is Society too sensitive/politically correct?

mike_littlerock
mike_littlerock Posts: 296 Member
in Chit-Chat
Are we overly politically correct? Have you ever found yourself searching for the proper PC term for various conditions/situations/states of being.. trying to remember what was "OK" to say or term to use this week. Have you ever seen someone being rude/gross, but others afraid to address the issue (I assume because nobody wants to potentially offend the offender)

I would like to see where people think we are on this topic, and what is acceptable or not (Please feel free to explain why).
-can you say a person is bald or balding? (if no, can you then say someone has nice hair, as that may offend the bald/balding person that may overhear)
-Is it OK that smokers treating the world as their ash tray
-What about people playing games on a smart phone (sound effects enabled) or having very long chats about nothing while in an otherwise quiet area.
-What about DJ Jazzy Dillon has the windows of moms car down blasting music with lyrics not suited for children
-Can a man still open a door for a woman, or is that trying to assert dominance over her and diminishing her equality? (BTW.. have had at least two times I can recall where a woman said "i can open my own door" in a very abrupt way)
-Can we still say a person is tall, I am under the impression you you can not say someone is short. BTW. this makes no sense to me.. a person did not "DO" anything to be a certain height, so why does it matter?
-If a passenger on a flight does not follow reasonable standards of hygiene, should a fellow passenger or flight crew be allowed to say/do anything, or should the fellow passengers be expected to grin and bear it?
-what if a person decides that a word offends them, even if it is non-offensive to everyone else? can that one person have the power to change everyone around them and force them to delete that word from use?
-can you say that a person is fat (stout, overweight, heavy) or is it forbidden to describe their physical appearance.
-can you say someone is skinny (at the risk of upsetting them if they have issues with eating disorders)

I do acknowledge that the PC movement started because we had some very ugly words to describe various groups of people and we had to shift away from that. I will simply offer my opinion that we have perhaps over corrected a bit. I also understand the reality is altered for those of us playing in the corporate world, where you can really only acknowledge a person is a human and any more detail than that is probably not a good idea..
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Replies

  • Tricep_A_Tops
    Tricep_A_Tops Posts: 319
    Yes society has become way to sensitive.
  • the_journeyman
    the_journeyman Posts: 1,877 Member
    I think we're too uptight as a society. Parents - teach your kids to deal with things. Feelings get hurt, it's a part of life. It seems every time someone gets upset about what someone says, they run crying to mommy or daddy and then next thing you know you have to change what you call something.

    JM
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    It does seem a lot of folks use "I hate the PC movement" to be mean and insensitive...
  • 05saleengirl
    05saleengirl Posts: 549
    I agree, I think as a society as a whole we are too politically correct. Another example...every kid getting a trophy and not accepting that there are winners and losers at times. Where is the incentive to strive to improve and be better?

    I'm not saying we should go around insulting people but I literally tip toe around everything it seems nowadays. Just because you may offend someone and they don't know how to be an adult about your opinion vs their own
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    As someone raised in the US, but living outside the US, OMG Americans are freaking sensitive about everything. It's like, you can't ask someone any personal questions whatsoever because you might remind them of unpleasant stuff. Here, a cab driver will ask you if you're married, and if you say no, they'll ask why not. People also start asking after about a year of marriage why you haven't started having kids yet.
  • classycouture
    classycouture Posts: 888 Member
    Mums the word.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    tl:dr
  • mike_littlerock
    mike_littlerock Posts: 296 Member
    yeah.. I guess im pretty direct. . 50+ lbs ago, i described myself as "fat" because I was. I call my best friend "black" if trying to describe to a host at a restaurant because he quips that he has never been to Africa.. hes just a black dude.

    I think it boils down to intent.. you can use PC words and still be a prick.. you could use more direct words and not have any bad intentions or feelings.. so is it about the word, or about ones actions?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Yes society has become way to sensitive.

    Agree.
  • Countryboy_
    Countryboy_ Posts: 618
    I am going to say what I think. If people get butthurt about it, too bad. There is nothing that I am aware of that says that anyone has a right "to not be offended." They can deal with it, or they can eff off, and same goes for other people. If you say something to offend me.....thats fine, I will deal with it. I would rather you be honest and hurt my feelings than sugarcoat everything and I not know what you are really thinking.

    So, for all the fatties around here that get butthurt when someone tells you to push away from the table and move your *kitten* for a change.....sux to be you.....
  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
    Absolutely!

    People need to grow thicker skin, get a little more comfortable with who they are and then you won't have all the hurt feelings. I agree at one point in time way too many negative phrases were used describing different groups but at this point we have gone so far overboard it isn't even funny.
  • chickfromsc
    chickfromsc Posts: 31
    Coming from someone that is self-admittingly too blunt....I often get myself in trouble with my LACK of political correctness! I think society in general is very sensitive and looking for a reason to have their feelings hurt!
  • mike_littlerock
    mike_littlerock Posts: 296 Member
    It does seem a lot of folks use "I hate the PC movement" to be mean and insensitive...
    I strongly feel that if a person is a prick, they can still do it while using PC terms. Its not about the words, it is more about intent and the persons actions.
  • Kandi150
    Kandi150 Posts: 167 Member
    Yes.. Bunch of sissies!!!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Yes.
  • msaestein1
    msaestein1 Posts: 264 Member
    yeah.. I guess im pretty direct. . 50+ lbs ago, i described myself as "fat" because I was. I call my best friend "black" if trying to describe to a host at a restaurant because he quips that he has never been to Africa.. hes just a black dude.

    I think it boils down to intent.. you can use PC words and still be a prick.. you could use more direct words and not have any bad intentions or feelings.. so is it about the word, or about ones actions?
    [/quote

    I think we are. I am black too, not African-American. lol
  • IamOnMywayNow
    IamOnMywayNow Posts: 470 Member
    Yes society has become way to sensitive.

    Agree.

    Agree x2! My 5 year old just started kindergarten and has learned that if someones says ANYTHING mean or hurtful then they are a bully (rolls eyes). My 2 year old told her this morning she was mean and she said "mom he is being a bully" I cringed inside. I told her that he was not a bully, he is a toddler :)
  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
    YES!
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    Yes and no... I personally always try to think... Did they Mean to be offensive? If not I try to not let it bother me. I.e. a few years ago I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic for a girl's get away... This very tipsy little Cuban man took a liking to us right away... Kept hugging us, and telling us how white we were and how much he LOVED Canadians and wanted to know all about Canadian Culture... We kept saying... Well We're still Americans... but thanks i guess... We were not offended, in fact we found it quite amusing. I know in some Latin cultures get offended if you confuse them.
  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
    "-Can a man still open a door for a woman, or is that trying to assert dominance over her and diminishing her equality? (BTW.. have had at least two times I can recall where a woman said "i can open my own door" in a very abrupt way) "

    I have had the same thing happen to me and I respond each time that my mother raised me to open doors for ladies and I will continue to do so as long as I damn well choose, if you don't like it feel free to turn around and walk away, you aren't taking away my choice to be polite because it offends you. Full disclosure, I tend to hold the door open for everyone, man or woman.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Yes, everybody needs to grow a pair. But I guess you can't say that either.
  • John2347
    John2347 Posts: 336 Member
    just a bunch of soft marshmallows!
  • littlelaura
    littlelaura Posts: 1,028 Member
    if you had to ask the question, you already knew the answer.

    yes we are too sensitive and reactionary to all the wrong things
    yet we are not proactive in taking care of the important things we should.
    all hot air and all the big talk in the world doesnt get much done
    between all the special interest groups and everyone getting their little feelers hurt or offended, boo frikkin hoo.
    suck it up , get on with life, get busy doing something, anything but complaining!
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
    American society is like that 5 year old that went to school, was picked on, and went home crying to their mom. Then mom went in and told the teacher to make sure the class never does that again or your psyche would be messed up for life.

    Waayyyy over sensitve. I mean, there are some VERY nasty words that should not be used, but at the same time... it's to the point we might as well say "alright here's what you CAN say and what you CAN do". It's like the whole Christmas issue. I am not associated with any religion, but I don't care what anyone says to me, I'll say it back to them. I don't care if you have a giant menorah in your front yard, or a giant cross, or a giant pentagram or even kinara! It's YOUR choice what you want to follow and do, and as long as you're not out there making human/animal sacrifices for your holiday, then do what you like. The way I see it, it adds more varity. But the way people are going, because their holiday isn't number one, no one can have one shown... next thing you know, no one can hang lights out for the holiday's because it's "offensive".

    Or Halloween... used to be scary, but don't you DARE scare a child now... they will grow up with problems.

    If someone is overweight, and you're concerned and know that person, talk to them. If someone is offended because you said "they're tall" then they need to grow up. You're tall, you're short, you're big, you're small... it's not a big freaking deal. That doesn't mean start using terms like "you're a freak of nature with how tall you are"... that's just wrong. Or go up to some random stranger who is over weight and start going on about how fat they are.

    As for women who get annoyed with a man holding the door open, that's pitiful. It's not a "sexist" thing, it's someone being nice and not slamming the door in your face. Honestly, if I were a guy and a woman said something like "I can get it myself" I'd shut it in her face and tell her to get it herself than.
  • Louisianababy93
    Louisianababy93 Posts: 1,709 Member
    Society needs big girl panties..people cry over nothing! and its like shut the hell up!
  • 2muchsauce
    2muchsauce Posts: 1,078
    Absolutely !! You can't say much without someone finding a way to twist the words into something too sensitive for them to have to show any tolerance for.
  • JAGWIRE13579
    JAGWIRE13579 Posts: 63
    I think people say we have become "too PC" unless it's something that relates to them. Then they are the first to get offended.
  • John2347
    John2347 Posts: 336 Member
    if you had to ask the question, you already knew the answer.

    yes we are too sensitive and reactionary to all the wrong things
    yet we are not proactive in taking care of the important things we should.
    all hot air and all the big talk in the world doesnt get much done
    between all the special interest groups and everyone getting their little feelers hurt or offended, boo frikkin hoo.
    suck it up , get on with life, get busy doing something, anything but complaining!

    "get busy livin' or get busy dyin'" - Red Shawshank Redemption
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    This question offends me.

    Reported
  • 05saleengirl
    05saleengirl Posts: 549
    "-Can a man still open a door for a woman, or is that trying to assert dominance over her and diminishing her equality? (BTW.. have had at least two times I can recall where a woman said "i can open my own door" in a very abrupt way) "

    I have had the same thing happen to me and I respond each time that my mother raised me to open doors for ladies and I will continue to do so as long as I damn well choose, if you don't like it feel free to turn around and walk away, you aren't taking away my choice to be polite because it offends you. Full disclosure, I tend to hold the door open for everyone, man or woman.

    This is insane. Any woman who doesn't like a guy being nice, a gentleman and opening the door for them needs to get their head outta their *kitten*! Would they rather have a guy slam it in their face? Where I come from guys never open car doors for you...

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