opinion on political correctness?

[Red Cat]

You can't be racist to a white person. Racism is the systematic oppression of a people, and in this case, minorities, or marginalized groups. So in order to actually be racist against a white person, we would have to go back in time and put in place a system that would benefit a marginalized group.

You can be prejudiced towards a white person, but you can't be racist.

Women, minorities, and members of the LGBT community experience discrimination on a much worse level than straight white men, but discrimination going the other way does exist. As someone who is a straight white male, it bothers me when people throw terms like white privilege or male privilege in my face. I'm not racist or sexist and I don't owe anyone an apology for being white or male or straight just like no one should have to apologize for being black or gay. Millennials in particular are much more accepting and respectful of all people than older generations, but we don't appreciate people trying to shame us or make us feel guilty because we may have a racist or sexist or homophobic uncle or grandparent. Most people support equality, but when people start going for restitution, it just reopens wounds and makes people bitter and angry and sabotages the push for equality.

 

[forestyne]

Women, minorities, and members of the LGBT community experience discrimination on a much worse level than straight white men, but discrimination going the other way does exist. As someone who is a straight white male, it bothers me when people throw terms like white privilege or male privilege in my face. I'm not racist or sexist and I don't owe anyone an apology for being white or male or straight just like no one should have to apologize for being black or gay. Millennials in particular are much more accepting and respectful of all people than older generations, but we don't appreciate people trying to shame us or make us feel guilty because we may have a racist or sexist or homophobic uncle or grandparent. Most people support equality, but when people start going for restitution, it just reopens wounds and makes people bitter and angry and sabotages the push for equality.

Yes, it is not unheard of for white men to experience discrimination. I think 'white privilege' and 'male privilege', this idea that white people and men are automatically born with silver spoons in their mouths and they're already set for life, are stereotypes because there are plenty - in fact lots of - white people who are worse off, who are carers/young carers, who are homeless through no fault of their own, who struggle to make ends meet with rent. Life doesn't pick favourites and life doesn't play nice for anyone.

 

[-Apples-]

Women, minorities, and members of the LGBT community experience discrimination on a much worse level than straight white men, but discrimination going the other way does exist. As someone who is a straight white male, it bothers me when people throw terms like white privilege or male privilege in my face. I'm not racist or sexist and I don't owe anyone an apology for being white or male or straight just like no one should have to apologize for being black or gay. Millennials in particular are much more accepting and respectful of all people than older generations, but we don't appreciate people trying to shame us or make us feel guilty because we may have a racist or sexist or homophobic uncle or grandparent. Most people support equality, but when people start going for restitution, it just reopens wounds and makes people bitter and angry and sabotages the push for equality.

You know, it's actually racist to invoke the "white privilege" card and sexist to invoke the "male privilege" card, and I agree, both are harmful. They're basically calling us "privileged" because we have more successful lives or didn't face discrimination like the others did, but if you want to know who's fault that we have inequality, I would blame those who aren't "privileged" because they made that choice. If you choose not to go to college, you're not gonna go far. If you chose not to get a good job, you're not going to have a good life. If you chose not to behave, then you're gonna get in trouble. That, and stuff like that tend to get passed down through generations. And now we're being blamed for having a "privilege" when they made bad choices before.

I would also like to say that it's not just bigotry and intolerance to invoke the privilege card, but that's the pinnacle of online bullying too. As much as we scorn intolerance, bullying is much, much, worse than that. It's also another stupid term made these days such as "micro-aggressions" and "cultural appropriation". I don't know why people make up these terms, but it sounds like they're preaching intolerance.

 

[amanda1983]

Exactly, but its understandable why people would get offended by jokes about suicide, abuse, racism and so on. They may have experienced these and when people joke and mock those topics they will be hurt by those jokes. It all comes down to whether or not you care about strangers feelings, telling a joke like that doesn't make you a bad person but if you went up to a rape victim and you knew they were a rape victim and still told a rape joke to hurt them deeply, it does mean your a jerk. (Obviously)

I just want to comment on the bolded part. You don't have to be *trying* to hurt them deeply to be a jerk in this instance. You don't even actually have to know they've been raped, or anything about them. If the person you're talking to starts looking distressed/upset/shocked/horrified or anything else that a normal, rational human being would be able to recognise as a cue to *stop talking now* and you notice it and identify the non verbal signal correctly BUT YOU KEEP TALKING to finish your joke - then you are being a jerk right now. Putting your own feelings and wants ahead of those of the person you're talking to, and doing so whilst aware it is upsetting them, is unescapably selfish and jerkish behaviour.

Communication is a two way street : to be understood you need to communicate your meaning and intentions effectively AND they have to be received and interpreted correctly by the recipient. And vice versa. If the person you're talking to isn't supposed to react to you in any way except to lap up what you're offering then you have NO business talking to them - you don't want to communicate, you want a passive and captive audience.

I have a quite dark and biting sense of humour and i can be scathing and brutal in my choice of words - knowing this about myself doesn't give me a free pass to say what I please without consequence. If I offer a cutting rebuttal to my manager in my workplace, it may be technically hilarious to an observer but even if my manager is privately amused, I'll still get a (deserved) talking-to.

If I'm sharing a funny story about one of the children at work with a random person at a social gathering and they suddenly start looking upset at what I'm saying I would be a jerk to continue as though nothing was wrong. Whether their reaction is from trauma or something *I* think is serious or not - if they're upset, and I continue, I'm a jerk. Yes, this has happened a few times now. Once was because it was the anniversary of their stillborn baby that day. Another time a word I said triggered a traumatic memory for them. One incident involved a stranger telling me off for allowing children in my care to play in a shallow river with me - once they stopped and listened to me, they understood they'd jumped to a highly inaccurate conclusion because of something they'd read in the news, which they apologised for and we kept chatting.

I'm not "politically correct" because of any need to fit in or look good. I'm considerate of the feelings, thoughts, and reactions of others because I'm, frankly, not a jerk. When I make mistakes, I acknowledge them. I apologise, explain what happened from my perspective if relevant, and take care to try and understand the other person's perspective. I may not agree with it, their values are often not mine - but just as I expect a certain level of politeness and curtesy, so I try my best to give that to the people around me.

 

[KaydeeKrunk]

When I was in elementary school we had super fun Christmas plays, super harmless, no Jesus to be mentioned at ALL. A short time after I went on to middle school they cut the Christmas plays to be more PC and instead did summer "galas" that were just America everything. Horrible horrible time.

 

[Weiland]

It's everywhere in this rampant world. I hate it because jokes are apparently "taken too far." As you can probably tell, I dislike it quite a bit.

 

[forestyne]

I would also like to say that it's not just bigotry and intolerance to invoke the privilege card, but that's the pinnacle of online bullying too. As much as we scorn intolerance, bullying is much, much, worse than that. It's also another stupid term made these days such as "micro-aggressions" and "cultural appropriation". I don't know why people make up these terms, but it sounds like they're preaching intolerance.

I think you worded your point pretty well and I agree with you. But I just felt like clarifying that the earliest existence of cultural appropriation was black-face. Culture appropriation is defined by portraying someone else's culture, usually in a negative or mocking way (as was black-face), or using it and trying to claim it as your own without saying that it's from said culture.

Micro aggression is a thing, invented by psychiatrist and Harvard University professor Chester M. Pierce in 1970 to "describe insults and dismissals he regularly witnessed non-black Americans saying to African Americans", but it's become a bit of a laughing stock because of SJWs also pulling that card when they're 'triggered' by something. Here is an example of 'micro-aggression' in the media.

Like what??

 

[carp]

If you can't respectfully disagree with someone, you shouldn't be posting in threads like this.

very sorry if my question caused this

 

[-Apples-]

I think you worded your point pretty well and I agree with you. But I just felt like clarifying that the earliest existence of cultural appropriation was black-face. Culture appropriation is defined by portraying someone else's culture, usually in a negative or mocking way (as was black-face), or using it and trying to claim it as your own without saying that it's from said culture.

Micro aggression is a thing, invented by psychiatrist and Harvard University professor Chester M. Pierce in 1970 to "describe insults and dismissals he regularly witnessed non-black Americans saying to African Americans", but it's become a bit of a laughing stock because of SJWs also pulling that card when they're 'triggered' by something. Here is an example of 'micro-aggression' in the media.

Like what??

Just looking at the picture, I don't any racist there, but in recent times, it's only "taboo" to give students bad grades because students have become spoiled brats. Judging by that picture, I can see that it's now "racist" to give non-white students low grades, but "not racist" to give white students low grades, if in both cases the low grades were well-deserved. Points are only counted off if anyone is not doing the work correctly. They don't care who you are, whether you're black or white, male or female, or even the teacher's pet.

Though I did hear that in some colleges in the Northeast, instructors are afraid of giving students C's or even B's, no matter how incorrect they are. Seriously, millennials are ruining college. They don't do the work right, but they beg for good grades. They're not gonna get good jobs if they do that.

 

[revika]

There are literally hundreds of scholarly journals/articles proving cultural appropriation, sexism, racism, white privilege all exist within english speaking countries.

Also you all need to learn the difference between racism and xenophobia.

 

[Cynicat]

People are allowed to feel insulted, and people are allowed to insult (in my opinion). Be politically correct if you want to, don't be if you don't want to. I don't feel the urge to be rude without a reason, but I am very blunt which some people perceive as rude behaviour. I will always say things the way they are (according to me).
I do think some people are way too sensitive, a joke is a joke.

 

[forestyne]

Also you all need to learn the difference between racism and xenophobia.

I read back and I saw no mentions of xenophobia, also racism and xenophobia are the same thing. They are both forms of racism and, in the dictionary, synonyms of each other. at least on google they are lmao

 

[moonford]

Meh, never mind.

 

[lostineverfreeforest]

I'm just gonna pick those goalposts up and put them back where they belong...Sexism is treating somebody differently based on their sex. Racism is treating somebody differently based on their race. White males are not excluded from that and saying they are is ironically both sexist and racist.

You mean to say SJWs are quick to accuse others of bigotry when they are in fact extremely bigoted themselves? What do you expect from a group that's obsessed with viewing everyone by the color of their skin, by what they have between their legs, and by what people they prefer to **** all the while judging the **** outta people based on these attributes? In other news: water is wet. More at 11.

 

[PizzaTotinoBoy]

Meh, never mind.

Basically my entire thoughts about this thread after I made my points.

 

[cIementine]

i think there is a fine line between being politically correct and being offended at things that aren't offensive, just for the sake of picking a fight. i also think this line is becoming more and more indistinguishable.
i think that being politically correct in the sense that you aren't racist/sexist/homophobic etc should be standard but spinning things that aren't any of those to make it seem as though they are is something that is tiring and dilutes issues that aren't okay.

 

[nintendofan85]

Just looking at the picture, I don't any racist there, but in recent times, it's only "taboo" to give students bad grades because students have become spoiled brats. Judging by that picture, I can see that it's now "racist" to give non-white students low grades, but "not racist" to give white students low grades, if in both cases the low grades were well-deserved. Points are only counted off if anyone is not doing the work correctly. They don't care who you are, whether you're black or white, male or female, or even the teacher's pet.

Though I did hear that in some colleges in the Northeast, instructors are afraid of giving students C's or even B's, no matter how incorrect they are. Seriously, millennials are ruining college. They don't do the work right, but they beg for good grades. They're not gonna get good jobs if they do that.

My mom taught at a historically black college here in Jackson from 2003 until 2007, and by 2006 her job was in jeopardy because she wouldn't pass people that had averages in the 30s because it was "racist".

 

[Tao]

There are literally hundreds of scholarly journals/articles proving cultural appropriation, sexism, racism, white privilege all exist within english speaking countries.

Literally hundreds? Wonder what translates to in time...Could have watched the Back to the Future trilogy instead.

Well if that was the conclusion, the people who wrote those journals and articles wasted time, effort and possibly money. I could have told you that those things exist in English speaking countries for free in one sentence on an Animal Crossing forum. Are we just saying 'English speaking', or are we assuming that English speaking also means 'white'? Doesn't matter either way, the same holds true.

In fact, I would go as far to say they exist in all countries regardless of ethnicity or language. I might even blow some minds here and say that those things exist no matter where you are, because some people are dicks and pigmentation or Celtic heritage doesn't really have an input on that.

White privilege I would assume is the exception, though I won't delve any deeper than that since I'm not wasting my time I don't have the time to accurately research how white people are treated in each place of the world.


Or are we saying all those things are inherently 'white people things'? If so, okay, but who do I speak to about places like Saudi Arabia, India or Japan culturally appropriating my sexism and racism? That is my sexism and racism and I am appalled and offended that 'not whites' are using it.

Also you all need to learn the difference between racism and xenophobia.

One is treating others differently based on their race, the other is probably what Ridley experiences in the Alien franchise.

You mean to say SJWs are quick to accuse others of bigotry when they are in fact extremely bigoted themselves? What do you expect from a group that's obsessed with viewing everyone by the color of their skin, by what they have between their legs, and by what people they prefer to **** all the while judging the **** outta people based on these attributes? In other news: water is wet. More at 11.

You take that back, heathen! That is not true!

Legitimately trustworthy source

 

[-Apples-]

My mom taught at a historically black college here in Jackson from 2003 until 2007, and by 2006 her job was in jeopardy because she wouldn't pass people that had averages in the 30s because it was "racist".

Did you know: the term "racist" has been overused to the point it became meaningless (or almost meaningless). Now when people hear the term "racist", people no longer believe it, as they think they were saying it to be desperate. If you called a storeowner "racist" for denying service to an African-American because of his/her skin (when that was the real reason), then I think your use of the term is justified. However, most of the times it was used, it was only to strip personal power from someone or to object to a norm we were living with, including:

• A conservative that is winning a debate.
• Voter ID laws, stand-your-ground laws, guns, and police.
• Supporting a non-white conservative.
• Opposing Obama and/or his policies and actions.
• Punishing a non-white person (such as giving an F for getting more than 40% incorrect answers), even when deserved.

The list can go on and on, and you can see how ridiculous the term is. They also use that term as an excuse for bullying. Under no circumstance is it acceptable to bully anyone. If they are bigots, bullying them doesn't make you any better. If they're not, but you're accusing them of it, then you're the bad guy for accusations and bullying. What's pretty funny is that in the 1800's to the mid 1900's, the liberals were the tolerant ones while the conservatives were intolerant. Today's liberals are much more intolerant than historical conservatives while today's conservatives were at least on the par with historical liberals. Political correctness, safe spaces, trigger warnings, no-platforms, and social justice warriors all prove this point, and there's still more from the left.

 

[Romaki]

We as a society need to move on and become less racist/sexist over the years, not find more excuses for it.