[maddy29]

i don't like false pc-ness either, when it's just hiding the hatred. but i'm also tired of hearing certain words, like cunt, pussy, fag, etc. and i don't think it makes me part of the pc police to ask people to stop using those words, at least in a negative context.

i know what y'all are saying about gallows humor...

butttttt, as anoush said "A lot of people use the excuse "It's just a joke" to hide from taking responsibility for some pretty ugly shit."

[lucizoe]

you know, PnP, I agree

I'm tired of PC language too, to a point. I think it's good that there are alternatives to words and phrases that can be so incredibly offensive and upsetting to many, many people. I also think an examination of the reasons behind why such language has come into existence is necessary - is it a way of not confronting people's prejudices? Of glossing over what they're really thinking?

Some people just won't change their attitudes or acknowledge their privilege, so they just couch their bigotry in politeness. That seems almost worse to me. Instead of confronting the bad attitudes people hide them in public, letting them fester and even teaching their kids their stupid ideas...

And on the joke front, personally I'm aware that the world blows mad monkey balls. Sometimes I need to laugh. And if you, like me, giggle uncontrollably at dead baby jokes or South Park's "Trapped In The Closet", or at the absurdity of a television character who hates everyone, I think that's okay. Big Gay Al? Hello?? He's awesome and the episode about him was all about mocking the stupid idea that gay men are all child molestors, and bashing the Boy Scouts (government-funded discriminatory religious organization). And I can support that.

[prettynpink]

Quite frankly, I'm sick of Political Correctness. I LOVE House. He says what you're thinking but are too afraid to say. Thats why people hate him. Thats why he's controvercial.

He SAYS what he THINKS.

Imagine how unlikable a person would be in your life if they did that. This is just a tv character and people are up in arms.

You know what, yes, we should censor ourselves and we shouldnt tolerate bigotry. But if you watch the show, he isnt a bigot. He is just an ass. He's just rude. And it makes you think.
Its prompted this discussion.
It will prompt others.
I'm all for things that make people think.

[maddy29]

i think this is a really important topic and i'm glad it's being discussed.

i too, am confused. i think some things should just never be joked about- like slavery, the holocaust, domestic violence, stuff like that.

but yeah, some tv shows you arne't supposed to like the character. it's not holding up bigotry as some kind of standard.

south park is a toughie-i've laughed really hard at it, and i've turned it off in disgust many a time.

this makes no sense to me "catholic priests molested children, its true, so ill laugh at jokes about it bc its a horrible thing that the catholic church SHOULD get shit for." Um, what? It's a horrible thing so you'll laugh at it, and by your laughter, somehow the Catholic Church is getting shit for it? How is you laughing at priests molesting children doing anything positive?

also i have a problem with stereotypes in general-just because SOME catholic priests were found out to have abused kids, doesn't mean they are all evil child predators. or that leaders of other churches don't do the exact same thing.

[thereshegoes]

sorry, but i don't really think feminism is something to "have a sense of humor" or "lighten up" about. i mean, sure, you can have a sense of humor and still be a feminist, but when so many issues per feminism and anti-feminism still do serious damage, maybe feminist issues aren't funny.

Sexual and physical partner abuse isn't funny
Sexual harrassment on the job isn't funny
Not receiving equal pay as male coworkers for equal work isn't funny
Scary street harassment isn't funny

And all of these things are still with us
Maybe feminists need to have LESS of a sense of humor. which i suppose would be outrage.

[pepper]

oh, house is ok, south park is ok, baby shaped pinatas are ok, we should all just lighten up.

sorry, just couldn't help myself.


eta *sarcasm*

[thereshegoes]

i generally can laugh it off, but i saw the "paris hilton is a big fat whore" one last week and it rubbed me really wrong---i mean, she sucks, but why is "whore" the label? i guess that's why i derailed the thread. i HATE when people attack women by calling them whores.

[erinjane]

I'm actually on the fence on this one. It's a slippery slope for sure. I've never seen house, so I can't comment on that one, but I do watch South Park from time to time, and I laugh at it. But sometimes I definatly find myself thinking they cross the line. I dont think I have a clear cut opinion either way.

[anoushh]

A lot of people use the excuse "It's just a joke" to hide from taking responsibility for some pretty ugly shit.

So that is a potentially troublesome argument for me.

Venetia, I completely agree with you.

[Onna-Otaku]

Well said, Katie, I completly agree with you. Kudos.

[katiebelle2882]

i find it a little weird when a particular show so clearly based in satire gets people all freaked out and offended. i am catholic and i dont care if they make fun of catholics. have a sense of humor for the love of god! i mean, i find it even worse when you laugh at certain jokes but cant laugh at yourself when your ethnic group/gender is made fun of. its not hate, its humor, and i think half the reason feminists get such a horrible reputation for having no sense of humor is exactly for these reasons.

also, if you take such offense to certain things, part of me thinks its you realizing something is true about your particular group, and getting defensive about it. yeah, catholic priests molested children, its true, so ill laugh at jokes about it bc its a horrible thing that the catholic church SHOULD get shit for.

if something is clearly not malicious, then i dont think its all that big a deal, if you dont ave humor in this world to deal with the insanity, what do we have?

[thereshegoes]

what's the difference between this show (i've never seen it) and "south park," which insults jews, african-americans, women and gay people throughout each episode, and yet is generally beloved by leftie types as free speech in action? i admit, i've laughed my ass off at the jokes made at other groups expense-until they go after jews and women, then it's not so damn funny. i do agree with venetia---the fact that people hate ALL groups doesn't make their hate at my expense more enjoyable.

[venetia]

re:House - those of you who like it, how do you figure that his hating EVERYONE somehow means to you that he is NOT hating, say, intersexed people???

I genuinely don't see the logic. Many bigots I've met hate on more than one group but it doesn't make their victims feel all warm and fuzzy about being a target of hatred or attacks merely because their abuser is being so inclusive. I don't see how it makes it okay. I mean, if you hate blacks as well as jews suddenly the jews aren't suposed to take it personally??

I think if you're going to attack people from a dominant position in society then the fact you attack a range of targets adds to your power, rather than lessening the impact of any one attack.

[chani]

That book is full of facts spun into fiction. He does this whole rant about how there is no evidence that car seats for infants are any safer than no car seats. But he does admit that seatbelts are safer than no seatbelts. So how are you going to put a newborn in a seatbelt? You have to buckle them into a carseat, numbnuts!!!!!

[runningwestward]

OK a little off the topic of House (my two cents: I like the show but don't like him... I don't think you are supposed to like him. I think that's what they are going for. You'll tune in to see what he'll do or say so you can get all riled up about it. Still... I like the show). Now what was I saying... right! Freakonomics. I started reading it. Heard good things. I got to page 34 and I am mad at the book or more specifically the authors, and here's why: They start discussing the No Child Left Behind programme. Talking about cheating teachers and he (two male authors) keeps referring to she and her never him or he or they or them.... ok so you get this impression that it's only women who are doing this (cheating and being bad teachers) But in one single sentance he says that it is equally likely that the teacher is either male or female and goes right back to referring to the cheating teacher as female. Don't know if I want to read the book anymore. That revelation turned me off.

[zora]

I don't know, I don't think I can get behind the whole, "Well, I dislike everyone, so that's okay" thing on TV. There's too much hate and anger in the world and shows that perpetuate that get on my nerves. I like TV shows that make me relax and feel good.
BUT, I've never seen House before so I might have my head up my ass on this one.

[bunnyb]

I'm conflicted about the episode, when I read zora's post I knew which ep it would be referring to so obviously something disturbed me about it, a lot did though. I think I'll need to hunt out the dvd and re-watch the ep but I think they were trying to do something really complicated with the ep that ended up not working about teen models and the irony of beauty. The episode title is "Skin Deep" after all, it's addressing the inherent prejudices within that business and of society regarding beauty, is the punch-line not that this stunningly beautiful girl that every man (including her father and House) is lusting after is in fact a boy, that lust and skin deep beauty are fickle?

[anoushh]

I am very, very saddened--though not terribly surprised--by the murder in Afghanistan of Safia Ama Jan. I swear, I remember reading in Ms. when I was about 14 how the US was funding the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan b/c they were "anti-Soviet" and ignoring things like they were entirely anti-western society too, to the point of violence, and that one of their big objections to the Soviets was that they were educating girls. Of course no one wants their country to be invaded, but it was the advancement of women that really got them going.

I was 14 and I knew then that this was going to come back and bite us--not to mention what it would do to that country. Of course, who were the precursers of the the Taliban? That's right--the mujahadeen, who we then called "freedom fighters."

Disgusting. What a brave, brave, woman. What a horrendous loss.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/st...1880868,00.html

Incidentally, I agree with most of what people have said about House, but I think they've really got it wrong on this one. It's not like there isn't enough misunderstanding, predjudice, and bias on this subject already. He's got everyone else to be mean to--this doesn't work for me.

I don't expect him to be Mr. Sensitivity, but nope, this just seems ignorant and hateful.

[treehugger]

I actually love the show. And I'm pretty darned politically correct and anti-discrimination and anti-hatred. If House actually narrowed his dislike to one group, I'd be offended.

But they're right, Gregory dislikes EVERYBODY. His character is an antisocial one. Plain and simple. Which makes the show more interesting to me, but, also easy to misconstrue single episodes if you don't know the character. I look forward to the show every week.

[bunnyb]

yup, he's a misanthropist.