They're tortured until they agree, and even when they've been re-educated, the state still liquidates them (or more correctly erases them from existence).

Big Brother doesn't control thought per se, though it would if it could, it controls all external aspects of peoples lives (and ultimately their existence physically). The end result of authoritarianism, is that ultimately, that it proceeds from power over aspects of lives, to the existence of those lives.

So I think its a bit of a hyperbole to use 1984 in the way that the popular culture does as an analogy, whether its for CCTV, new legislation or Political correctness

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

I think sometimes its a case of people exercising power and authority disproportionately, because it validates their existence. I'm pretty pro-Political Correctness, but it does annoy me when more modern adherents see it as a blunt tool to hammer their views into others; rather than as a means to create discourse around an issue.

In the later, its not about actually taking offence at blacking up, but to discuss the historical history of racism and the preconceptions of ethnicity. The idea being, at the end of the day, you'll never stop people being racist - but you can get them to be more racially aware and sensitive to how others might perceive their actions (and its a very effective tool - because it effectively gets people to question their own preconceptions in a way most people don't).

So the whole Ba-ba-Black Sheep, was about getting people to think about how language is not value free - or effectively discussing the work of Potter and Weatherall - without having to learn a lot of social contstructionist theory). So silly and absurd work quite well for political correctness.

Problem is, when you adopt the first example, as a means of hammering views into others, you create resistance to change in people (they become defensive).

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

If they're doing it well.

Optimistic as ever

If they aren't its called fancy dress. If go to a comic con as a superhero, its fancy dress...

Its a bit like being a red head or ginger, its about how attractive or appealing you are....

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

UCL are fools for removing the tweet and apologising!

In the case of the chap at darts, I really don't think he was mocking ethnicity.As far as I can see he was mocking the politician who happens to be black.

If a black chap had "White-faced" wore a Theresa May wig and mocked her in a similar fashion would there have been a similar reaction ? I would have found this quite amusing and certainly not concluded that he was a racist on account of what he had done.

Edited by Willo (18 Dec 2017 5.52pm)