Oh dear, Nanny's thought police have donned their jackboots again.It seems that publishers and universities are banning tons (or is it tonnes?) of innocuous words in case they cause offence.
The banned list, drawn up by the British Sociological Association(no I have never heard of them either!), includes "Old Masters" (used to describe painters of quality).
Nanny deems that the term discriminates against women, and should be replaced by "classic artists". Small point, the old masters were in fact men.
Maybe we could have "old mistresses"?
Other banned words include:
- immigrants
- developing nations
- black
- patient
- elderly
- special needs.
Prof Frank Furedi, a sociologist at the University of Kent, thinks that it is bollocks and notes:
"I was genuinely taken aback when I discovered that the term 'Chinese Whisper' was offensive because of its apparently racist connotations.
I was moved to despair when I found out that one of my favourite words, 'civilised', ought not be used by a culturally sensitive author because of its alleged racist implications."
He notes, and I agree with him, that censorship is about the "policing of moral behaviour" by an army of campaign groups, teachers and media organisations who are on a "crusade" to ban certain words and promote their own politically correct alternatives.
Why are organisations such as the BSA allowed to interfere with our lives, what gives them the right to believe that they have moral authority over the rest of us?
Here's a word they haven't yet banned:
TWATS!
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Dear Ken,
ReplyDeleteI would've though Old Masters equally problematic on the grounds of its putative connection to slavery. How about "Old Overseers" instead?
Professor Furedi might in the future spell his favorite word as "civilized" and see if that gets him past Nanny's censors.
As Nanny is now banning the term "special needs," perhaps we can now revive the use of "retarded." Any suggestions as to how this adjective might be put to good use?
I honestly thought that this type of crazy notion had gone out of fashion by the Guardian reading, yoghurt knitting leftwing brigade, (Oh no, I've displayed my own predjudices again)sadly this thread shows I was mistaken.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the thought police is this, if you say it is rubbish to say, ban the word black, they are programmed to respond,"So you want to suppress the black people then."
If you say you wish to use the term "Special needs" they respond so you hate disabled people then....The problem is, we are so eager not to be labelled as an ist or ism, we actually go along with these people's extreme views and try to use PC language.....How many times do we hear people start a conversation with "I'm not being...ist, but...." It just shows how scared and conditioned we have become to this type of thought control.
There is a thread on one of Sky's political blogs where someone has said, due to Mr Blunkett's blindness, he may not be a good judge of character....I have taken this to mean he will struggle to read body language and other non verbal means of communication.....The resident PC woman on the site took it to mean the commenter was anti disability and a bigot....It is this type of manipulation which makes people frightened to express themselves and thus bottle up their resentment etc rather than getting them out in the open where such things can be discussed....To some extent, the PC brigade are helping to keep predjudice alive and well by censoring people.....No amount of legislation or fines will stop people from making decisions about personal preferences or predjudices....Political Correctness is destroying our society and it is flourishing in the public sector.
You can always tell the overly PC crowd. They are offended by normal humor, normal conversation.And rarely worth the trouble.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Yet again, Tonk, you've summed up the situation perfectly, I regret to say. It is time for normal people to stand up to these tossers and say enough is enough. Now I know what words are likely to offend them, I shall make a point of using them!
ReplyDeleteLord of Atlantis:
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is very helpful that they have provided a list of words that they find offensive, I too shall use as many as possible when dealing with public bodies.
Incidently, to illustrate the hypocracy of the PC brigade, one at my local council advised me they did not expect me to be very PC in my language and they would make allowances for my short comings, due to my age and, because of that, my education would not have prepared me for life in a modern equality led world where people are more sensitive to hidden meanings and attitudes with the use of language.....My response was that I was offended by such a patronising suggestion and weren't older people one of the "special groups" that needed protecting from all the ageist thoughts and predjudices that are held by the general population....I nearly wet myself with laughter....I am pleased my tax money is being spent on such "Educationally Sub-Normal Morons" oh...I bet ESM is no longer an acceptable phrase...Tough!!
What a load of bollocks.
ReplyDeleteThese are the words they really need to worry about:- socialists, wall, firing squad, now.
"Why are organisations such as the BSA allowed to interfere with our lives, what gives them the right to believe that they have moral authority over the rest of us?"
ReplyDeleteThey can only interfere with our lives if we let them. They have no "right" to do so. They are pathetic people who are incapable of doing a proper job, and who con idiots into paying them to spout nonsense.
I first encountered these gentry - actually, they were usually man-hating "wimmin" [mostly, but not always, lesbians] - in the 1970s and '80s. They were intent on cutting mere males down to size, and wished to rewrite history as "herstory". As a gay man, I found them particularly obnoxious.
I suppose you could Politically Incorrectly call this "black humour".
On Blunkett's problems with making judgement. A couple of months back there was a series on (I think) BBC4 about censorship. It showed a clip from an old black and white programme from the 1960s, in which a certain "David Blunkett, Clerk", from Sheffield was pontificating about nude photographs.
ReplyDeleteRemarkable from someone who has quite evidently never seen one. Even at that period, the chairman was too PC to point this out.
Tonk, that story is both hilarious and pathetic. Your "betters" are telling you that by virtue of age and education you cannot be expected to do this or that. Not enough of a sophisticate for them, huh? Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Ken I believe that "crusade" is also on that list. It may hurt the Muslims feelings to be reminded of an event 800 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIn the name of civility we must ban the use of the word civilised to describe any part of civilisation, with especial reference to inhabitants thereof and/or people(s) who are not such inhabitants.
ReplyDeleteSir Henry, you are a disgrace. To use the word 'sir' implies a gender specific title. I am deeply offended.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the term sr as with ms it is so much easier on the ear and offends no one, well it does offend some of my colleauges who are transgendered and thus prefer to be know only as Susan or Madaline.
My evil plan to fill the country with mindless zombies from alpha centuri 6, disquised as council jobsworths, EU officials and Labour MPs is working.
ReplyDeleteSoon, when you are completely subjugated and cowering in your eco controlled personal dwelling units, using your allocated quota of food and fuel, I shall open the portal between omega 78 and Brussells allowing the Daleks and the Cybermen in to finish you all off.
The Doctor can't do a thing as I have ensured the Tardis has been placed in the highest carbon emitting tax bracket of inter planetery space travel tax, so he can't afford to use it anymore and he has to attend a relationship phobic class, lasting 10 million years, due to his constant lack of care for his many assistants over the centuries.
Ha, ha ha ha earthlings, at last I win!
immigrants - extranational citizens
ReplyDeletedeveloping nations - non-customary trading partners
black - melanically enhanced (as opposed to "pasty, melanically-deficient oppressors - ugh!")
patient - wellness client
elderly - possessed of additional experience
special needs - non-median intellectual attainer
The trouble is, I'm not sure these aren't the official terms now anyway!
The BSA does not discriminate on grounds of sex, gender, gender reassignment, age, race, ethnic or national origins, colour, marital status, sexuality, family responsibility, disability or impairment, religious or other beliefs, unless those activities are unlawful.
ReplyDeleteSo why are their ten staff all wimmin? Bonkers!