PC Police Inhibition

I do thing a significant amount of the "PC police" thing comes from people learning to do things, being told they're offensive, and then getting mad that they have to change their behavior and not caring who's hurt by it.

Hapax Legomenon said:

No, see, this is the problem. You are saying that speech is not a positive action, something you do, but rather that not speaking is a negative action, something that we must actively force ourselves to stop doing. I do not believe that when it comes to most thoughts.

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I don't see it that way at all, really, and that wasn't the intent of my post.

mccardey said:

I would. What if the pages catch fire?

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That's why you make sure you write in a fireman character or some handy buckets or water or extinguishers.

DancingMaenid said:

When people rail against PCness and talk about how they have the right to use the N-word (for example), and nobody can stop them from using it if they want, it begs the question of who really wants to use the N-word that much, especially when they know it upsets people (I'm not considering contexts like fiction, where a character might use the word because they're racist).

It just seems like an odd battle to fight unless the person actually agrees with the slurs. If it was a matter of people being arrested for using offensive language, then I'd understand. But it's not.

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Exactly.

I suspect that (for some) the 'PC Police' = anyone that reminds them that actions have consequences.

The PC Police are recruited from the same labour pool as the everyones of 'everyone knows that', trotted out after a dubious claim, and the 'they' of 'they say', who appear just ahead of a doubtful rumour.

Helix said:

I suspect that (for some) the 'PC Police' = anyone that reminds them that actions have consequences.

The PC Police are recruited from the same labour pool as the everyones of 'everyone knows that', trotted out after a dubious claim, and the 'they' of 'they say', who appear just ahead of a doubtful rumour.

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Pretty much the offspring of "Everyone Else's Parents" (let them have one/do it/ go there), then?

Helix said:

I suspect that (for some) the 'PC Police' = anyone that reminds them that actions have consequences.

The PC Police are recruited from the same labour pool as the everyones of 'everyone knows that', trotted out after a dubious claim, and the 'they' of 'they say', who appear just ahead of a doubtful rumour.

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The "nebulous they". A population of disembodied mouths flapping in the shadows down at the pub.

Can I ask a related question, specifically to one of our transgender members please? (which I should probably ask in the writing forum, but I'm here).

I realize the term ladyboys is offensive and why (as it implies a false stereotype of hypersexualization), but I'm in the middle of a scene set in a seedy area of Istanbul known as a hangout for pre-op prostitutes. My character isn't transphobic, but he doesn't tend to mince words either. Would it bother you for a character to use the term 'ladyboys' in that context?

I thought "ladyboy" only referred to kathoeys.

I've heard the term used outside of Thailand - either way, I'd be happy for an alternative suggestion.

Rufus Coppertop said:

The "nebulous they". A population of disembodied mouths flapping in the shadows down at the pub.

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Actually, I have it on good authority that they're Elbonians.

raburrell said:

I've heard the term used outside of Thailand - either way, I'd be happy for an alternative suggestion.

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I've never heard it used outside of Thailand, but I don't get around that much...

"Lady boy" gained prominence when a Thai contestant on the first or second season of RuPaul's Drag Race used the term. Before that, I think it was mostly used on XTube.

Melisande said:

Have you ever thought that you might have to censor your own writing due to the all prevalent PC-police, and IF you were ever asked to change your manuscript in accordance to the PC-police requirements - Would you?

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No.

I'll put all of the "master race" bashing I want in my stories, and those PC police can't do a thing about it! Power to the consoles!

...though to be a bit of a devil's advocate, I have seen "PC Police" in places online. They're the kind of people who try anything in any work to find offense with. I've also seen a few people with the mindset that if a character of group [X] has negative trait [Y], then the creator is saying that all [X] people are [Y]. And That's Terrible.

But I don't really care what those people think. Not that I would call them "prevalent" by any means...

lilyWhite said:

I've also seen a few people with the mindset that if a character of group [X] has negative trait [Y], then the creator is saying that all [X] people are [Y]. And That's Terrible.

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This. Especially when they're using it as a cudgel to put you on the defensive. What? You called me a jerk? I'm a [Insert Minority Here]! You've just called us ALL jerks! You're RACIST!