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Political Correctness
Political Correctness
I thought we should have a disscussion about this because it'll be interesting. Do you think politcal correctness is okay to an extent? Here I present an example...
Thomas the tank engine. No laughing, but around 2006 they completely dropped the word Christmas and started a new "politically correct" approach. As in drop the word Christmas and keep all of the holiday's other aspects. Still Christmas trees. Still carols. Still presents. Still old St Nick. They just replaced the word Xmas (my arm is tired) with "winter holidays".
1) I think this is kinda demeaning, to Christians and to Jews and Muslims, because it is obviously Xmas, which makes it look like the HiT company thinks Jews and Muslims are stupid enough to not realize that it is Xmas they are talking about.
2) As a 12 year old with an affinity for Thomas, I could rant for hours and not shut up, which I'll skip thanks.
What do you think on the entire subject? And Admins can get in on the talk too!
Peace, love, and the winter holidays (NO)
Ronan
submitted by Ronan
(November 6, 2016 - 5:03 pm)
(November 6, 2016 - 5:03 pm)
...
I don't really want to talk about Christmas. I'm not going to my Grandma's house for it this year like I do every year...
It's embarrassing, but nostalgia.
...
ANYWAYS.
I'm a Christian, and I just wanted to say, like allot of other people are doing, that we did not invent Santa Claus, or the tree (though we might have invented presents, and the star at top of the tree), and the whole Christian point of Christmas--it being Baby Jesus' birthday--is lost in all the music.
Don't get me wrong, I love the entire commercialized, presents, Santa Claus, Christmas Music about happy reindeer Christmas, but so many people forget the real point. Even people who aren't Christians (trying not to offend anyone here) celebrate Christmas.
Hey, I have an idea.
What if 'the winter holidays' is a generalization to mean Christmas, Hannukah, and a few other holidays that we celebrate in winter? Because we do celebrate holidays in the winter like this.
(November 9, 2016 - 9:01 am)
Well, Icy, that is what it's supposed to mean, but if you say that, you need to actually have several holidays represented. You don't have to mention them by name, but a little kid could recognize a menorah, or a tree, or anything to do with a seasonal holiday on TV!
(November 10, 2016 - 11:33 am)
i am an atheist but my family always celebrates Christmas. For us it is kind of like a family wide birthday with a tree instead of a cake. We also celebrate Hanukkah because my moms side of the family is Jewish. Because of this we end up with a rather strange mishmash of holidays. :)
(November 9, 2016 - 12:34 pm)
Okay. My view on this is - I'm Catholic and this is the second biggest celebration of our liturgical year, and if you can call it Xmas or the Winter Holidays, I call call it Christmas. I don't even get why it matters so much!
(November 11, 2016 - 7:25 am)
Here's why it matters: I love a show about anthropomorphic trains too much.
(November 12, 2016 - 5:06 pm)
It matters to me because tv shows, especially those made for younger kids, need to show other holidays along with Christmas. When I was little I was really confused about why every single tv show I watched had a "Christmas Special", but no 'Hannukah Special' or anything for Jewish people like me. All the main characters were Christian, but whenever a side character was Jewish I would get SO excited. I would start jumping up and down and shouting,
"Look, look, daddy, there's a menorah! That person's Jewish, too!"
That's why this matters to me. Because other religions should be represented along side Christians.
When they call it "Winter Holidays" as opposed to "Christmas" it feels... eh. They are sort of trying to be accepting, but when the "Winter Holidays" are basicly just Christmas under a pseudonym... well... they could try harder, couldn't they? If they had some Jewish, some Christian, some Muslim, then I would be happy. If they made up an entirely new and different holiday I would be happy. This is why it matters to me.
(November 13, 2016 - 5:54 pm)
Yeah, I'm really sorry. I posted my comment without thinking- I apologize greatly. I'd honestly like to see more other religions represented more as well, because learning about other cultures and people is something I really enjoy. I was stupid to think it doesn't matter, because it does.
(November 15, 2016 - 7:42 am)
Don't worry, Bluebird! I'm glad you asked! I'm sorry if it seemed like I was being rude. It was a good question!
(November 15, 2016 - 2:02 pm)
I personally prefer the politically correct approach, but like all things, it can be done wrong. There's nothing wrong with making people feel included when you are trying to make them feel holiday spirit -- but I think that it should not be done to the point where something that is made obviously religious and only a name separates it from the religious thing, especially if the story features people who should have no idea what it's about. I'm okay with the Thomas story -- it isn't Santa that makes it a Christian holiday, after all -- and I'd be okay if there was a show that treated Christmas as a less-than-universal holiday, but I would be less okay if it were a show that treated Christmas like a thing everybody has an equivalent to, if that makes any sense.
(November 15, 2016 - 5:42 pm)
@Xenios
Good point. It isn't Santa that makes it Christian, I was just trying to follow the rule of threes that makes writing more complete, and needed something to say.
On a happier note, I have an epilogue to the story that began this...
About 3 years ago, thay stopped using "Winter Holiday' and it became Christmas again. Also, this year, the movie they released (they do one every year) is about different trains from different countries! No holidays, sadly, but still a step in the right direction...
So what are your stories of political correctness? Tell us here!
Ronan
(November 18, 2016 - 1:03 pm)
Chuff, chuff, chuff! Fellow Sodor fan being really useful! (Or attempting to.) I don't find anything wrong with liking it-- full-grown adults enjoy it sometimes. Have you read any of the books? The genuine, original ones, not the Little Golden Books. Did you know that both A. A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh) and Rev. W. Awdry (Thomas) were British, and that they both created their worlds for their sons-- both of whom were named Christopher?
But this is a Political Correctness thread, not a ranting-page. So...
I'm a Lutheran, and as such, believe that we should refer to Christmas as Christmas. And I might actually be wrong about this, but I don't think there's been much controversy over the epithet of Hanukkah or other non-Christian holidays.
I don't believe in political correctness. Believe it or not, I don't even believe in 'tolerance'. I DO believe in kindness, however.
I don't believe that we should have to 'tolerate' each other (whoever decided to use that term?), and I dont believe that we should all have to agree with one another-- or pretend to do so. But I do believe that we can, and should, be kind to one another-- not tolerating (putting up with someone) or accepting (pretending to endorse or agree with someone)- just kind. We're all human, aren't we? And that's what humans do. I may not agree with someone's worldview, but that doesn't mean I can't like them, or get along with them.
Kindness is more difficult to practice than tolerance. It's easier to back down than to struggle along the hard way. To say "I don't agree with you, but we can still be human together."
The politicians can squabble about phraseology, and who tolerates whom, and back their favorite players. But as for me-- its good, strong, common, ordinary, old-fashioned, contemptible kindness for the win!
(December 3, 2016 - 11:02 pm)