I don't care! Enough!

[Boozy]

Yet another potentially funny SC thread at CS.com is being ruined by people jumping all over the fact that religion was mentioned peripherally in the original post.

Everyone seems to take this as an opening to share the fact that they are atheist, or used to be Catholic/Baptist/whatever but now aren't, and by the way, here's their entire philosophical world view.

I don't care.

If I cared, I'd visit a forum about spirituality and religion. Instead, I prefer to visit a forum about awful customers and what big idiots they are. That's what I find interesting.

For the record, I don't find these kinds of statements offensive...just BORING.

Honestly, I know more about the inner spiritual lives of some CS members than I do about my own family.

I hope I haven't offended anyone. I certainly don't begrudge anyone the right to speak up about what they believe in. But there is a time and a place!

[Rapscallion]

Funnily enough, I can't seem to do right whatever I do in this regards over there. I regard all religion as a delusion, but if people believe then that's their choice. I'll debate it if people want to, but if not then as long as it doesn't involve inconveniencing others then I'll let that sleeping dog lie.

However, of late I've heard of someone complaining that we only seem to defend christianity. Feh, it's the only one under attack, as far as I can see, and if someone was attacking another then I'd deal with it. I've had a few comments that I'm not defending wiccans, since they claim the word witch and aren't keen on it being used to describe a SC.

The religions involved are supposed to preach tolerance for the most part, but the amount of petty sniping I see in passing, even from atheists, baffles and saddens me.

Wierd.

Rapscallion

[Pedersen]

Good luck on that count Raps. For every word that someone uses to describe a sucky customer, I can find a way to connect that word to religion, vocation, or personal beliefs in such a way that somebody can be offended.

Some examples:

Witch: Offensive to wiccans.
Bitch: Offensive to dog breeders, especially the ones who are proud of their even tempered female dogs.
Asshole (this covers a whole slew of words that don't need repeating): General swearing. Offensive to any group that doesn't like swearing (typically arch-Christians in this group).
Douchenozzle: Obviously used by people who have problems with female reproductive organs, and a slur against women who try to maintain cleanliness to boot.
Unpleasant person: Clearly a case of the poster having a bad day, and not empathizing properly with the customer/co-worker/manager.


And that's without trying hard. If you'd like, you can send me a list of "offensive" words, and I'll connect them for you (like above), and you can post the list somewhere for people to realize how ridiculous the whole mess is.

I wish I could say/offer more, but that's all I've got for ideas.

[ArenaBoy]

People will always take offense to anything and a lot of people have too thin a skin. And those who are offended because of a certain word (Witch for example) need to pick up a dictionary and learn that most words have various meanings to them. That and to grow some thick skin.

[rahmota]

Sorry about that Boozy. I think some people self-identify with their chosen belief system to such a degree they have a little trouble seperating things out.

I know the terms trailer trash and redneck give me a bit of a cringe or whatever when I see people using them and have spoken up about it before in the thread or to the person but when somethign becomes so entrenched in a person's psyche then it just dosent matter how much you speak to them about it they will still wind up using it. And like you said Arena sometimes its better to just ignore it and go on than get involved in a word war.

I don't quite know what to tell you about defending the faith. Personally if a person's faith needs someone else to come and defend it for them they must not have much of it in the first place but thats just my opinion.

[DesignFox]

I've noticed that happening a lot too, boozy. Sadly, not just from newer members. I've learned a lot in etiquette in my time posting, and IF I post a response in those types of threads, I leave my personal beliefs out of it and just comment on the customer. That's what we're all there for.

More of our fellows need to remember that. I thank the Mods because they do tend to shut that down when it starts happening. I just feel badly for the person whose thread got derailed. Unfortunately, we can't do much about it except try to remind people what the discussion was really about.

It's been bothering me, too. :(

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I know how you feel, Boozy, I have the same problem with posts about people ranting over accents. I get a lot of customers who express intolerant views about having to deal with foreigners on the phone, and I finally had to just start leaving those stories out of my posts, even though I get some rather funny ones, because 1) the thread always degenerates and then we end up with the inevitable MOD warnings, and 2) I get angry, long-winded PM diatribes from other posters about how wrong I am for poking fun at these people and how terrible my company is for hirinig people with accents. This happens no matter how impartial I try to be, no matter how much I try to focus specifically on the fact that they rant at a lowly phone rep as though I can do something about it. I finally just gave up and now I refuse to post about those calls. It's frustrating, as I deal with them constantly. :(

[Boozy]

I get a lot of customers who express intolerant views about having to deal with foreigners on the phone, and I finally had to just start leaving those stories out of my posts...

I do the same thing with certain stories, and I think its a terrible shame.

Just last week I had an absolutely fantastic sighting. I mean, when I told my husband about it, he laughed until he cried. It was that good.

I was about to post on CS when the thought occurred to me that there was no way it was going to end well. (Hint: It involved one elderly man acting like a dick and using his age to justify his behaviour.) Now, if everyone would just treat the story for what it was (ONE person of a certain age group acting rudely) then it would be fine. But I just couldn't see it going that route. Sweeping generalizations would abound.

So the forum is short one hilarious post from Boozy, which as we all know, just about breaks your hearts. ;)

[Rapscallion]

We did try to make it clear we were going a touch easier on mentions of race. The site news says for descriptive purposes - setting the scene etc.

Problem is, we tend to sway back and forth on this. We have to crack down when some less-than-liberal comments become prominent, and they have a nasty habit of spilling out. When we crack down we get complaints, we ease up and things start all over again. Trying to find that happy medium. We don't want to wade into every thread that has a mention of race in a correct context and give out reminders - that gets old fast.

Feel free to post it here.

Rapscallion

[rahmota]

Thing is you might need to make a whole new section on Fratchign if you open it up for more contentious sightins or work stories.

[Rapscallion]

Cheap and easy enough to do...

Rapscallion

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Actually Raps, the thing that annoys me much more than the MOD warnings in the threads are the PM's I get whenever I post those kinds of stories. I get PM's all about how I should not be making fun of these people because they are RIGHT and I am WRONG and it is a God Given Right for them to be able to speak to someone over the phone who is a natural born American with no accent whatsoever.

There are a lot of people who simply cannot seem to wrap their heads around the fact that I am a white person who grew up surrounded by Hispanic culture and therefore identify strongly with it. There are entire sections of the US that have been overwhelmingly Hispanic for 400 years, and I have lived in several of these regions for most of my life. Of course people rant about other cultural identities too, but this one seems to hit the most nerves.

[ArenaBoy]

What's hilarious about those threads is that when a age, religion, race, or anything is used to describe something or it has a factor people instantly fly off the handle. I'm tempted to post this (http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n30/shadowyinzer/aw_jeez_not_this_shit_again2.jpg) when it gets like that. I'd fly off the handle saying that people need to get past the description and focus on what was making a customer a stupid customer. Generalizing a group is one thing but mentioning it as a description and it has to do with the story is another.

[CancelMyService]

You know, I've never seen any contentious religion debates on CS. Now granted, they may all be deleted before I see them, but I'm a night owl which means I usually see stuff before the mods wake up :D


IMO, what irks me sometimes is now every post over there seems to have 15,000 disclaimers stating what you are about to read is not intended to offend. After a while it starts out looking like the opening credits to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.




(The person responsible for this post has been sacked)








(the person responsible for sacking the person responsible has also been sacked,. we apologize)

[Rapscallion]

Actually Raps, the thing that annoys me much more than the MOD warnings in the threads are the PM's I get whenever I post those kinds of stories. I get PM's all about how I should not be making fun of these people because they are RIGHT and I am WRONG and it is a God Given Right for them to be able to speak to someone over the phone who is a natural born American with no accent whatsoever.


Really? Interesting. Feel free to forward some to me. The moderating team will happily take other peoples' feelings into account, but we are the moderating team and nobody else. We keep telling people to use the report buttons so we know that someone thinks there's a problem.

Rapscallion

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Yeah, I've noticed the disclaimers as well and it's annoying. But I understand why people put them there, considering how much the mods must have to deal with. They seem to constantly get messages from people offended over this and offended over that and how dare someone say this delete it now or don't you dare mention my God in a joking manner I can't take it. I found the post raps made about people sending the mods offended messages because people were making offhand references to dieties doing strange things hilarious. It really amazes me how easily some people become offended.

I knew a girl once who suffered from that particular affliction. She was really high strung and would constantly get offended over everything. She told me she had walked out of the theatre during the first ten minutes of There's Something About Mary because of the jokes made about mentally retarded people. I tried explaining that the movie was actually making fun of people who poke fun at the mentally handicapped, etc, and she was having none of it. She said "Well it just offended me, that's all. I just can't handle jokes about handicapped people. I don't know why. You know how some things just offend you? Well it just offended me.'

and I truthfully replied, 'no, I don't know. I never get offended at things unless they are directed toward me personally. And I especially don't let someone else's work of art offend me.' She was left completely speechless, as she spent a great deal of her time, as far as I could see, finding things to get offended over.

[Rapscallion]

I had to put that note in Site News because people were trying to out-do each other in having religious figures jump through hoops. I've got no objection to a bit here and there - everyone needs a thicker skin - but it was getting to ridiculous levels. It works both ways.

Rapscallion

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I'm afraid I have deleted them all, Raps. I stopped posting those stories several weeks ago so I haven't gotten any lately. The person who was sending most of them was quite clear about their feelings on the issue both in my threads and here in fratching, so I've no doubt they were complaining about it to you guys. I just found it annoying that they felt the need to try to antagonize me by PM. I ain't falling for that bait. :p

[CancelMyService]

I had to put that note in Site News because people were trying to out-do each other in having religious figures jump through hoops. I've got no objection to a bit here and there - everyone needs a thicker skin - but it was getting to ridiculous levels. It works both ways.

Rapscallion

Was that in reference to people saying stuff like "Jesus tapdancing Christ on a rusty 2x4"? Cause I always saw that as a way to show exasperation....like the more modifiers the more you wanted to Jedi Force strangle the SC in question. I honestly never saw it as a religious-figure-doing-silly-stuff contest.


I know it sounds condescending as all hell, but sometimes as a nonbeliever I get a kick out of how people seem to go out of their way to find (if not flat out invent) slights against the invisible spirit of their choosing.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Yes, that's exactly what Raps was referring to. I thought they were hilarious in the threads, I love it when people get creative with their swearing. But apparently it was upsetting for some.

[Rapscallion]

I'm afraid I have deleted them all, Raps. I stopped posting those stories several weeks ago so I haven't gotten any lately. The person who was sending most of them was quite clear about their feelings on the issue both in my threads and here in fratching, so I've no doubt they were complaining about it to you guys. I just found it annoying that they felt the need to try to antagonize me by PM. I ain't falling for that bait. :p

I don't remember seeing any complaints like that. I don't want anyone without the moderator title acting as one. We're there for a reason, and we often know more about situations than most members.

Yes, that's the sort of thing I was referring to in the Site News. I didn't mind the occasional mention, but it got to the point where people were trying to outdo each other in making mythical figures do stupid things. Depends where you draw the line.

Rapscallion

[Seshat]

On the other hand, I think that if people were to come up with outrageous things for the Flying Spaghetti Monster (http://www.venganza.org/) to do, the mods would be fine with it. :D

Of course, someone would probably become upset. :(

[Rapscallion]

I wouldn't want to be seen to discriminate (or even condone discrimination) against any particular religious group. No sirree!

I've got to look at it from both sides - some people need thicker skins, and others need to realise that their comments will cause some distress if taken too far.

Fun!

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Actually, give it twenty years and I bet there are people who genuinely believe in the FSM.

Rapscallion

[rahmota]

Forgive me my moderators but I may have crossed or stepped on some toes. I wasn't goig to mention this but I want to make sure you know about it if it should go off into somethign bigger. I've walked away from it but oh well.

Anyhow I was on Jaded car Guy's thread titled (Your music is OFFENSIVE!) and he and a lot fo the other people on there where ragging on and bashing rednecks and all. I know that most of the folks on the site are city dwellers and I know that the city is where the sucky customers all are but still not everyone from the coury is a moron.

Unfortunately that seems to be the common theme and fashion on CS at least right now and if I say, use or make a comment somewhat disparaging about the Urban dweller or otherwise take the stance of a city person being a problem then I get bitched at about it.

Anyhow I'm not relly sure there is anythign that needs or can be done about it just pointing out that the double standard people use is kinda irritating.

I means ometimes a person is just a universal jerk and any further adjectives are superfluous.

And yeah I am guilty of some of these things too but then i am only human.

[Pedersen]

Anyhow I was on Jaded car Guy's thread titled (Your music is OFFENSIVE!) and he and a lot fo the other people on there where ragging on and bashing rednecks and all. I know that most of the folks on the site are city dwellers and I know that the city is where the sucky customers all are but still not everyone from the coury is a moron.

Hey, Rahmota, psst. Secret for you: I'm a geek. Tried and true, through and through. Straight up, nothing but, couldn't change if I wanted to, geek.

Within the group of people who know/understand computers, being a geek is rather much a compliment. Outside of that group, it's a straight up insult. Go check out the average high school, for instance, and find out how the word "geek" is used.

I'm not a redneck. I'm a geek, a dweeb, a dork, a nerd. I'm not a jock, preppie, mama's boy. I'm the one that has the joke made about living in mom's basement for the rest of his life. Pure dork-age here.

And, guess what? I don't care how people use the word. I know what I am, and who I am. I know that I'm a good person. I know that those who choose to "insult" me with it are losing out on the opportunity to have a good friend, because that's one of the things I can very much be.

Those who call me a geek, but do so without malice, just to provide a label that others can use for reference, get the chance to learn more about me. Hell, my wife wears this t-shirt (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/5c89/).

I'm a geek. You're a redneck. Those who choose to view the label as an insult lose out. The rest? They get the chance to experience the rest of us.

Basically, I'm saying stop worrying about how people use the words we choose to describe ourselves. We know what we're worth. We know what they are losing out on. And, in the end, if they're so shallow as to ignore or belittle us because they misunderstand the word, how is that any great loss to us?

I'm a geek. And damned proud of it.

[rahmota]

yeah I suppose I should take the advice of my own sig (the one on CS not the one here though it might work too). But sometimes it gets a bit on irritating side when the double standard comes into play and people get bent about others using certain negative urban terms yet think nothign of using negative rural terms themselves. Oh well I get a bit oversensitive this time of year anyhow and need to chill it myself....

Oh well. People will be people.

[Seshat]

Oh, I quite understand. I'm geek myself, and my father comes from a rural background. At one point, I actually laid out all the major labels that apply to me - it's an impressive list.

Yes, double standards are irritating. Stereotypes are irritating. The mod team knows it, and if you report posts that are particularly egregious or offensive, we'll do something about it. That something may be invisible to you - sometimes we opt for a PM to the offender, or a chat with them. But we take some sort of action on every report, and many of us understand what it's like to be the target of such a double standard.

The biggest glitch in the system, though, is that the offensive post has to be reported. Most often, an apparent double standard from the mods occurs because one 'side' in the double standard doesn't report the posts that offend them.

[Boozy]

Rahmota: Does the term "redneck" in the US mean something different than it does here? I'm confused as to why you would identify with the term "redneck".

Here the term is an insult meaning an ignorant, ultra-conservative, and close-minded hick (usually from rural areas). So unless the term in the US is defined as "anyone at all from a rural area", then I can't see how you would fit the description.

I grew up on a farm in the country. My family and I are all well-read and educated, liberal-leaning, open-minded, and intelligent. I have never identified with the term "redneck" and have never been called one.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Yes boozy there is a large contingent of rural Americans who very proudly identify with the term redneck. My brother is one of them, he has a bumper sticker on his truck that says Gone Redneckin'. A redneck to them signifies someone who is very proud to be from the country and is into rural culture---which is extremely different from urban culture. Different music, different clothes, different slang, different values. Most urban Americans are like you, and don't even realize that it is anything but an insult.

It has to do with the early history of Germanic and British migration in our country. Some of the earliest immigrants were Germanic---German, Dutch, etc. They had a very specific culture, which emphasized order, obedience to society over family, not rocking the boat, etc. Later settlers were of Celtic extraction---the Scots-Irish, Irish, Scottish, etc. They were very different culturally---their culture emphasized loyalty to kin over society, mistrust of governmental authority, and fierce independence. The German peoples were quite alarmed by the rowdiness of the Celtic immigrants, describing them as wild, uncivilized, and trigger happy.

The people of German extraction are today more likely to be social conservatives---evangelical Christians, in other words. 'Rednecks' are distinct from them---they are more likely ot be of Celtic extraction. Two totally different groups that actually reside in one culture. Most people don't even realize.

I encourage you to read this. It explains it in great detail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck

[Boozy]

Thanks, TPG. Some very good info there.

I guess I was under the impression that "redneck" was only an insult and not a term to identify an entire group of people.

For example, no one ever personally identifies with the word "asshole". You can call someone an asshole without someone else beside you saying, "Hey, that's offensive to me. I am an asshole myself. Collectively, we are a proud people!" :)

Anyway, I hope I haven't used the term redneck and offended anyone. :o

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I hope I didn't steal Rahmota's thunder. I'd be curious as to what he identifies the term redneck with.

Anyway, I assure you that you are not the first and will not be the last to have no idea that some people call themselves rednecks. I myself am of Scots-Irish extraction, and my father's family were Arkies and Oakies---they came out from Arkansas and Oklahoma to pick fruit in California during the depression, just like in Grapes Of Wrath. My father proudly identified himself as a redneck, even though he was college educated and worked for the federal government. He had a very earthy sense of humor, lived to hunt wild game, and was an accomplished survivalist. I was raised by him to be fiercely independent.

You must realize that the term redneck IS an insult. It's been used since colonial times and was intended as such. Celtic immigrants tended to settle in places like the Appalachias and do things like grow corn and brew moonshine. The more sophisticated, educated immigrants on the coast looked down their noses at them and called them rednecks. Their descendants have reclaimed the word and identify with it.

[rahmota]

TPG: Nah you didnt steal any thunder. You probably gave as good or better explanation as to why a person might call themselves redneck as I could. Especially hungover today.:p

But yeah Redneck is sort of a countercultural way of saying we are not like you we are us. We live by a certain code that includes some not so nice things, some stuff we think is nice but you may not and we are definately not urban. Its a way of kinda giving the finger to a society that has gotten too stifling and uptight about itself. Good ol boy might be another term to use but takes more letters and effort to say. and that term has some different conotations anyhow. As being a member of the good ol boy network is being part of the power base. Redneck is part of not being in the power base.

Also yeah it was used as an insult but by takign it and standing up to it some and myself included feel that you may have tried to insult us but we know who we are and without us rednecks working out in the hot hard sun the upper crust just might not be living so high on the hog.

For example I guess another word that I've heard used this way is the whole nigga/nigger thing. N--er is a deadly insult that will get your throat cut in some parts but n--ga is a term of endearment and friendship. The way one guy I used to work with explained it to me is about the way i explained the way redneck is. Its a way of turnign the insult around and throwing it back at the ones using it by saying yeah right whatever we aint gonna let you have power over us with this word we are gonna take it and use it ourselves. *shrug* dont know.

A lot of what makes it (either the N-- or redneck) an insult is how its used, the attitude behind the way its used and in some ways the crowd its used in.

Also to a redneck the ignorant inbred stereotype goes to the hillbillies. Even out here there is a pecking order. Although labels arent quite the same out here. A lot of it depends on your attitude and general behavior. Bsaically to ourselves we have good folk, bad folk and folk. Good folk are the ones you can trust, like and talk to. Bad folk are the ones you wanna feed them their own teeth. And folk are those that aint fallen into either category yet.

Whats really funny is I'm of almost pure german descent. The only others I have is some anglo and saxon on my greatgrandfather's side. (I am very distantly related to issaac newton throuhg a few convolutions) So take that for what you will as I am about as far from right wing as you can get and not be wrapping around on some things. I have some very liberal ideas, some very conservative ideas, some moderate ideas some off the wall ideas. I have a college degree, Yet I work with dirt under my nails and the college degree is shoved in a box somewhere in the stoarge shed pretty much useless to me. Aside from meeting my wives and my best friend in college it was a waste of time.

Anyhow I've been lettng myself slip into getting all riled up about what other people think. Thats not the redneck way. And yeah a little introspection now and again is a good thing letting it go too far is not. I am who and what i am. Like me or not based on what I do and say. I'm over thinking the problem as my grandfather used to say. I just need to back off, come at this from a different perspective and not worry so much about it.

I hope this has helped you understand where I'm coming from on this. It really is another world out here. So anyhow I'm gonna go try and sleep last night off some more.

[Seshat]

Anyhow I've been lettng myself slip into getting all riled up about what other people think. Thats not the redneck way. And yeah a little introspection now and again is a good thing letting it go too far is not. I am who and what i am. Like me or not based on what I do and say. I'm over thinking the problem as my grandfather used to say. I just need to back off, come at this from a different perspective and not worry so much about it.

I think so - and I'm pleased to see you saying it. I'm also grateful to Phone Goddess for the background information. That's helped my understanding enormously.

I think you, Rahmota, just need to remember that most people have no clue about the stuff Phone Goddess talked about: and that a large percentage of those who do know, wouldn't put the pieces together and understand that there are two entirely different cultures in conflict in that situation.

The USA really is an incredible melange of cultures, and the more I learn about it, the more surprised I am that you haven't torn yourselves apart from cultural conflict.

[DesignFox]

I do believe that many people are too sensitive. I also think that's where some of the "I'm such and such..." defenses come in- no one wants to be seen as a racist/prejudiced. It sort of becomes a vicious cycle.

I water my comments. I don't type half of what I might say to a person because I know that through written word it may come across as offensive. You can't hear my tone of voice through words on a page!

I also try to avoid including ethnic, racial or religious details of the person. Most of the time it has nothing to do with what I have to say anyway, but if it does, I don't post the story for fear of someone misinterpreting my meaning.

And sometimes- I really do want to make a joke or two. But I know it would hurt somebody (or someone might spin it that way). So, I just don't do it.

It's amazing how much writing what I want to say makes me think about the meanings of the words I'm about to use. Writing has a lot of power. Some people will always be too sensitive- so you're just bound to step on some toes. But, sometimes, when you really look at what you've typed, and you take a minute to edit it, and think about the hundreds of people who may read those comments- it makes you re-think those words. It makes you see how some of your own opinions may really be hurtful to somebody else- even if you don't intend them to be.

I think the problem is that some people don't realize what they are saying because they consider posting to be just like any other conversation... they don't think that it's any different- but it is... I've learned...it is.

As for me, I live by the idea that words only have power over you if you lend them that power. So, people can say what they want. I know who I am. :D

And, next time I think something may be going overboard, I'll try to make an effort to hit that report button. :o

[DesignFox]

The USA really is an incredible melange of cultures, and the more I learn about it, the more surprised I am that you haven't torn yourselves apart from cultural conflict.

You posted just before me, so I gotta come back in and say that you gave me a giggle there.

It's true- we are such a mish-mash. If you go to the north-east part of the country, it is VERY different from the rest of the country. New Jersey should probably just be it's own country the way we behave... :rolleyes:

Down south, everything is different. I went to Louisiana. I was amazed. I wasn't staying at a tourist place- I was staying with real people. On their property. In the middle of no-where. It is a whole new world out there. People are very laid back. Things are relaxed.

For example, it can take you 20 minutes to get food at Burger King. Up here, that's unheard of!

Out west, in California, (or at least the San Jose area where I was staying) people actually stop for pedestrians in a cross walk. My friend even yelled at me for wearing a particular shirt I owned- it was from that joke 7-up commercial where the front says "Make 7" and the back says "Up Yours." I thought the commercial was hiliarious- I loved that t-shirt. But he told me, "People aren't like that here." He shamed me into wearing my sweatshirt over that in 70-80 degree heat!

And at one time- we did have a civil war. We did nearly tear ourselves apart.

I like to think that era is far passed... I think it's interesting that we tolerate each other as different as we all are. I don't think things are as inflammatory as some conversations can make them out to be...or at least I haven't gotten that impression in my travels. People overall are way too sensitive...but I think those are just the loud minority. I hope anyway....:(

[ArenaBoy]

The USA really is an incredible melange of cultures, and the more I learn about it, the more surprised I am that you haven't torn yourselves apart from cultural conflict.

Like Designfox said, every region of the country is incredibly different. In the midwest and northeast (With the exception of New York) region, people are more or less welcoming yet hard working and expect things to be done on time. Whereas out west people tend to be more relaxed and easygoing. It's amazing how different the areas are. When I was down south last summer I had people being polite to me while I was driving, doing things such as letting me into their lane etc. It's unheard of in my state.

As for people and reacting, I try my hardest not to take offense. Like I said people need to grow a thick skin. I have no problem with a story that starts with: I got a call from this person who lived out in the country and had no idea that he didn't plug his computer in. However when the story goes like this: I swear all those people who live out in the country must be stupid. Then it's right to take offense. Simply, if it's a part of the story; READ THE DAMN STORY and don't take offense.

[Seshat]

I have no problem with a story that starts with: I got a call from this person who lived out in the country and had no idea that he didn't plug his computer in. However when the story goes like this: I swear all those people who live out in the country must be stupid. Then it's right to take offense. Simply, if it's a part of the story; READ THE DAMN STORY and don't take offense.

That's pretty much one of my guidelines when modding. If the story talks about this particular person, and says that that one person was acting stupid (or mean, or whatever); I'm cool with it. If the poster generalises from that one person and says that all Xs are stupid (or mean, or whatever); I'm not cool with it at all.

Unfortunately, where the post is ambiguous or the 'all X are Y' is inferred (by me or by someone hitting the report button), it's more of a judgement call. Just because you or I infer a generalisation, it doesn't mean the original poster intended to imply the generalisation.

But that's where writing carefully comes in. DesignFox is right: if anyone can infer a generalisation from what you write, it's almost certain that someone will. If you write ambiguously, it's almost certain that someone will read it the way you didn't mean it. :rolleyes:

Mods really appreciate people who write carefully. :)

[rahmota]

Seshat: yeah I've been having some interesting issue in the real world. Happens a lot this time of year but for some reason been happening a lot more this time of year. And on top of that theres this vague sense of unease abut the world in general and more personally a sense of feelign adrift or not quite in control of my own life. Not sur what exactly is going on there but its kinda led me down some paths that aint where I want to be as a person. I'm getting back to getting my sheet together but its taking some time. And I'm not wanting to say this as some sort of cop out.

And yeah its a ddifferent country just between urban and rural too. Not just the big thingof the regions. i go down to cincinnati and its a different enough culture that I'm the fish out of water. Not as bad I'm sure as if I went to New York or something but still. Urban vs rural north v south east vs west. It is amazing we havent had more anarchy than we have since the civil war. Oh well theres still time...

Arena: a story that starts with: I got a call from this person who lived out in the country and had no idea that he didn't plug his computer in.
Okay and how is that better than this: I got a call from this guy and he had no idea how to plug his computer in! Still gets the story told and yet doesnt say anything that could be misinterpreted or is really nonessential. Doesnt matter if hes country or urban, martian or human even.

[CancelMyService]

I for one think describing the person involved in the topic at hand helps paint a picture, takes you to the moment if you will. If people stop being descriptive out of fear of offending people then every post becomes bland and monotonous. If I start a post with "I ran into a real idiot today, he was this fat southern guy and....blah blah" I'm not saying all southern guys are fat and stupid, just that THIS GUY happened to be that way.

Personally, as someone of Irish descent, I have a soft spot for what's known as "redneck" culture. After all, most country comes from bluegrass and that derived from Celtic music. Where do ya'll think you got the whole fiddle thing from? :D

[rahmota]

Cancel: yeah that is true. The proper adjectives can help paint a picture. Some people do overdo it a bit though. And some times it gets a bit irritating. And sometiems I or others may overreact.

Bah I'm starting to sound like one of those political correctness manual. Need to reimerse myself in some coutry culture...whares tha bottle?:p It'll work out in the end. It usually does.

And definately Celtic culture runs throuhg the hills of appalachia like the rivers do. Same with the German or Deutch as the Amish call themselves. And you just named three of the top forms of music I listen to: Country, Blurgrass, and Celtic (Gaelic Storm Rocks!) Only thing I listen to more is rock and that even grew out of a fusion of blues and southern country/rockabillie.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I personally don't see the harm in using racial terms to paint a picture in a post. It only gets to be a problem when generalisations are made.

Over here, it's not "redneck" that's used, it's "chav". Some people have a problem with that word, but I will stress that I know a lot of people who dress trendily who are not chavs. It's not just a visual stereotype, it refers to a person's behaviour and attitude, too.

As for being offended, I take great pride in my personal label "freak" and have been known to sling back "normal!" at people who label me that. XD I often say "for the love of cheese!" or "for cheese's sake!" rather than "for the love of god!" or "for god's sake!". Am I being cheesist? O_o