Inclusive Language, a PC Derivative

[Cheese]

Boys and Girls,

I have been working on other things and have a thought that I consider worth playing with. Let's see if I can make it make sense here and go forth.

Related to some training I have been doing in the last couple of years, there are two buzzwords that have brought me near constant amusement, "politically correct" and "inclusive language". If you already understand those concepts, please skip the next paragraph. If you do not, please continue reading what follows in its entirety.

In my estimation, part of PC is not using words because they may be offensive. A brief disclaimer, I am not arguing for or supporting any of these things as being actually offensive or reasonable, only that not using them or being discouraged from their use amuses me. For instance, I worked with a 100 level intro course and was told to call the people in the class "students" not "kids". Around here, the places people who got to school live in on campus are called "residence life halls" not "dorms". As a man, I cannot talk effectively about women's rights, a penis eliminates all eligibility.

Some of this I agree with, calling something gay because it does not fit with your value set, is not definitionally consistent and is, in my opinion, just weak. The other day, I called something retarded, an elevator in which I pushed the button and it went to a different floor that it should have not gone to based on my input and normal function. Upon my utterance, a woman behind me corrected me and informed me thats not OK. I replied that this behavior was clearly the manifestation of a cognitive malfunction, the elevator was certainly being retarded.

So, what words like that do you use reliably and effectively while what others are you scolded for and feel are actually misplaced?

Thanks.

[Cebby]

Upon my utterance, a woman behind me corrected me and informed me thats not OK. I replied that this behavior was clearly the manifestation of a cognitive malfunction, the elevator was certainly being retarded.

Let me think of some of my gems...

[drguitarum2005]

i always wish a had a nice, structured response to give to someone who is being overly sensitive and trying to scold me for using a word. why do people get so offended? i know that woman could have a retarded son and take offense but what happened to people letting things roll off their backs? we're too uptight as a society. hell i get called a redneck many times and you don't see me scolding anyone. that could potentially be just as insulting as calling a Mexican a "wetback", couldn't it?

[oly884]

I'll say this, words are just that words. They only are as powerful as people let them be. I was teased relentlessly in my younger years (think nerd) but I was raised with the understanding that you can only be bothered by words if you let them bother you. Ok, enough serious talk...

I have made a habit of wishing people merry Christmases when I know they are atheist, or hate Chirstmas. Retarded usually slips out at times, I have made comments about homeless people at times, and the list goes on. I haven't had too much confrontation with people, but it usually ends with me just ignoring them.

[troyboy162]

my opinion on your example is people truly dont get offended but it adds meaning to there life to correct people and they feel like there doing something... that person felt good about themselves for a few brief moments and probably felt they were better then you. kind of a harsh opinion but i feel thats the drive in 95% of those situations.

that being said its pretty easy to clip a few word from our vocabulary. we all ought to at least try for the .0001% of people who are truly offended. the world is certainly getting out of control on this front when kids need to be called "students" lol

[Cheese]

I swear, some times, like a logger not suprisingly.

At the same time, I am more than semi-literate so when people accuse me of limited vocabulary I get pretty pissed off. I have been trying to incorporate other words in place of retarded and similar. I cut my finger badly and yelled "oh poop". Silliness, foolishness and other things have come in places instead of bad, retarded, gay and the like.

I agree on the merit of those correcting. They get a kick out of it.

I think there is a difference between a racial slur and some of the stuff.

No one really bit on the students vs. kids tangent. One thing along that line that I really liked was an old employer, we had "clients" not "customers". A customer pays you once for a service, a client keeps coming back for more and different service.

[Nuthuts96]

No one really bit on the students vs. kids tangent. One thing along that line that I really liked was an old employer, we had "clients" not "customers". A customer pays you once for a service, a client keeps coming back for more and different service.

If we called our riders/customers "clients", i think i'd have to drive the bus full of 'em into the lake! if you want to start calling bus riders clients, you'd have to call a lot of people a lot of things...

[Nuthuts96]

Also- what about the inevitable "God bless you" following projectile sneezing. Since when does someone want their sneezes blessed? Not I... and yes, I know where the phrase comes from, but it's not enough to justify. I just cringe whenever I hear a mom bless my mucus, then go right back to scolding their child for annoying her, etc...

[CJM]

I dont care what I say really, and I dont care if it offends anyone at all. Too bad if they dont like it imho..

[Cheese]

We were in the truck business so there was a difference. I see what you mean when taken to extreme.

Some care must be taken, I don't want to dismiss that. Some say, well if I pissed that person off then tough for them but that is not always the case.

The MF example was extreme. I prefer calling someone a little bastard, and being told their parents were married, alternately I once called my little brother an SOB. He said she's your Mom too.