From The Spectator, I learned that Pembroke College, Cambridge has cancelled a fancy dress party with the theme on Around the World in Eighty Days to avoid the potential for offence. One college has objected to the serving of sushi as “cultural appropriation” and another cancelled yoga lessons for the same reason.
James Bond fans will remember Felix Leiter telling 007 in Diamonds are Forever: “People are so damn sensitive about color around here that you can’t even ask a barman for a jigger of rum. You have to ask for a jegro.” That was from Ian Fleming’s book published in 1956. (Of course now the term “negro” has since being considered taboo as well.)
Cecil Rhodes’ statue at Oxford’s Oriel College risks being removed because he was an “imperialist.”
And in the US, if I so much as compliment a female colleague on her dressing, I can be sued for sexual harassment.
And the country’s 7th president was removed from the 20-dollar note because he was a slave owner.
To me this is political correctness gone mad.
One reason for Donald Trump’s popularity is that he doesn’t care about being politically correct – he just says what he thinks and of course, in the process, has insulted just about everyone.
I’m not condoning Donald Trump but his loudmouth has verbalized what many have not dared to say in public and his words resonated with lots of people. He articulates what people think. His bravado also feeds well into people’s idea of a hero – swashbuckling, swaggering butt kicker who will takes no enemies and go where no one has gone before.
It’s all good entertainment for the general public and the rest of us who are not Americans.
A certain measure of restraint is of paramount importance when voicing one’s opinions.
That applies to wannabe Trumps too, like Rodrigo Duterte, the Davao mayor who’s running for the Filipino presidency.
How you communicate with words is a measure of your maturity and your EQ.
Lies are a no no but if one bothers to think things through, a message of impact – if well crafted – can still be delivered in a most graceful manner.
Any other way would have come across as crude and uncouth.
It’s one thing to be frank but quite another to be rude.
Nobody should shirk from speaking the truth in the name of political correctness.
But there’s no need to have a gutter mouth either.
Please engage brain before putting mouth in gear.
Change the way you talk!