Has political correctness actually gone mad?

Pexbo said:
”Well said Bill Maher”. The guy is a joke these days. He‘s always been a contrarian, smug wanker but he’s just slid into the same middle aged “you can’t say anything these days” while literally saying anything on his main stream, establishment, soap box.
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This, Maher is a fecking dick who thinks he’s cool cos he smokes weed and acts all contrarian.
 
stevoc said:
Can’t say I’ve ever watched Mahers show so I couldn’t speculate on his reasons. Was anyone back then making a concerted effort to avoid stating that the h1n1 virus came from North America?

In this video though he does make a good point. It has been customary for viruses to become named after the place they first broke out. While personally I don’t see the need to refer to it as a Chinese virus. The fact is it did originate in Wuhan.
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If you want to argue it be called the Wuhan virus, then I’d argue against it but accept it as a credible case. The ‘Chinese’ virus seems too obviously designed to stir up anti-Chinese sentiment that I doubt anyone can argue that in good faith.

Then, even aside from the legitimacy of naming it Wuhan/Chinese virus, surely once it’s clear that some reprehensible people are using anti-Chinese rhetoric, abuse or violence due to the virus, I’d question the motive of anyone insisting on naming it after its place of origin. In that sense it’s incomparable to others like Zika/Ebola, and nor is every virus automatically named after its origin/first known case. Hence last pandemic mostly known as H1N1 or simply swine flu.
 
BobbyManc said:
If you want to argue it be called the Wuhan virus, then I’d argue against it but accept it as a credible case. The ‘Chinese’ virus seems too obviously designed to stir up anti-Chinese sentiment that I doubt anyone can argue that in good faith.
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Not sure i did argue that it should be called the Wuhan virus did i? My point was that this virus is different to most in that it seems there has been a concerted effort to disassociate the virus with Wuhan/China. Now if that was to quell anti Chinese sentiment fair enough i have no problem with that. But on the same token i personally wouldn't bat an eyelid if someone did refer to it as the Wuhan virus either.

Then, even aside from the legitimacy of naming it Wuhan/Chinese virus, surely once it’s clear that some reprehensible people are using anti-Chinese rhetoric, abuse or violence due to the virus, I’d question the motive of anyone insisting on naming it after its place of origin. In that sense it’s incomparable to others like Zika/Ebola, and nor is every virus automatically named after its origin/first known case. Hence last pandemic mostly known as H1N1 or simply swine flu.
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Pretty sure it was referred to as H1N1 because it was a new strain of a virus we already knew about, namely the 'Spanish Flu'.

And to be fair since then in 2012 MERS originated in Saudi Arabia and it is known as Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome. So its not like naming a virus after it's place of origin is a long since passed convention.
 
stevoc said:
Not sure i did argue that it should be called the Wuhan virus did i? My point was that this virus is different to most in that it seems there has been a concerted effort to disassociate the virus with Wuhan/China. Now if that was to quell anti Chinese sentiment fair enough i have no problem with that. But on the same token i personally wouldn't bat an eyelid if someone did refer to it as the Wuhan virus either.



Pretty sure it was referred to as H1N1 because it was a new strain of a virus we already knew about, namely the 'Spanish Flu'.

And to be fair since then in 2012 MERS originated in Saudi Arabia and it is known as Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome. So its not like naming a virus after it's place of origin is a long since passed convention.
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Sorry I was referring to a general ‘you’ and not you specifically when I was making that first point, should have worded that more clearly.

The argument for H1N1 doesn’t stack up because we do have the equivalent of Covid 19 which is what is used in most mainstream media and general discussion, or simply coronavirus. Anyone going out of their way to insist it be called the Wuhan or Chinese virus to me is almost certainly doing it in bad faith. I mean Trump is the only high profile person I’ve seen use it which sums it up.
 
Pagh Wraith said:
Probably belongs in this thread. Well said, Bill Maher.

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I used to be a big fan of Maher's shows, largely due to the diversity of opinion on his panels but the guy has become extremely precious and insufferable over the last couple of years to the point where Real Time is almost unwatchable. Now the only entertaining thing about him is that funny face he pulls whenever he gets shown up by one or two of his guests. Maher is like an idiots idea of what a clever political commentator sounds like.
 
Gibb11 said:
I think Maher makes a excellent grounded point. This virus is a responsibility of a some people in China there is no getting away from this.

A bit of self reflection is important.. If a stranger or friend was talking to you about the virus and passingly called it ''the Chinese virus" or "wuhan virus" ask yourself some questions.. would you know what they're reffering to? Would you correct them on the name there and then? Do you find what they said offensive?
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I have and would correct anyone calling this Chinese Virus. It's of the utmost importance because there is a xenophobic campaign against china and that naming will play a role in it.

That's from a moral point of view. I hate and stand against any discriminstion of the sort. My facebook feed has seen some very disturbing opinions about the Chinese. Our extreme right will (already is) milk it.

If it were only a technical issue, even though there are consensuses that that sort of naming is a thing from the past, I would not correct anyone, I'm not a pedant.
 
Mad British Cow Disease anyone?

Italian syphilis?

Egyptian smallpox?

And lets not forget this is a bat virus originally and the distribution of various source or intermediate host animals isn't something China can control even if they could reduce the risk posed by wet markets. And lets also not forget that we don't know if the disease jumped to humans in the market or elsewhere and then a sick person visited or worked at the market.

Finally that isn't how we name viruses or the illness they cause. Why would we want to change that? Certainly not for scientific reasons.
 
"Hey guys, can we perhaps relax on this 'Chinese virus' nonsense? It's putting the physical safety of some of my East Asian friends in jeopardy...."
I'm sorry but technically it's a Chinese virus from China so...
"Yeah I understand that mate but like my Chinese mate was literally getting spat on in the streets like a month ago and that was before the anti-Chinese sentiment really started escalating..."
Sorry about your mate but it's from China so it's Chinese. I wish I could stop but it's a Chinese virus from China just like Italian Syphilis, ya know.
"Can you at least acknowledge how this name might be weaponised by racists?"
You trying to call me a racist?
"Not at all mate, I was just hoping you'd appreciate how racists..."
YOU CALLING ME RACIST EH? EVERY THING IS RACIST NOWADAYS! CAN'T EVEN CALL THE PAKI SHOP THE PAKI SHOP NOW EVEN THOUGH THE BLOKE IS FROM PAKISTAN! PC GONE MAD!
"What?"
LOL! TRIGGERED MUCH? IT'S A CHINESE VIRUS FROM CHINA, SCIENCE SAYS SO, ARE YOU ARGUING WITH SCIENCE? ARE YOU CALLING SCIENCE RACIST? You lot are so sensitive. Was Einstein a racist?
"Well....actually, never mind..."
Ha! There goes your strawman. Another win for the good guys.
 
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BobbyManc said:
Sorry I was referring to a general ‘you’ and not you specifically when I was making that first point, should have worded that more clearly.

The argument for H1N1 doesn’t stack up because we do have the equivalent of Covid 19 which is what is used in most mainstream media and general discussion, or simply coronavirus. Anyone going out of their way to insist it be called the Wuhan or Chinese virus to me is almost certainly doing it in bad faith. I mean Trump is the only high profile person I’ve seen use it which sums it up.
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No worries mate.

To be fair I haven’t really heard anyone in person or on TV/ Internet/Radio etc call it the Wuhan virus recently. Not since around when the news broke worldwide at the start of the year anyway. As you say COVID-19 or coronavirus is used by virtually everyone. For example the thread here on the virus which was started months ago is actually titled the Wuhan virus.
 
stevoc said:
No worries mate.

To be fair I haven’t really heard anyone in person or on TV/ Internet/Radio etc call it the Wuhan virus recently. Not since around when the news broke worldwide at the start of the year anyway. As you say COVID-19 or coronavirus is used by virtually everyone. For example the thread here on the virus which was started months ago is actually titled the Wuhan virus.
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We tend to confuse naming - SARS-CoV-2 is the virus and COVID-19 the disease it causes.
 
Pagh Wraith said:
Probably belongs in this thread. Well said, Bill Maher.

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How on earth is that "well said"? Firstly, it's been 5 years since the WHO changed its guidelines regarding the naming of viruses (and I believe the custom of naming them after place of origin had fallen out of favour long before that.) Secondly, if we were to follow that tradition, it'd be the Wuhan virus (which it was, until it got its official name, per the new guidelines.)

Protesting it being called "the Chinese virus" isn't wokeness or political correctness, it's calling out a very obvious attempt at stirring anti-Chinese sentiment. And given that the mouthbreathing troglodytes that nod along in acknowledgement to the idea that it should be called "the Chinese virus" can't tell most East Asians apart, it's essentially the same as stirring anti-East Asian sentiment.
 
That's supposed to be Michael Jackson?
 
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Pexbo said:
”Well said Bill Maher”. The guy is a joke these days. He‘s always been a contrarian, smug wanker but he’s just slid into the same middle aged “you can’t say anything these days” while literally saying anything on his main stream, establishment, soap box.
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Exactly my thought. Bill Maher has said whatever he pleases. I don't like him or his views but his fame and following should be proof that he has the freedom to say what he wants.

Can I also have the freedom of saying I don't like certain labels and words? Idiot.
 
SteveJ said:
That's supposed to be Michael Jackson?
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On second thoughts: maybe this is a new statue someone's sculpted, given the the 'quality' of the recent ones of footballers.
 
SteveJ said:
On second thoughts: maybe this is a new statue someone's sculpted, given the the 'quality' of the recent ones of footballers.
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I was going to say, it’s only the second worst Michael Jackson statue I’ve seen.
 
Spongebob Squarepants came out today apparently. Seems a bit I dunno, off topic for that show?

I hope the Power Puff Girls don't follow suit. Blossom is hot. Or was it Bubbles?
 
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he'll yeah brother
 
Hopkins' Twitter a/c suspended again.
 
Suggestions today they might ban swing low sweet chariot.

Would prefer them to just ban ruggers instead.
 
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Vidyoyo said:
Suggestions today they might ban swing low sweet charity.

Would prefer them to just ban ruggers instead.
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I expect it was a typo, but it's chariot, rather than charity. It's an African American spiritual song, it's about going to heaven.
 
Penna said:
I expect it was a typo, but it's chariot, rather than charity. It's an African American spiritual song, it's about going to heaven.
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Yeah definitely a typo.

Anyway, all of this is news to me so while it might be a little crass, it's nice to learn about its origins.
 


Another example of right wing media kicking up a fuss over nothing, so they can then blame the left for being unreasonable.
 
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