[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by Not A Speck Of Cereal

Here, I differ. Lately, I'm finding the opposite. When I run into someone saying something absolutely offensive (no doubt) and I counter, I'm often told that I'm being overly PC.

"Um, no, that was decidedly racist, or mysogonist, or offensive-to-an-entire-class-of-people and I'm not going to sit idly by and let you get away with it."

Bigotry exists, but they think they can get away with it now somehow.

You're right. There is still plenty of prejudice to be found in America and elsewhere, and we do need to stamp that out. But I was once bashed by a group of people on the Brokeback Mountain boards on IMDb for using the term "homosexual" instead of "gay," (and ironically, the post that caused it was very pro-equality) which I thought was a little unnecessary, and I think these instances of people absentmindedly using words, not prejudicedly in the slightest, mind you, and consequently having to apologize to some group, are lame and probably not the right way to being perceived as equal. Or when a group protests a movie. I dunno, I don't like that we have to fear potentially saying something offensive all the time.

Well... they usually beat the western fixation on el mondo grosso huge and fake tits.

Well true. Fake tits are unwelcome.

[Giligan]

My unpopular opinions -

-Gun rights are good, and owning a gun is a wise idea.

-Political correctness is utter crap (except when political incorrectness is used with seriousness (i.e. small-mindedness). But we'll exclude the people without dry wit for the sake of the conversation)

-If a movie falls under the genre "Comedy", it is by default an abomination unto all things intelligent in the universe.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

But I was once bashed by a group of people on the Brokeback Mountain boards on IMDb for using the term "homosexual" instead of "gay," (and ironically, the post that caused it was very pro-equality) which I thought was a little unnecessary.

Ugh, how absurd. That's like an eggplant being offended because someone called it "purple" instead of "aubergine".
Please feel free to call me anything with which you feel comfortable, but given a choice I prefer the term "partial to the men-folk".

Originally Posted by Spiwak

I think these instances of people absentmindedly using words, not prejudicedly in the slightest, mind you, and consequently having to apologize to some group, are lame and probably not the right way to being perceived as equal.

You're 100% right!

[Spiwak]

Not to make it a big deal but I was just perusing the New York Times website and found this article (I think it requires their free registration) on the main page. I think it's curiously fitting.

I don't know if he did anything wrong or how scientific his anlysis is in the book, but this kind of thing upsets me. Nobody deserves to have their life in ruins for something like this. And like I said, it doesn't make me any more sympathetic to their cause when they lash out at what they perceive to be offensive rather than try to change public opinion constructively.

[Jatsie]

People are far too quick the play the victim card these days.

[Aj_]

When you tell people they might be mistaken about something they experience about themselves, people really lose their heads. If it's commenting on something that's going to effect them politically, the stakes are raised, and as in all politics, dirty campaigns and mudslinging are the weapons of choice.

[stepurhan]

Not having children myself does not remove my right to comment on the behaviour of children in public places. Especially if said children are running up and down screaming on public transport.

[Jeysie]

Originally Posted by stepurhan

Not having children myself does not remove my right to comment on the behaviour of children in public places. Especially if said children are running up and down screaming on public transport.

Now this I agree with. If you have children, you should own a car. Kids will be kids, but public transport is not a safe place for kids to be kids. Kids too young to realize they need to sit still need a seatbelt.

As for the screaming part... I can't really say anything, since I know far too many *adults* who are incapable of being quiet on the bus.

Peace & Luv, Liz

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by Jeysie

As for the screaming part... I can't really say anything, since I know far too many *adults* who are incapable of being quiet on the bus.

Oh man, I know what you mean. This is precisely why I try to make sure my iPod's always charged.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Originally Posted by Sage

Please feel free to call me anything with which you feel comfortable, but given a choice I prefer the term "partial to the men-folk".

(Not knowing you well but assuming by your avatar and such that you are male.)

So, "faig" is right out, s'at what'cher sayin'?

My last boss had no problem being known as a bull-dyke. We went to lunch one day and she saw my Subaru Outback and blurted out "dyke mobile!"

Laugh? I thought I'd die.

As a straight guy, I have a very colorful office. She walked in one day and said "you've got the faigiest office I've EVER seen!".

Heh. No political correctness there, thank Darwin.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Originally Posted by stepurhan

Not having children myself does not remove my right to comment on the behaviour of children in public places. Especially if said children are running up and down screaming on public transport.

I used to agree, but this article was enlightening. I know there are truly bad parents and are therefore exceptions to this, but please read the bulk of the artical before replying.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

ObUnpopular: rap is not all necessarily crap.

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by Speck's article

Some children cry because they are overstimulated and they cannot process everything in a quiet fashion.

This was definitely true of me as a child, and even as a teenager. (Man, do I feel horrible for causing my parents all that trouble!) To this day, I'm still very sensitive to an excess of stimuli, which is why I can't stand loud, drunken parties and the like.

Of course, there are also the kinds of children who like to make a lot of noise and cause this excess of stimuli, but that's a different story.

[tsa]

Originally Posted by Not A Speck Of Cereal

I used to agree, but this article was enlightening. I know there are truly bad parents and are therefore exceptions to this, but please read the bulk of the artical before replying.

That's funny, a few weeks ago I was in the supermarket and there was a girl there who screamed so loud she was red in the face, because her mother wouldn't buy the cookies she wanted. I remembered that I also used to scream so loud when my mother didn't want to buy a toy car for me. Oh, those were the days

[Jeysie]

Eh. I know I used to throw a temper tantrum solely because I wasn't getting my way. In fact, I threw spoiled tantrums, and was easily riled to boot, all the way up until I was about 14, when a series of events led me to have an epiphany of what a brat I was being.

Unpopular opinion from me: If your child isn't yet aware enough of their behavior to know when to keep it to a dull roar, you just shouldn't be taking them to a venue where quiet and decorum are expected unless you absolutely need to. Not because I dislike kids, but, well, it's the same reason you wouldn't walk around a mall or theater performance carrying a stereo blaring Metallica at top volume. It's disrespectful to other people.

Peace & Luv, Liz

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by Not A Speck Of Cereal

ObUnpopular: rap is not all necessarily crap.

I agree with this, and tend to think that whole "can't spell crap without rap" mindset very narrow. Now, the thing with it is that most likely they base this opinion off of popular rap, which mostly is crap. So I guess in one sense it's not too inaccurate.

[Giligan]

People who pass off the whole genre annoy me greatly. With the exception of a few songs, I prefer Hip-Hop almost exclusively. On the other hand, it could be said that saying "you can't spell crap without rap" is an unpopular opinion. So I'll interject yet another unpopular opinion of mine - rock music is tuneless crap, and all sounds the same.


(Oh, and I totally annoyed somebody once by saying that mankind couldn't progress until country music was eliminated! W00t!)

[Hammerite]

I do think a lot of popular rap is total shite, full of boring songs about the same subject using the same overused loops and samples. But even so, a lot of popular rock now are just boring songs with whiny vocals and the same overused powerchords.
For good and original music, the underground's where it's at.

[El Poppy]

Originally Posted by Not A Speck Of Cereal

Unpopular, hmmm!
Bicycles do indeed belong on the street, and not on the sidewalk, you fat bastard in the Chevy Subdivision.

I agree! In my experiences the bicycle facilities in the UK are pretty diabolical when compared to parts of mainland Europe. Increased funding is supposedly being pumped into providing such facilities, and yet the local council annoys me by providing what I call ‘Token Bike paths,’ i.e. paths that only measure a few inches long and cut off onto a busy A-road. In numerous cases I’ve seen cars mount these paths! I’d love to use my bike more often, but in many parts it is simply too dangerous, plus, I have encountered frequent abuse at the hands of impatient motorists.

*exhales* Now I feel better!

I was however very impressed with the facilities I saw in Germany. The pavements were wider than the ones in the UK, and they were divided into two sections, one for pedestrians and the other for cyclists.

Unpopular opinions:
- Doctor House from the television series should never be a role model to anyone. People who use cynicism in comedy to pass harsh criticism on a another person’s character, i.e. bullying, are simply not funny. E.g. Jimmy Carr.
- Chavs are alright when compared to Rahs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rah
- Land Rovers should be banned in urbanised areas. (Actually, maybe this is pretty popular).
- Family Guy is frequently too random to be funny.
- I find the Red Hot Chilli Peppers dull.
- Country Music is misunderstood.

[Sage]

Much as the original movie "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" played on the fears of encroaching communism in the immediate post-McCarthy era in the US, ie: you never know who's become one of them until it's too late, I wonder if the current popularity of zombie movies isn't due to the rise of the ultra-conservative religious right-wing in the US, eg: the sexlessness, the glassy stares, the inability to escape them no matter where you hide, and their desire to remove all your capability for individualized thought and to turn you into one of their own?