Am I?

Makunouchi · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:17

Justin said:
As in words posted on an internet forum. Don't get real life and the internet mixed up.

Anyway, as said before, don't take the forums too seriously.

The problem is, if people think it's acceptable to say it on an internet forum, they will probably also think it's acceptable to say it in real life situations. It's almost practice for some people, they get a laugh or support from other posters when they say something that's on the edge of being discriminatory (example being a recent thread where a Chinese take-away was described as a 'chinky') and then they take that attitude away into real life where it may cause genuine offence or hurt.

I'd rather it didn't happen anywhere to be honest. But as vonhelmet says, there are a lot of idiots about and they aren't breaking the rules so I guess they do as they please and we just try to ignore them as best as possible.

Hatter The Mad said:
You can't make offending people illegal because taking offence is entirely subjective.

I didn't say make it illegal and yes it is subjective, but that's no excuse. If someone is offended by something then they are offended, it doesn't matter how you meant it, only how it was taken. If you strolled up to a man in the street and called him a N****r you can't then wail "taking offence is entirely subjective!" because he will most likely be beating you unconscious and I will most likely be reporting you to the police.

Ahleckz · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:20

FatBoyObese said:
Thread full of LOL's.

*pours another scotch on the rocks and sits back to enjoy the hilarity*

Ruined what is no doubt a lovely Scotch, bloody guffs.

Stewy · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:21

Makunouchi said:
The problem is, if people think it's acceptable to say it on an internet forum, they will probably also think it's acceptable to say it in real life situations.

Who is this socially retarded? *ponders*

Vonhelmet · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:21

Makunouchi said:
I'd rather it didn't happen anywhere to be honest. But as vonhelmet says, there are a lot of idiots about and they aren't breaking the rules so I guess they do as they please and we just try to ignore them as best as possible.

By the way, if anyone wants to cry for a "source" or a "citation" on the matter, then I suggest they search the Internet for John Gabriel's work on the "Greater Internet **** wad theory", published 19 March 2004.

Makunouchi · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:24

StewartMG said:
Who is this socially retarded? *ponders*

The sort of people who think discrimination is fine I would assume.

FatBoyObese · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:29

Ahleckz said:
Ruined what is no doubt a lovely Scotch, bloody guffs.

A nice Glenmorangie of the 25yr vintage with no mixer as that is sacrilege

Castiel · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:30

Nix said:
I was an ethnic minority once.

I still am, a minority of one around here. (Until my brother returns) then it's two.

Not many Anglo-american-indians about.

Stewy · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:30

Makunouchi said:
The sort of people who think discrimination is fine I would assume.

But they take my jobs and steal my benefits and rob me etc. etc.

Deep · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:31

I do find it a bit weird to call getting some chinese food the chinkies, its just not needed.

IMO if you know the word is going to offend someone, and there is another perfectly acceptable word that can be used then I don't see why people don't use that!

Ahleckz · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:33

FatBoyObese said:
A nice Glenmorangie of the 25yr vintage with no mixer as that is sacrilege

You disgust me, fatty

. Ice totally destroys whisky, a small dash of water is OK and indeed often a good idea as it brings out the more subtle flavours. The coldness and brashness of ice destroys large parts of the whisky though. Sort it out!

FatBoyObese · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:33

Ahleckz said:
You disgust me, fatty.

Why? please enlighten me Ahlechz :confused:

K1LLSW1TCH · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:41

I think we've all missed the point here. Chinese takeaway food is disgusting.

FatBoyObese · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:43

K1LLSW1TCH said:
I think we've all missed the point here. Chinese takeaway food is disgusting.

I enjoyed my chinky, solly, Chinese earlier...

FatBoyObese · 19 Oct 2010 at 00:53

Ahleckz said:
You disgust me, fatty . Ice totally destroys whisky, a small dash of water is OK and indeed often a good idea as it brings out the more subtle flavours. The coldness and brashness of ice destroys large parts of the whisky though. Sort it out!

I was drinking with none other than a director of the Glenfiddich group of distilleries who poured me a single malt in a large tumbler with A cube of ice saying this was the best way to enjoy it......said director is as Scottish as the day is long and is my brother inlaws brother inlaw(make any sense lol) and I drank him and quite a few Scots under the table at the stag do in Paisley TA centre....proof that not all southerners are shandy drinking poofters

drunkenmaster · 19 Oct 2010 at 01:01

Nitefly said:
Taking that phrase to stand alone (outside of the forum context), I disagree with it enourmously.

Words can be offensive and cause turmoil. In addition, people can be oversensitive to words.

Both exists, there is no black and white.

A common sense approach to political correctness would be people avoiding saying things that might cause obvious offence (when it is appropriate to do so), and likewise for individuals to tolerate the freedom of expression of others.

Political correctness isn't a bad thing at all, I'm quite glad that words like '****' aren't considered acceptable. It's only silly when people are oversensitive. Again, common sense should prevail.

Those that intentionally promote offence for the sake of causing that offence, whilst knowing that they are doing so, are simply jerks.

Political correctness is a HORRIFIC thing, the very fact that some people despite never hearing the word ****, which I've never ever heard come up ever in any conversation or situation in my life, will continually keep it on a list of words that might potentially offend you if someone ever hears it is not a good thing.

By classifying it as offensive you give it power, by ignoring its use even if its used heavily, the word has no "extra" meaning.

Political correctness is just ridiculous, not least because the lesson it teaches kids is, you can't pick on a black kid because he's black, but because no one really fights against it, picking on the nerd is fine, no matter his colour, because "nerds" aren't a group of people anyone stands up to fight for.

Rather than teach kids being mean and disrespectful for any reason, any time, against any one for any reason isn't on, we're teaching them a list of can get away withs, and can't, and in doing so make it okay to bully one group of people, and make it rebellious, and therefore more tempting, to bully the forbidden group.

If people made no big deal out of it and just taught their kids manners, and to not be little crapbags, the world would be a better place.

Also yes, the OP is being too sensitive and not sensitive enough.

People always focus on the people being bullied and debating if the group being bullied is being overly victimised just because its racial or sexist. Should focus on the person doing it, not the race of the person being bullied.

tibbsey · 19 Oct 2010 at 03:11

drunkenmaster said:
****

Whoah whoah whoah...

Are you saying you know who he is? :eek:

Joking aside, political correctness has gone insane in recent years but there are certain things that are just plain offensive to people.
I think many people mis-read the casual racism on this forum and read into it too much. It is more often than not (from what I've seen) meant in jest with no intention to offend, or as a sarcastic comment. Unfortunately tone is very hard to convey over the Interwebs, and often people just won't even try to understand the context of a comment.

Example; Nix's first post in this thread, "You tell me fatty". To me this is clearly meant in jest and is a witty/sarcastic reply as the OP has made it clear that they are easily offended. Soon after it appears that the OP has not read the sarcasm in the post and is complaining that people are putting her down by calling her fat.

Totality · 19 Oct 2010 at 03:45

Lol a lot of people in this thread would hate to move out of the UK from the looks of it. I've been called a "Pom" many a time over the last two months and never once taken offence because people are saying it without malicious intent. For me it's not words themselves that I consider bad, but the context in which they are used.

Nix · 19 Oct 2010 at 04:10

When I was on holiday just now, I was getting called 'Chicken Nugget' or 'Del Boy' on a daily basis. Didn't bother me. The fact the buggers didn't leave you alone though, did.

Angilion · 19 Oct 2010 at 04:21

Linda said:
I'm starting to get very disheartened with the use of discriminative words on this forum to discribe people and associated items of ethnic origin and the non racist justifications for the use of such words.

What's more important Political Correctness or Freedom of speech and expression?

Am I being too sensitive?

Discuss...

It's impossible to answer your question without knowing what you're very disheartened about, so you've made your own thread pointless by refusing to give that information. Without words and context, there is nothing.

Brian8bit · 19 Oct 2010 at 04:36

Linda said:
I'm starting to get very disheartened with the use of discriminative words on this forum to discribe people and associated items of ethnic origin and the non racist justifications for the use of such words.

What's more important Political Correctness or Freedom of speech and expression?

Am I being too sensitive?

Discuss...

I don't think you're being too sensitive. There's a lot of ******** on this forum and a lot of the time their actions seem to be condoned because they're cliquey whereas any one else would be given warnings, suspensions, or bans. It's a distinctly GD problem. The other forums are fine.