In grumpy old man mode!

[Dragon Rapide]

Gawd help us!!.................

[pendrifter]

Can't be sure if I qualify to post reply on this thread. But as a 67-year-old who considers himself merely an apprentice grumpy old man, I'll take the chance.
My gnasher for a long time is the words "You know"!
Being put a question, interviewed person punctuates every couple of words with "You know" (often pronounced as "Yarknow").
Often think the interviewer should stop them and say "No I don't! That's why I asked the question!".

I cannot be sure of the timing of its appearance, but believe it coincided with the start of TV interviewing, especially so-called footballers from northern parts of the UK. It certainly seemed to spread through the sporting fraternity and subsequently out to the general populous.
Now I guess we're stuck with it.

Number two on my list is the language of "Texting" But that's another story and I don't have the time.

[DanH]

Someone in a brainstorm at work once reffered to "vegetable management products" as part of his input.

You aren't allowed to use the term "brainstorm" any more! Didn't you Get The Memo?

Mr Political Correctness - that chap in the dark basement, permanently detached from real life and real people, who's job it is to take offense at words and phrases on behalf of others - deemed that word potentially offensive to people with epilepsy.

This bout of political correctness first appeared to me when I was still at school. The teacher announced that we were going to have a 'thought shower' which confused us as we didn't know what the hell she was on about. By the time she'd explained that it was the same as a brainstorm, but that we couldn't use that name now in case it offended people with epilepsy, we had no time left in the lesson for the actual ' thought shower'. I've also heard them referred to as ideas charts and idea showers, but my absolute favourite was a term my science teacher used, which was contribution spider.

[toom317]

People who can't use "there, their or they're" in the proper context. A recent bugbear is on TV, where it seems to be the fashion to use the soft R in speech. Even that annoying bint with the course northern accent on BBC Breakfast is at it now. :mad:

[Dragon Rapide]

Someone in a brainstorm at work once reffered to "vegetable management products" as part of his input.

You aren't allowed to use the term "brainstorm" any more! Didn't you Get The Memo?

Mr Political Correctness - that chap in the dark basement, permanently detached from real life and real people, who's job it is to take offense at words and phrases on behalf of others - deemed that word potentially offensive to people with epilepsy.

This bout of political correctness first appeared to me when I was still at school. The teacher announced that we were going to have a 'thought shower' which confused us as we didn't know what the hell she was on about. By the time she'd explained that it was the same as a brainstorm, but that we couldn't use that name now in case it offended people with epilepsy, we had no time left in the lesson for the actual ' thought shower'. I've also heard them referred to as ideas charts and idea showers, but my absolute favourite was a term my science teacher used, which was contribution spider.

Working in an environment which doesn't give a fig for all this PC claptrap we have the freedom to call a spade a spade!!

[DerekF]

PC should be a good thing - it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend. I don't see anything wrong with that. Unless of course you like being rude to people.....

[psquiddy]

it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend

Nothing wrong with that but isnt half of the problem that some people seem to try very hard to find something to be offended about, often on behalf of others who have not indicated that they are offended?

[Dragon Rapide]

it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend

Nothing wrong with that but isnt half of the problem that some people seem to try very hard to find something to be offended about, often on behalf of others who have not indicated that they are offended?

Absolutely true and recent examples illustrate your point precisely.

[stratocaster]

it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend

Nothing wrong with that but isnt half of the problem that some people seem to try very hard to find something to be offended about, often on behalf of others who have not indicated that they are offended?

well said sir! All too often a lot of people seem to be offended easily,well grow a thick skin and rise above it!!! Yes,it's bandwagon Britain where we now have an "Offence Culture",grow up earthlings,,you'll all head the same way soon,,,compost!

[nigelblake]

I also detest the use of foreign words or phrases, such as raison d'être in the middle of English sentences, especially when they are ineptly used out of context and/or badly pronounced in Del'Boy fashion, Charles Kennedy being a worst offender!

[Dragon Rapide]

PC should be a good thing - it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend. I don't see anything wrong with that. Unless of course you like being rude to people.....

Whether there is PC or not will not prevent some people being rude. The majority of people are not intentionally offensive. PC is a construction which enforces a framework of social behaviour which is trangressed at our peril. It actually encourages conflict in the sense that people are enabled to be outraged without any first hand experience of the alleged offence. It also enables people to be outraged on behalf of others who might fall into the category of the outraged, but who, in reality, are not.

It has grown out of the tendency of the recent couple of decades for the "state" to undertake responsibilities for behaviour and actions which should only be the preserve of the individual. I have no doubt that the orignal intention was laudable, but as in so many other examples it has outgrown its purpose and should be scrapped.

[stratocaster]

PC should be a good thing - it is the ability to think about what you say in order that you don't insult or offend. I don't see anything wrong with that. Unless of course you like being rude to people.....

Whether there is PC or not will not prevent some people being rude. The majority of people are not intentionally offensive. PC is a construction which enforces a framework of social behaviour which is trangressed at our peril. It actually encourages conflict in the sense that people are enabled to be outraged without any first hand experience of the alleged offence. It also enables people to be outraged on behalf of others who might fall into the category of the outraged, but who, in reality, are not.

It has grown out of the tendency of the recent couple of deacades for the "state" to undertake responsibilities for behaviour and actions which should only be the preserve of the individual. I have no doubt that the orignal intention was laudable, but as in so many other examples it has outgrown its purpose and should be scrapped.

Well articulated! I couldn't have said it better myself! Now,where are all those loonies that created this nonsense,,,hunt them down and it's the old Uzi 9mm for them!

[DerekF]

And where do all these so-called "PC gone mad" stories appear? In the the right-wing press. The right wing press dig up these largely non-stories to prove their point about how the left have taken over with their agenda. Most of the stories (winterval and Ba baa white sheep being good examples) are rubbish. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with at least thinking about what is said to avoid insulting others.
Anyone who is circumspect about what they say when others may hear is being "PC". That is not only PC but general good manners. You wouldn't insult an old/gay/black/Jewish/disabled (delete where applicable) person to their faces would you?

Those who seem to have a problem with "PC" are probably that section of society which is generally the one handing out the insults and least likely to be targetted by others.

Maybe the new motto should be "tolerance"; a trait which is sadly lacking at times from all sides.

[Dragon Rapide]

Apart from your last sentence with which I wholeheartedly agree, the rest of your post seems to be comprised of wild assumptions and wilder conclusions mixed in with a rhetorical question with which no one could argue.

[DerekF]

Huh?

As for my "wild assumptions" and "wilder conclusions" , a simple Google search ought to suffice.

I think the argument is that somehow some seem to think it is a good personality trait to call a spade a spade. It isn't and in fact never was. Only the rudest and most intolerant could argue that it was.

[Dragon Rapide]

Just to pluck one of dozens of examples "from Google" how about this one?.

"A council has suggested staff stop using the word "brainstorming" and replace it with "thought shower" in case it offends epileptics.

Mental health charities branded the new move, taken by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, over-cautious and too politically correct.

Amanda Cleaver, spokeswoman for the National Society for Epilepsy, said: "It's basically a case of political correctness gone a step too far.

"There was a similar debate about the word 'brainstorming' three years ago. We carried out a survey to ask our members whether or not they found the term offensive and there was a resounding 'no'.

"People thought it was a great word to describe the coming together and discussion of ideas. It certainly wasn't deemed offensive at all."

Richard Colwill, of mental health charity Sane, said: "We are always in favour of giving some consideration to the sensitivities of people living with mental illness, but perhaps on this occasion this is a slightly excessive move.

"Using brainstorming in the context of a council meeting, I wouldn't imagine would cause offence.

Of the council's favoured term "thought shower" he said: "It's quite funny to be honest, but I don't think it will catch on."

Val Green, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's HR manager, said the proposal was made during a staff training session, but denied any memo had been sent to employees.

She said: "We take equality and diversity issues very seriously.

It's important to us not to offend people and we're sorry if through trying to avoid this we have indeed caused offence to the very people we were trying not to offend. We always strive to do the right thing."
[rhsPanel]

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/185204-dont ... z1nmJ7hNbM

And there are countless similar examples. They have nothing to do with rudeness or abuse as you are characterising it but everything to do with the perception of offence.

As for honesty in one's opinions or actions, I should have thought that was preferable to hypocrisy, allowing for the norms of tolerant social interaction.

[capercaillie]

You wouldn't insult an old/gay/black/Jewish/disabled (delete where applicable) person to their faces would you?

Depends if she was annoying me.




















Only joking (gets coat and leaves)

[stratocaster]

Well put this into context then! I'm not ashamed to admit that my ex fiancee had schizophrenia,and she used the word mental to describe something zany and out of the ordinary,,so Mr P.C sorry to offend,,where do you stand on that one?,,,Bowled out and your wickets have fallen! And I have not made this up incase you are wondering. So my stance on all this P.C nonsense stands firm. P.C should stand for Police Constable or Personal Computer.If I were in a country outwith my own and kept getting called a Jock this and a Jock that,I'd go back to Scotland,,but as it doesn't offend me and I know better, then why take the bait and make matters worse? Surely the playgorund in formative years gave practice for those to learn to rise above it, as kids can be even crueller than adults.

[Dragon Rapide]

Indeed - PC is for the "thin-skinned" amongst us and for those without a sense of perspective. By the way I did not know your country of origin until you wrote "outwith".

[AlexC]

Surely the playground in formative years gave practice for those to learn to rise above it, as kids can be even crueller than adults.

I think you're right. It was inevitable that I'd be called 'four-eyes' at school, no point letting it get me down.

[stratocaster]

Surely the playground in formative years gave practice for those to learn to rise above it, as kids can be even crueller than adults.

I think you're right. It was inevitable that I'd be called 'four-eyes' at school, no point letting it get me down.

I know we've all been guilty at some stage of slagging someone off for something,god my nose took a slagging because it's like the Scotland footballers Gordon Dalziells' nose!,but you soon learn that Karma will get them in the end!

Indeed - PC is for the "thin-skinned" amongst us and for those without a sense of perspective. By the way I did not know your country of origin until you wrote "outwith".

No,no no,,I'm in the outlawed republic of Edinburgh!

[Dragon Rapide]

In fact I found that if you don't rise to the bait and ignore it or play along with it the "slaggers-off" soon get bored and find another "victim". Shouts of "big conk" never did me any harm...... you know what they say - "Big nose, big......"

[Kenny]

Tissues?

[Dragon Rapide]

Bless you......!

[stratocaster]

True!