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Subject:Re: Origin of PC terms From:Glenda Jeffrey <jeffrey -at- LEMOND -dot- HKS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 8 Jun 1995 18:49:15 -0400
On Jun 8, 3:25pm, Matt Ion wrote:
> Sounds about right, really. It's a pointless pursuit. No matter terms you
> use, SOMEone will find it offensive, derive some negative connotations from
> it, or in some manner decide that it's "improper".
Well, that wasn't quite the point. I think you are saying that the people
to whom the term applies find it offensive due to their own hypersensitivity.
The reality is that, when a new term arises,
society needs time to associate it with all the negativism that was tied
to the previous term. The victims end up realizing that they are being
subjected to the same old prejudices, just under a different name.
In other words, the evolution of names is an attempt to escape prejudice.
I think that, to some extent, changing names has worked because it has
sensitized people to the issues. The trouble is that, these days, people
have become so sensitized that the whole approach is losing its effectiveness.
--
Glenda Jeffrey Email: jeffrey -at- hks -dot- com
Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen, Inc Phone: 401-727-4200
1080 Main St. Fax: 401-727-4208
Pawtucket, RI 02860
