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Saying it right

With the elections around the corner, everyone is hungry for news. There’s a lot of speculation and gossip, be it in corporate corridors, roadside eateries or coffee shops.

Politicians firing salvos at opponents are suddenly growing wary of what they say to escape the wrath of the Election Commission. Netas are becoming watchful of their speeches to sound ‘politically correct.’ Interestingly, apart from those who are in the fray, there’s a fresh group that’s increasingly becoming obsessed with being politically correct, 24x7. They are determined to avoid using language that may be offensive to others. So what are they doing to sound politically correct? The neighbourhood barber becomes ‘hairdresser’, the tailor ‘fashion designer’, the grocer ‘food retailer’, the terrorist ‘a misguided youth’ and the pickpocket ‘an economic offender’! But people’s views on the subject differ. Says Snehalatha Bhardwaj, for instance, “I find it ridiculous. I don’t see any harm in sharing jokes based on nationality or ethnicity, as long as they are done just for fun. I don’t want to be politically correct at least when I am with my close friends. It would really take the sheen off our friendship. You cannot think of exercising diplomacy all the time. If you do so, where is the real you?” Pavan Ankam fears losing his sense of humour by trying to be what he is not. “It is not always possible to measure your words before you utter them. That’s too much of diplomacy and I am not for it,” he shrugs. Most youngsters feel they might never be able to share jokes without fear of offending someone if ‘political correctness’ has to be taken into account. “Because of the emphasis on political correctness, humour is becoming less acceptable,” rues Bhavana, a happy-go-lucky college student.

The shrewder ones have, however, found a way out of this predicament. Taking the middle path, they follow simple guidelines that may hold good for others too.

Telling jokes? Try to gauge the group of people you are telling them to, especially what might offend them. Choose jokes that are appropriate, avoiding racial, ethnic, sexual or other kinds of humour. One must exercise extra caution when telling jokes to strangers or casual acquaintances. Old friends will forgive minor offences, but an inappropriate comment may prevent others from becoming your friend. When in the company of potential clients or business partners, it is best to remain professional and keep humour to the minimum.

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