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I very nearly posted something of the same ilk yesterday about Political Correctness simply going way to far.
It is and always as been the intent of what was said that matters and not always the words you use.
I've even posted on Nuts before how I never use the word 'monkey' in speech any more - such as you 'cheeky monkey' for fear of some PC idiot thinking I was being racist.
In fact I've noticed that I've modified my behaviour over recent years just to keep clear of any 'issues'. For instance if I ever find myself as the only adult around young women or school kids - say on the underground or in a queue at a shop, I'll sit a distance away from them or stand in the open where I can be clearly seen, well away from them.
I know things change over time - I'm old enough to remember when saying that someone was 'gay' meant that they were happy and wasn't a homosexual reference - and it's right that there should be gender and ethnicitical equality but it clearly is going too far when people read into things that simply are not there.
If a white child was pictured with the same slogan would there have been an outcry - I think not - other than perhaps those saying black children are being unrepresented on advertising campaigns such as this one!
I've found that the deeper Political Correctness has become established the less I say or do in general day-to-day life, for fear of being labelled a racist/sexist/homophobic or whatever, when I'm actually none of those.
It's right and proper that the next generation sets its norms of acceptability and change for the better those issues of my generation that have become outdated and no longer acceptable - but it doesn't follow that all of us who grew up with those old norms are themselves racist/sexist/etc.
If thirty or forty years ago I was having a pint with the father of the child in the H and M picture and he took the piss out of me and I replied to him 'you cheeky monkey' I certainly would never have intended it to be a racist remark - and more to the point nor would he.
We both would think very differently these days however - and that isn't necessarily a good thing when the words have become more powerful than the meaning they were intended to carry.
To be honest though whoever thought up the Advert with a black child and a tag line with the word 'monkey' in it (and those who vetted and approved it) are either remarkably stupid - or knew exactly what they were doing and have got everybody talking about H and M - with probably loads of people like me defending them because no racism was ever intended.
There's no such thing as bad press - or so they say.
It is and always as been the intent of what was said that matters and not always the words you use.
I've even posted on Nuts before how I never use the word 'monkey' in speech any more - such as you 'cheeky monkey' for fear of some PC idiot thinking I was being racist.
In fact I've noticed that I've modified my behaviour over recent years just to keep clear of any 'issues'. For instance if I ever find myself as the only adult around young women or school kids - say on the underground or in a queue at a shop, I'll sit a distance away from them or stand in the open where I can be clearly seen, well away from them.
I know things change over time - I'm old enough to remember when saying that someone was 'gay' meant that they were happy and wasn't a homosexual reference - and it's right that there should be gender and ethnicitical equality but it clearly is going too far when people read into things that simply are not there.
If a white child was pictured with the same slogan would there have been an outcry - I think not - other than perhaps those saying black children are being unrepresented on advertising campaigns such as this one!
I've found that the deeper Political Correctness has become established the less I say or do in general day-to-day life, for fear of being labelled a racist/sexist/homophobic or whatever, when I'm actually none of those.
It's right and proper that the next generation sets its norms of acceptability and change for the better those issues of my generation that have become outdated and no longer acceptable - but it doesn't follow that all of us who grew up with those old norms are themselves racist/sexist/etc.
If thirty or forty years ago I was having a pint with the father of the child in the H and M picture and he took the piss out of me and I replied to him 'you cheeky monkey' I certainly would never have intended it to be a racist remark - and more to the point nor would he.
We both would think very differently these days however - and that isn't necessarily a good thing when the words have become more powerful than the meaning they were intended to carry.
To be honest though whoever thought up the Advert with a black child and a tag line with the word 'monkey' in it (and those who vetted and approved it) are either remarkably stupid - or knew exactly what they were doing and have got everybody talking about H and M - with probably loads of people like me defending them because no racism was ever intended.
There's no such thing as bad press - or so they say.
Last edited by Sluffy on Wed Jan 10 2018, 22:08; edited 1 time in total
