respectful you'll not go far wrong regardless of the sanctioned term at any point in time
Apparently Spastics, no longer the approved term, was a deliberately chosen kinder alternative to "cripple". Similarly you hear Martin Luther King, no less, referring unironically to "the negro" in his speeches, which few of us would feel comfortable with now. I (a white British guy) felt that "people of colour" sounded very wrong, yet it seems the Princess and (black) Americans are perfectly Ok with it, whilst the innocently-meant term "coloured people" of my childhood doesn't sound right to me at all now. An ex-colleague (himself white British) matter of factly refers to his own "mixed race" children, which again wouldn't have been a term I'd have previously used - though it could be that my science sensibility rather than my politics finds "race" a bit of a questionable category in the first place - a bit like the term "reptile" which is basically a nonsense. Hopefully if you try and be polite and respectful you'll not go far wrong regardless of the sanctioned term at any point in time
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- Location
- London
Agree whole-heartedly with the vast majority of your post prof, apart from perhaps the "polite". Maybe it's because I'm northern but I tend to have the idea that "politeness" can mask some nasty attitudes.
Times past in this place it was common for folk to be damned/bullied for using terms which were not approved by the committee meeting of the day before. Thank (your) god those times have mostly passed.
Fortunately, face to face, I find it not too difficult to spot when folks are being racist/offensive, irrespective of what terms they use.
I have known at least one person use the term "people of colour" as if they should be given brownie points when it was clear to me that they were actually racist.
Am fortunate at the moment to live in the great melting pot of London - always interesting walking down the street looking at folk.
Times past in this place it was common for folk to be damned/bullied for using terms which were not approved by the committee meeting of the day before. Thank (your) god those times have mostly passed.
Fortunately, face to face, I find it not too difficult to spot when folks are being racist/offensive, irrespective of what terms they use.
I have known at least one person use the term "people of colour" as if they should be given brownie points when it was clear to me that they were actually racist.
Am fortunate at the moment to live in the great melting pot of London - always interesting walking down the street looking at folk.
OP
OP
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Mixed race is frowned upon now. The thought police would rather we said "dual heritiage".
The interesting thing about many of these names, terms and descriptive monikers, is that those they're supposedly intended to protect rarely ask for them, approve of them, or use them. By and large they're conjured up by supposedly well meaning white people without any consultation or approval from those groups they're supposedly helping.
The interesting thing about many of these names, terms and descriptive monikers, is that those they're supposedly intended to protect rarely ask for them, approve of them, or use them. By and large they're conjured up by supposedly well meaning white people without any consultation or approval from those groups they're supposedly helping.
- Location
- London
Sometimes they are also used like the latest marketing buzzphrase in meetings as well - with folks just sprinkling them around to show that they are part of the "in-crowd", on message with the latest corporate culture, and used to exclude/downgrade those who are behind the curve. Never underestimate the human ego's capacity for using anything, even the best of things, to further their own ends. I was once in a meeting with a white woman and a man of colour (insert approved phrase if this is no longer approved) - she was trotting out this stuff - I caught his eye - pretty sure he thought she was just playing games and that he had no doubts about me.
OP
OP
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
The frightening thing is that these people really do think trotting out the latest buzzwords and pseudo business pap makes them look educated. They've clearly not watched The Office. Alas, like crusty bits around a sphincter, the public services are full of them.
- Location
- London
My example above was actually from the public service sector though I can assure you that it's rampant inn the private sector as well.
Have sat in a few meetings in the PR world where a PR colleague pretty much applauded every view/strategy/bollocks the client tossed on the table - which is of course not productive since you are supposed to be helping the client deal with the press. I used to come out of such meetings with a vision of said brainless/shameless colleague as a honking seal frantically clapping her flippers at every brightly coloured ball tossed in the air.
Have sat in a few meetings in the PR world where a PR colleague pretty much applauded every view/strategy/bollocks the client tossed on the table - which is of course not productive since you are supposed to be helping the client deal with the press. I used to come out of such meetings with a vision of said brainless/shameless colleague as a honking seal frantically clapping her flippers at every brightly coloured ball tossed in the air.
OP
OP
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Paint it black, label it as "tactical", and sit back while easily led schmucks like me buy 2.
derrick
The Glue that binds us together.
- Location
- On the edge of London
E bike. It's a f*****g moped.
- Location
- London
Apparently still OK Drago.
For now.
https://beinghumanfestival.org/event/being-mixed-race-stories-of-britains-black-gi-babies/
and on here, with the passing of the self-appointed police to pastures new.
edit - and another one.
https://beinghumanfestival.org/event/black-and-mixed-race-children-and-the-care-system/
Have been to that place (not too far from me in London) - for an exhibition of some sort in the past.
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Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
I was told early in my career that a hammer was a Birmingham screwdriver.No no a hammer is a universal adjuster
Poacher
Gravitationally challenged member
- Location
- Nottingham
Diagnostics.
Hell, I've got nothing against agnostics, although I think they should have some courage and go for full-blooded atheism.
I certainly don't wish them dead, unlike some religious nuts.
Hell, I've got nothing against agnostics, although I think they should have some courage and go for full-blooded atheism.
I certainly don't wish them dead, unlike some religious nuts.
