I had a conversation about why you couldn't use this the other night. Of course it was a man saying it and a girl complaining. I launched into a history lesson about why it was so important that we didn't use it. I'll give you the basics.
I grew up in a world where many people were racist, sexist and bigoted by default. And said people felt the need, and assumed a right, to proclaim this. People died because of being the wrong race, sex or religion. We were going to change all that.
And how were we going to change that? Mostly by being different but much was a battle of words. Every time I hear some arse saying ,"it's PC gone mad" I feel like we won. Because we fought this battle about PC.
Edited to add
We had all read Orwell, we knew about the power of words, if you can't say it it is difficult to think it.
We didn't win; this was thatcher's kingdom, we lost and we lost. And we lost the world we had to the world that we have now. A world of greed and horror.
But we won the battle in a way. The racists, sexists and bigots now have to keep themselves under the parapet. They, in this country at least, feel that they are a harried minority. As they should.
And a good part of the reason for that is that we sad that the c word, and other words, should die [or change].
It was a long and strange battle.
Just now I'm thinking that we might be winning another battle that I'd assumed was hopeless.
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Hi Neil,
I agree that this is not a word which should be used - at least not in a casual sense. My girl told me that I could use this word, but only in the most extreme and appropriate circumstances.
It is a valid word but we must be careful to treat it with the utmost care. It is a last resort word.
I agree with you that the fact this is no longer an acceptable word in terms of a PC world is a good thing. I agree with you that, along with the N word, because this word is no longer acceptable parlance it is to the betterment of humanity. PC is not the problem some would make it out to be.
Sometimes, however, this word is permissible. Nothing is completely disallowed. We just have to make sure we are acting within what is reasonable, given the circumstances.
PS. I hope we are still friends. I feel I may have upset you. If I have I apologise. It was not my intension. Sometimes I can be a bit 'lovey'. It's an Art thing. Again, apologies.
Your friend,
Matt.
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Matt
Like you and I could ever be not friends.
I love you.
arb
nellie
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Like you say. You're one of my best Uni mates.
Just my paranoia. It happens. Apologies.
S'all cool. X