Is this world becoming too politicaly correct?

[1AZRAEL1]

Santa promotes obesity (http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/santa-promotes-obesity-academic-20091217-kymq.html)

This is beyond a joke, it really is.

Santa is supposed to be about fun and magic and all that stuff for the kids. I think people are thinking too hard about it and forgetting this.

With the internet censoring thing happening now, it just makes me wonder where the hell the human race is heading.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

ROFL! Surely that academic is making a joke? I think people are reading far too much into things now. If that is taken seriously I pity, well society in general really. I don't think kids need role models for obesity, they are usually fat as it is.
I put the blame solely on lazy ass parents:p

I envision a future with no humour, just zombie games sans zombies, wii sports as the main form of computer generated fun and comedians regarded as criminals. Until the aliens come and then its gonna be like Half Life 2, mark my words...:D

[Dkaris]

This country has been too politically correct for years now. its beyond a joke.

[mknell]

Most of there world has been too politically correct these days you can't enjoy anything any more without it being deemed not PC

[Maxiewolf]

This is why I try Not.... to read the news it only further validates my feeling that 'humanity' as a whole has just gone completly, utterly mad... :rolleyes:

So what shall we do? Have a Thin Santa? No he would be promoting Anorexia.
Perhaps we need a buff.. Fit... macho muscle Santa. Yes then he can promote the Cardio Twister, Subway & Total Gym.

[kup]

It's Santa's fault that Americans are fat!!! BURN HIM!!

[Doubledealer]

Q. What's the difference between Santa and Tiger Woods?
A. Santa stops at three ho's

[1AZRAEL1]

This is why I try Not.... to read the news it only further validates my feeling that 'humanity' as a whole has just gone completly, utterly mad... :rolleyes:

So what shall we do? Have a Thin Santa? No he would be promoting Anorexia.
Perhaps we need a buff.. Fit... macho muscle Santa. Yes then he can promote the Cardio Twister, Subway & Total Gym.

I am beginning to have the same view. Everytime I look at the news, I see things that make me mad. Once in a while I see a story about heroism or something which I like to read, because it shows there is still some good in this world. Unfortunately lately, the bad is outweighing the good for me.

Soon santa will have to wear a crash helmut, wear a seatbelt, and be thin like the twigs in the fashion industry.

Or better yet, I think we should have a Robot Santa, that way he can wipe out all the politicians for not keeping to their promises, he will put them on the naughty list. And then hit them with his "Toe Missile" :D


Q. What's the difference between Santa and Tiger Woods?
A. Santa stops at three ho's

No idea, please tell us.

[Maxiewolf]

I am beginning to have the same view. Everytime I look at the news, I see things that make me mad. Once in a while I see a story about heroism or something which I like to read, because it shows there is still some good in this world. Unfortunately lately, the bad is outweighing the good for me.

Soon santa will have to wear a crash helmut, wear a seatbelt, and be thin like the twigs in the fashion industry.

Or better yet, I think we should have a Robot Santa, that way he can wipe out all the politicians for not keeping to their promises, he will put them on the naughty list. And then hit them with his "Toe Missile" :D


Oh I pretty well lost my ''faith" in the whole Santa/Christmas thing when i was watching the Santa photos being taken at the mall here "Okay Kids stand Beside santa..." (and dont make contact with the red suit.. or the beard.. or the chair... and dont accept any candy...) So one would think the whole santa being a "bad" influence.. of all the things they could come up with it was... he promotes obesity? :rolleyes:

[Gutsman Heavy]

Perhaps we need a buff.. Fit... macho muscle Santa. Yes then he can promote the Cardio Twister, Subway & Total Gym.

http://getreadytorumble.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/santa.jpg

[Lint]

The world isn't becoming too politically correct, it's just become easier for anyone to broadcast nonsense news stories around the world.

The propogation of disinformation is not as bad as internet censorship but its up there as one of the upcoming problems of the future.

[GoktimusPrime]

Changing things for political correctness has been around forever.

e.g.:

+ Taekwondo is not an ancient Korean martial art. It's a Korean adaptation of Japanese Shotokan Karate, done so because after WWII there was a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment amongst Koreans. So for people like Choi Hong Hi to continue teaching Karate he had to reinvent and remarket his martial art to continue attracting students. Some people claim that Taekwondo was developed from ancient Korean martial arts, but I've yet to come across any evidence to support this. When comparing TKD with ancient Korean martial arts like Taekkyun, Kwon Bop, Kukkiwon etc. they're very different (to me Taekkyun looks more similar to Chinese Internal Kung Fu than Japanese Karate).

+ Some people argue that Ueshiba Morihei developed Aikido from Chinese internal Kung Fu styles like Baguazhang, pointing to some similarities between the styles and that Ueshiba created Aikido after returning from serving in Manchuria (however others would point out that Aikido shares traits with Taijutsu)

+ When Christianity was introduced to Europe, Pagan Yule Tide was relabelled as Christmas and the Spring Fertility Festival became Easter. Many Pagan symbols still remain in modern Christianity, such as images of winter for Christmas (as Yule is a winter festival whereas original images of the Nativity lacks any such imagery; e.g.: shepherds would not be tending to flocks grazing in snowfields!) or the Easter Rabbit and Egg, both Pagan symbols of fertility (the original symbol was the crucifix(ion)); in Finland they have Easter Witches, yet another modification to make Pagan practices and images politically correct for Christianity.

+ A lot of terminology has been changed. Words like retard and moron used to be technical medical terms to describe people with intellectual disabilities/difficulties. In fact I have a very old book about Dyslexia called "Reading Retardation."

...and the list goes on. So it's nothing new and I doubt it will go away, so I'm not bothered by it. I just go, "oh okay."

Political correctness is in a state of constant flux because today's politically correct terms might become offensive in the future which means we have to change it again. I think this is what frustrates some people; the fact that we often change and update our terminology. For example a lot of educators use the term "IM" (Intellectually Moderate) to describe students who have intellectual handicaps, yet I've taught at a school where the children actually used the term "IM" as an open insult, just like the word "retard."

Anyone ever read the original versions of The Little Mermaid or Cinderella? ;)

[1AZRAEL1]

Same as the Spastic Centre are trying to change their name a bit. 65 years ago, spastic wasn't a derogatory term and not looked on badly. Of course we know people use it now to insult people.

For those that don't know, The Spastic Centre helps kids with Cerebral Palsy.

I can go on about "gollywog" and "bah bah black sheep" about other examples, but we all know bout those.

[GoktimusPrime]

The current fat jolly Santa image emerged from a 1930s Coca Cola marketing campaign anyway. So perhaps if people are now finding this image inappropriate, perhaps we should revert back to more traditional images of Saint Nicholas!

[kup]

It doesn't have the same marketing appeal but I am sure someone will find something non PC with him if he becomes popular enough :)

http://shepherdstudy.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/st-nicholas-of-myra.jpg

The Coca-Cola Santa - I have known that for years and it alwasy amazes me how corporate marketing can influence culture. The Coca-Cola Santa is pretty much the symbol of world wide Christmas and he was just a marketing campaign to sell more coke!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2RHWxrwoal4/SVMhiu1cHhI/AAAAAAAACHc/Z35mICg7X7I/s400/Coca_Cola_Santa_Claus_2-784818.jpg

If St Nicolas travels through time to the present he will probably just go "I am fat now?"

[Tabias Prime]

[QUOTE=kup;142029]It doesn't have the same marketing appeal but I am sure someone will find something non PC with him if he becomes popular enough :)

http://shepherdstudy.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/st-nicholas-of-myra.jpg

Heres the PC response to the original ST nick picture. "I'm sorry you cant use him because of the crosses on his clothing and the holy Bible. Its promoting a certain religious view which some minority groups will find offensive and we must obliged a small minority who may take offence towards this open show of faith at the expense of the majority who don't give a ****"(Feel free to add expletive).

On a personal note with regards to political correctness. As a Christian myself, I'm tired of hearing about this sort of crap coming up at this time of year.You shouldnt has this or you shouldnt have that because you will upset a small group of people who dont celebrate the birth of Jesus and lets get real here, its what Christmas is all about originally .even though the majority of people enjoy Christmas just for the family get togethers and to have a few drinks. I myself do the same thing.Let not let these slow minded people with a few letters behind there name and who have nothing better to do with their time than to try a dissect a meaningful time of year no matter what the meaning is to the individual, Being Christian based or other. Just bugger off and let US enjoy our selfs..:p:p:p

[Golden Phoenix]

let US enjoy our selfs..:p:p:p

Hey, you need keep that kind of thing private

[MV75]

Nice example of PC thuggery right there. :p

[Tabias Prime]

Nice example of PC thuggery right there. :p

Thanks, i try had to please the majority..

[MV75]

No, what Golden Phoenix posted. *face palm*

[Tabias Prime]

No, what Golden Phoenix posted. *face palm*

ouch, at least you could of taken the glove off first..:D:D:D:D

[Robzy]

The current fat jolly Santa image emerged from a 1930s Coca Cola marketing campaign anyway.


The Coca-Cola Santa - I have known that for years and it alwasy amazes me how corporate marketing can influence culture. The Coca-Cola Santa is pretty much the symbol of world wide Christmas and he was just a marketing campaign to sell more coke!

Sorry guys... but this is not actually true! It's an urban myth! (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1158371.html) Coke didn't invent the current image of Santa, but it's a myth that they did (because he appeared in their advertising and shares the same colours). It simply isn't true!

Here's a link to some pics of Santa (before Coke used him) in his "Coke" colours! (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/santa/cocacola.asp) ;)

[kup]

Sorry guys... but this is not actually true! It's an urban myth! (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1158371.html) Coke didn't invent the current image of Santa, but it's a myth that they did (because he appeared in their advertising and shares the same colours). It simply isn't true!

Here's a link to some pics of Santa (before Coke used him) in his "Coke" colours! (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/santa/cocacola.asp) ;)

Coke still popularized that particular image of Santa Claus and made it reach global public conciousness. If they had not used it in their marketing campaign that particular take on Santa Claus would not be as overwhelmingly prominent as it is now.

[GoktimusPrime]

Robzy: I never said "invent", I said "emerged," as in the image was popularised by that campaign. I didn't say that Coke created it though. :) It's similar to how articulation in Transformers emerged from Beast Wars, but actually originated in G2. :)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I assumed that coke visualised the description of Mr Claus in "the Night Before Christmas" tale and made that popular.

Its quite interesting in the ways that things change over time. I have been looking at Movie 2 Ejector lately contemplating the "Satan" influence in him. Ejector has a tail, backwards jointed legs, little horns on his head and he like fire and as I was thinking of that comparison with the circa 1500/1600 view of Satan example pics here (http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=3362&handle=li) and here (http://www.hellhappens.com/limbour-hell.jpg) and it made me think of an article I read on Witchcraft and more specifially the witch hunts.

In the time of the wicth hunts, the church non-christians were often regarded as withes as they were Pagans (this is circa 600AD I think) and to aid in the negative depiction of Pagans, the church started to blend Satan and the Pagan god Pan (http://gs62.photobucket.com/groups/h98/B9ZFK4YSYT/?action=view&current=PAN.jpg&sort=ascending) together. The Pagans did worship Pan as a god (as well as others) and this blending with Satan made it seem in some peoples eyes that since they admitted to worshipping Pan (who now looked like Satan) they worshipped Satan = Witches.

Now I have noticed that in popular fiction, Satan is often represented as a suave dapper chap in a nice suit.

Gok, if you know of any links to original fairy tales before they were "Disney-ised" I would love to read them, I hear that Sleeping Beauty is a bit nastier than one is lead to believe...

[SofaMan]

Gok, if you know of any links to original fairy tales before they were "Disney-ised" I would love to read them, I hear that Sleeping Beauty is a bit nastier than one is lead to believe...

The Brothers Grimm are responsible for a lot of what regard as "Disneyfication" of fairy tales.

While they originally collected folk tales from around Germany, as their books became more popular later editions were edited to soften some of the more negative themes.

Find an early edition of their collected folk tales and you should get a fairly reliable version of what the 'originals' were like. Before the Brothers Grimm of course, few people recorded the stories as they were part of an oral tradition.

[GoktimusPrime]

Anyone ever seen the animé "Ah! My Goddess" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zblwmaSPW6E)? A cute take on Norse mythology (re: Three Fates). ;)

[Tiby]

I have no time for this PC garbage. Grandfathers being questioned by police for playing with their grandchildren in a park; all males automatically being suspected of child abuse just because they live there (brothers, fathers, etc); people's individual choice to be offended has somehow turned into an obligation on others to protect people from their own feelings; new words for illnesses/disorders every couple of years; the Tiger Woods character assassination; etc

As soon as people start taking responsibility for themselves, rather than externalising EVERYTHING, the better this world will be.

[1AZRAEL1]

As soon as people start taking responsibility for themselves, rather than externalising EVERYTHING, the better this world will be.

I been saying that for years. Far too many people are thin skinned.