Why I hate political correctness Part I
I've done many things to put food on the table. I've been a guitar instructor, waiter, a pizza delivery, worked in just about every fast food restaurant you could think of, fitness counselor, did tile setting, basic plumbing, was a Merry Maid for three days, and now work with Unix systems. It's funny because starting off in working class jobs, you get slightly class conscious. You realize that a lot of upper middle-class people can be very snobbish. Not saying they all are, but a lot of them are.
And they're the most politically correct people you'll ever meet. They're more holier than thou than the most annoying preachers. Ironically, they're about the least likely people to ever experience discrimination.
Political correctness is a downright lie. They're telling you to supress what you've learned from experience. Supressing things will only make them come out more perverted. If you want an example, ask some guy in who's in jail for beating some gay guy to death.
Junior's school is disgustingly politically correct. They keep drumming into the kids' heads not to hurt anyone's feelings. Yeah, that will prepare them for the real world. In the real world, politically correct people may do well on a corporate job because they're the biggest ass kissers you'll ever meet. However, take them into reality, how the other 90% of the world lives and they won't be able to handle it.
I'll continue this next week because I have to get to work, then this weekend will be too busy to blog. I do have other pieces written that are sitting in the queue, including a certain Yankee Fan's Aria Giovanni post that I owe him. However, in an ideal world, I'd bitch slap all P.C. people so they can go to their room and cry and wonder why the world is so unfair. Unfortunately, in this world they all have better lawyers than I do.
posted by The Zombieslayer @ 9:25 AM
42 Comments:
George Carlin has a great take on PC jargon - it's a language invented by rich white people to make everyone feel like problems such as classism & racisim don't exist anymore. I agree - we still have the same problems and they're more subtle now. There is a difference between deliberately offending someone and taking pains to ensure you never offend anyone. The latter is what I have a problem with.
PC has gotten way out of hand at schools too - I agree. While it is important for children (and adults) to learn about and be tolerant of people who are different, not everything has to be about diversity and feelings.
When I was at DePaul they were big on diversity - to the point where no one cared anymore. My freshman year I worked on the newspaper. We wrote a story about a fight that broke out at a mostly black fraternity party and used language direct from the police report identifying those arrested as "M/B" (male-black). There was a protest and a militant group of black students stormed the newspaper office, threatened the staff, called the black assistnt editor an uncle tom and shut down the newspaper for two weeks. We were not allowed to speak to the press and the University took their side so as to not appear insensitive to "black" issues. All attempts we made to clarify that we didn't MEAN offense fell on deaf ears and we had to go to sensitivity training. Meanwhile the students staging the sit-in were given free meals and tutors for their classes. That's fair.
So yes, diversity can be taken too far. We need to respect each other, but respect is earned and should be mutual, not shoved down your throat.
I'm totally in your corner on this one!
I defined myself as a "George Carlin liberal" a while back 'cuz it seemed to fit me better than anything else. PC is confusing what should be with what is smothered with a thick layer of lawyerisms and topped off with equivocation.
No one in their right mind wants to be slavishly adhering to some fake language and fake ideals that some extreme elements of PC thinking have become.
However, please remember that the term PC was/is an invention of US conservatives looking for a weapon to bash progressives who wanted there to be a seachange in the use of offensive language.
At the heart of PC is in fact the excellent notion that people need to be treated with respect and on their terms, rather than forcing your stereotypes and prejudices onto others through offensive language.
I'm chinese and my GF is white, and SHE gets super pissed when an asian is referred to as "oriental"...
I couldn't care less, to some people, "asian" = "oriental".
"At the heart of PC is in fact the excellent notion that people need to be treated with respect and on their terms, rather than forcing your stereotypes and prejudices onto others through offensive language."
Very good point and I agree. Anything can be taken too far, especially if the intentions have changed. I don't think the intensions of PC language are the same as they were. I think it's now become a divide and conquer method of the powerful - keep the masses fighting amongst ourselves while they run away with our government...
In my heart and my gut, I agree with your take on policital correctness most of the time. However, I take the pragmatic approach at work and I'm as politically correct as the next person. I don't view it as lying, but some people who are close to me do because I won't come out and say what it is I actually think. I think that if I'm not politically correct at work, I would soon be out of a job. The problem is that I've been doing this for a while and it definitely spills over into my personal life. I struggle a lot with how to just "spill it" when I'm outside of work.
Laura - you hit the nail on the head.
Keep them divided and fighting for the crumbs while we run away with the government.
Black, white, red, yellow, blue, green, it's all the same. We could always fire you and bring in foreign workers who will work for less when you complain.
The schools are really carrying it too far. When my son was in elementary school, the first hour of the day was for "Morning Meeting". The kids had to sit in a circle and say 3 nice things about the kid sitting next to them.
I got called to the school for a conference when he was in 2nd grade. His teacher INSISTED that my son sit in one spot, when he wanted to sit on the other side of the circle. When she asked him why he didn't want to sit there, he calmly replied "Because that kid's a maniac and I don't have 3 nice things to say about him".
The teacher went off on me because this wasn't PC, and besides; my 7 yr old COULDN'T POSSIBLY know what maniac meant!
I personally thought that this was a rather mature way for a 7 yr old to handle the situation, but what do I know?
There are people in the world that I'd take hours trying to think of 3 things nice to say about. Poor kid, gets his mother in trouble for telling the truth.
As for Carlin, love the guy. Anyone who could make me laugh is alright with me, even if I don't agree with him.
As for Orientals - it means Easterners. Do Americans get bent out of shape if someone calls them Westerners?
And for work, yeah, it made me numb. Got so tired of their holier than thou PC-Nazi crap. It's nice to be at a job now where people let loose with their humor.
The guy I really like now is Dave Chapelle. He's brash, rude, crude, and totally un-PC, but man, he can make me laugh.
I think we can all adjust our tin foil hats a little here and say that PC is a tiny tool to control people, it certainly helps demonise the progressive ideology as weak and that does divide us.
BTW, we aren't all the same, skin colour matters, we can't deny that.
tshsmom, sorry but I can actually see where the teacher is coming from in terms of calling someone a maniac is not about being PC but being nice to people. And I love the idea of the kids saying positive things to each other, what is so wrng with that?
In most situations I will tell it like it is ... but then I feel guilty about it, or realize that it was not the most opportune time to unleash. AND then, I feel proud that I spoke my mind ... AND then the guilt goes away. It's a fine balance.
Zombie Slayer ... have you EVER said anything that you wish you hadn't/ would take back if you could. If so, what? (provided that it's not so private that it should belong to Post Secret)
Cultureshocked - I could write a book about things I've regretted saying. Especially when it involved the fairer sex. ;)
Daniel - Let me give you some tips. You are obviously lacking in two important areas - social skills and
reasoning.
Let us start with social skills. You do not win friends and converts by insulting people, being crass, or being holier than thou. Inferring that someone's nation is "toddler nation" will only manage to tune people out. Your point, whatever you are trying to make, is lost. You have insulted many good, intelligent people on this blog, all of whom I have an incredible amount of respect for. I like attacking
outdated and stupid ideas, I do not like to see good people attacked, especially people that I have come to like.
Your arrogant and condescending tone only manages to alienate people.
Adults don't like being told what to do. We had enough of it as children, and now, we prefer to make our own choices. To tell us what to do and how to think is downright insulting, and most folks don't like being insulted.
And trying to pass yourself off as a saint? No, that won't work here. Neither will pretending to be this "I'm so experienced and hard-core" crap either. The more people brag about how experienced they are, the more they're trying to compensate for their lack of experience.
The tinfoil hat comment was immature. You're the one who thinks the Right-wing conspiracy coined the term "political correctness" to stem the progressive tide. That's downright retarded.
Now for your reasoning skills. You have none. Dave is always one step ahead of me and he called you a
retard a while ago. I'm now in complete agreement with Dave. You're unable to argue a point without using an argument ad hominem. I'm seconding you being called a
retard because you have earned that label.
Your understanding of history is retarded as well. You call us a toddler nation that grew up too fast? Well, for the record, we are an older nation than France, Germany, and Italy. They were fighting amongst themselves years after we had already become a nation.
Lastly, I love America and I love Americans. We have a Republic, with Democratically elected representatives. Agree with them or not, we voted them in and we have to deal with it. Our elections are usually close and even though I didn't vote for Bush, he is my President. We are a beautiful nation with great outdoors, something your nation can't appreciate because you already destroyed yours.
tshsmom: did you receive my e mail?
Cultureshocked - I have dialup at home and it's taking years to get to PostSecret, so I'll tell ya over the weekend when I go to the local internet cafe.
Dusty - I used to tutor Native American kids with learning disabilities and most of them seemed to be cool with Indian. Some though asked to be called Native American. It all depends on the person I guess.
Now I'll say it straight out. If any group in America has a legitimate gripe, it's the Native Americans.
You're being so kind, it must be hard when someone comes over here and doesn't agree with you all the time that you have to use name calling.
I have all the social skills and reasoning I need thanks, i think what you're finding challenging is my lack of sycophancy for you and your right-wing concepts.
Some thoughts on your lengthy rant:
You've been throwing around insults long before I have and in brutal language, you give a lot but can't take.
I wasn't bragging just helping you understand me but I'm shouting at a wall with you aren't I?
Check NPOV sources and you'll see that PC is a right-wing invented term; let me guess you still don't know that FDR let Pearl Harbour happen and that Saddam was involved in 9/11.
You're being a Nation pedant in terms of the age of countries, you know as well as I do that all those Nations mentioned have a greater history and heritage than you do. That's not an insult but an explanation of the toddler comment.
Stop throwing your weight around so aggressively.
ok...I'm still laughing at the thought of you working for Merry Maids...hehe...you have to write a whole post dedicated to that story one day...pah-leeeeze!
Tshsmom -
Your 7 year old was more mature than most of my middle school students. The teacher should have applauded his honesty and encouraged him to try to think of at least one nice thing, while allowing him to sit somewhere else.
Daniel - I've had enough. Get a life already. I'm tempted to just send Junior over to England to kick your wimpy ass. I'm sure everyone else there would be rooting for him too. That is if Melanie doesn't beat him to it.
Slade - Good idea. It was a weird three days, but I owed someone a favor.
all hail Zombieslayer, both of us are on a crusade to take down all the PC people in this country, who will join us?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Daniel - Enough already. You're banned from the site. Now you've been banned from yet another blog. I don't mind criticism, but all you do is attack people instead of ideas. Get lost.
way to put your foot down, zombie.
Zombie, it looks like we have our first enemy, should we toast?
Oh mother, don't know if my faint young heart can handle all this drama.
But I say keep it coming!!!! fight, cuss and promote this here shenanigan!
The reason is he was attacking people on this board, and I should have stopped it earlier.
But it's all good. Found someone here who has Dave Chapelle DVDs.
Looks like Daniel won't be joining us in the compound; AWWWW!
Just in case you're still reading us Dan, here's a few words for you.
I've known a lot of English people, thankfully you're not the norm!
There's been a lot of studies done on overpopulation and it looks like you're suffering from the effects. Living in wide open spaces can change your attitude tremendously! Better find some space Dan, or you could wind up eating your young.
Our comments here are NOT sycophancy. We're like-minded individuals that like sharing our thoughts in a LIGHT HEARTED manner; that's why we're here!! DUH!
NOW, for the rest of the story on my son's 2nd grade experience. I didn't want to waste space with ALL the details in my original comment.
NOBODY wanted to sit next to the kid that Z was avoiding. He was a terrible bully that wound up getting hauled away from the school by police in the 5th grade, when he attacked the principal. Nobody has seen him since, so we assume that he was either "sent up" or placed in foster care in another location.
My son was singled out by the teacher because he is a kind hearted kid. Twice a week, 2 Down's Syndrome kids would "mainstream" into his class. My son was the only kid that would allow them to sit with him and play with ANYTHING in his desk. He defended these kids from unkind remarks from the others, which made Z a target of ridicule on the playground.
In my opinion, the teacher's time would have been better spent trying to get to the root of the bully's problems. Because she NEVER set foot on the playground, she was clueless about this kid's violent behavior! Maybe the school shrink could have intervened and spared this kid the humiliation of arrest in the 5th grade.
A 7 yr old's brain doesn't have enough life experience to empathize with someone who is making their life miserable. Z would never have made the maniac comment if the teacher hadn't forced the issue.
By the time his class was in the 6th grade, the kids had learned to just say anything to get Morning Meeting over with. This, to me, is the greatest lesson of PC. People will give the "appropriate" response when trained to do so. We're making our kids a nation of robots.
My biggest gripe over Morning Meeting, is that it takes away an hour of valuable learning time, every day!
Tshsmom -
I completely agree with you. Morning meetings, if done correctly, can be a good thing. It seems your child's teacher is using them as group psychology rather than as a "teachable moment". Morning meetings are used in elementary school to role play social skills, such as civil discussion, how to deal with a bully, how to talk to your parents when you have something to say they won't like, etc. It is a learning experience, taching children to become better people. In elementary school, it should last no longer than 20 - 30 minutes.
In middle schools, we swich to class meetings, done once a week or when something pops up that needs to be addressed as a group. Mine often center around current events and how they have a direct effect on our lives, but I have had to put together a few quick meetitngs this year on why we should be tolerant of homesexual students, why we should't take drugs (regardless of my personal feelings about pot, these ARE children), how to talk to our parents respectfully, how to deal with a bully, and why it is not okay to call someone a Jew in a mean way, even if they are Jewish.
In high schools, a lot of teachers have class meetings when issues arise, but most of the time, the teacher tries to facilitate rather than lead discussion. In this way, students begin to learn to present their ideas clearly off the top of their head when someone asks. They also learn the fine arts of conversation and debate. These meetings are generally cross-curricular, meaning that a student can bring up a point from any subject and discuss it with a different set of students. It helps wih critical thinking skills, and allows students a safe forum for their ideas.
Again, I agree, most teachers screw it up. By the way, from your posts I see that you are a great mom and you have raised a wonderful young man. Inviting a Down's Syndrome child to sit with him is compassionate, and definitely not something he learned from his classmates or his teacher. Keep up he good work!
Zombie,
THANK YOU for backing me up on the Underground Logician's site. I stumbled on to it, made a comment, and got drawn into something just this side of crazy.
PS - My keyboard is missing a few letters, so I apologize for omissions. Poor teachers can't afford to buy new computers, even when theirs are failing!
Polanco, I could deal with Morning Meeting if it was conducted in the manner you're describing!
I'd better go check out Sam to see how you guys are faring. He and logicmonkey are generally no win situations, where you get a headache from banging your head!
PC - got your back, babe! The thing is, I would have been more vocal in your defense but his writing was seriously mental masturbation. It was downright painful to read.
Tshsmom - My wife just read what you wrote and wants to write a post about what it's like dealing with bullies at school from her end (pre-school teacher). I'm so glad you pulled Z from the school he was going to. Seriously, best of luck with homeschooling. I'm all for it and if both of us didn't have to work, Junior would be homeschooled.
"Mental Masturbation", perfect term ZS!!
I concur on the mental masturbation and pulling the kid from school. Here's the thing with Sam and our other conservative friends, most of them are really underinformed, have mos likely only read information that agrees with their ideas, and claim to use logic but have not applied reason. They've invited us in by making their thoughts public. Sharing our oposing vies with them can teach us all something, and that's what life is about, isn't it? The constant, unrelenting pursuit of knowledge what I live for.
PC, I DO enjoy reading him, but I refuse to tie my undies in a knot debating him. Too much headbanging! You're doing a great job there.
Besides, I don't have time to do the research required to debate him. All my research time involves homeschooling.
I used to enjoy logic puzzles in high school and I'd truly LOVE to tie logicmonkey's undies in a bundle with a few of my own. Again, I don't have the time.
Ernie - I will say this once more and only once more. I don't mind people disagreeing with my views. In fact, I encourage it if the people are civil and intelligent. What I don't like is when people attack the person instead of the argument. That is called an Argument Ad Hominem and it's a philosophical fallacy. He went further and made personal attacks on good people on this board. I will not tolerate that.
I don't buy it Zombieslayer, sorry. It just looks like you're not open to different viewpoints, he wrote nothing offensive (apart from a viewpoint opp to yours) and then Dave called him a retard.
If you're going to draw up political issues on your blog you need to welcome left-wing views otherwise this is just an empty talking shop of sycophants.
Ernie - scan through my site and find my post on my ideal politician. You will find that some of my stuff is quite liberal. Some of it is even, gasp, socialist. Scan through it more and you'll find that JFK was my favorite president in the past 50 years. Is he a right-winger? Plus, some of my favorite people on this site are quite liberal.
And I'm not going to get into a "he said she said" argument with you. You may need to re-read the posts. I only deleted one where he attacked several members on this blog and another where I had already asked him to get lost.
I am unsure whether this thread should accommodate the following info, but It's the nearest.
Australians In the main are very out spoken in their poor treatment of the British and their Royal Family.(I myself consider most of the royals to be a bunch of free loading pikers)sadly for them its 'once a royal you are stuck with it', commoners may become royals by marriage, as in chas and his 2nd hand Camilla.
After the last referendum in Oz the Republican vote failed to acquire the majority required to oust the royals, anti royals were mostly recent migrants from U/Priv countries (Zombies?) despite the L/W govt at the time banning firework and bonfire displays for the Queens birthday celebrations, we still have people defying that law. Today the Queens birthday public holiday today June 12 is in full swing, the bludging zombies who voted republican are enjoying a day off work to celebrate their Queens birthday, Lizzie will turn 79yrs 7weeks and 3 days today.
A very happy UN-Birthday to you, Liz.
Savage - Agreed, it's your point C that always drove me nuts. It's people who when you disagree with them immediately go to some PC name calling. Oh, Mama Zombieslayer thought you were cool, by the way.
Vest - Always good to hear your very un-PC updates of what's going on in Australia. We here too hear a little bit more about the Royal Family than I want to hear. I could care less about them.
Hey, did I mention I chose POlanco Consulting as my name because it's "PC".
PC - That's okay. You're cool PC, not annoying PC. You have a sense of humor, and humor will be much needed when the zombies come. It will be the one thing that will keep us human.
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