3 ms·

Everything needs balance of course. The problem is that so many people are afraid of the consequences for not being PC enough that conversation just shuts down

Everything needs balance of course. The problem is that so many people are afraid of the consequences for not being PC enough that conversation just shuts down and everyone goes back into their groups. Sensitivity to a joke can be for everything, from racial attacks to attacking language functional purity. I think when it comes to black people specifically, there is a legacy and history of oppression, so that warrants some sensitivity for certain jokes (hanging from trees, etc.), but as an islander, I don't get too offended when people make silly jokes about it. The importance is that there is, as GP says, an underlying level of respect. Not that I haven't been in company where I don't feel there is that level of respect, I've been around perfectly PC squeaky clean people who with nicer words and actions motion their lack of respect. A joke is less of a threat to me than a person who fundamentally doesn't respect me as a person. PC-ness is all about hiding the symptoms and not addressing the cause, and at least in some cases has hurt those who work for social justice.

phs318u 10y ago
> Everything needs balance of course. No, not everything. e.g. scientific facts don't need to be balanced with self-serving quackery. >PC-ness is all about hiding the symptoms and not addressing the cause I don't consider myself racist or sexist. I don't believe I've lost anything by being inhibited from making racist or sexist jokes. I've lost literally nothing. I presume that racists/sexists will continue to be so, whether they make such jokes or not. I also very strongly suspect that they'll still be identifiable as such by their other actions. However, if someone is not acting in any way that could be construed as racist/sexist, then what they are thinking in the privacy of their heads is irrelevant. The important outcome is to ensure that others are not disadvantaged through racism/sexism. If we are to be judged on our thoughts, then very few would be judged well. That's why we judge on deeds. And speech is a deed.

phs318u 10y ago

> Everything needs balance of course. No, not everything. e.g. scientific facts don't need to be balanced with self-serving quackery. >PC-ness is all about hiding the symptoms and not addressing the cause I don't consider myself racist or sexist. I don't believe I've lost anything by being inhibited from making racist or sexist jokes. I've lost literally nothing. I presume that racists/sexists will continue to be so, whether they make such jokes or not. I also very strongly suspect that they'll still be identifiable as such by their other actions. However, if someone is not acting in any way that could be construed as racist/sexist, then what they are thinking in the privacy of their heads is irrelevant. The important outcome is to ensure that others are not disadvantaged through racism/sexism. If we are to be judged on our thoughts, then very few would be judged well. That's why we judge on deeds. And speech is a deed.