I have to say out loud here that I am not politically correct, am not a Professor of English and am not British.
I am normally quite gay -- but sometimes I can get very depressed.
Now please - if you cannot/.don't want to understand that there are four words in that sentence that can have different meanings in this imperfect language of ours and you have a tendency towards political correctness, pedantry or simply one of those who actively look for insult/offence where no insult/offence is intended - then PLEASE PLEASE ignore any/all of my postings and do not attempt to force your understanding of words onto me.
Thanks - now back to my training for a 10K in two weeks time!
Written by
Bazza1234
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I don't know you and I have no reason to think you're not a perfectly decent person.
But if you post your comment on a public forum, you have to be open to criticism (especially if you are not "politically correct", as you claim).
Asking to other people to either agree with you or ignore you without criticising (this is the fundamental meaning of your post) is pretty naïve...
Best regards,
Saverio
P.S. Neither I am British, but this is not a justification; people don't read our minds, they read what we write and it is our responsibility to chose the right words to avoid misunderstandings and/or to further explain ourselves when needed.
It is very easy to ignore people in Forums if you consider what they say to be offensive - there is usually a way in which this can be done.
I am simply saying please do it -- rather than react/ be offended by anything I say. I don't ever seek to offend - however I am aware that there is an increasing incidence of people who are easily offended these days - they are unaware of the degree of their political correctness .
I know you can ignore people and posts but, as you have the right to publicly express your "politically incorrect" thoughts, other people have the right to react to them as they see fit.
The world and the society do not conform to your wish, if you do not seek to offend anybody, it is you who have to be careful... to be the "fittest" or, at least, "fitter" to use your words from another post.
My personal policy on the matter is to block nobody as I consider myself mature enough to face critics and to judge how seriously I should take other people's comments. But what works for me does not necessarily work for all.
You are of course -completely correct. We all have our "pet hates" which we find to be particularly irritating - for me , one of my "buttons" is political correctness , something which I have seen to be increasing greatly over the past few decades.
I happen to think you are rather wonderful Bazza. I have gained so much from your posts which I also think are rather wonderful. This forum has always been so amazing because we all accept one another as we are and it makes me so sad that things have changed. Stay strong and stay you 😃😃😃
Well Bazza, to me "politically correctness" is an ass.
Because of this, I unintentionally always put my foot in my mouth, but because I am of mature age, I feel I can get away with it. 😇
I actually enjoy double meanings and find it an entertaining game in conversation.
i mean, here in W.A. for ever we called our beautiful bush trees "black boys" because of their colours and shapes, however, political correctness has now decided "black" and "boy" were a racist term and we were obliged to change the name to "grass tree" !!! Now how silly is this!
I think the object of this post is regarding the different levels of meaning of the word "depressed", right?
I personally took it as a light meaning (the way I feel at the moment because of my lousy running ☹️) others may take it as a more in depth meaning, others may just take it literally as a dictionary would take it, while others may take it as a medical term. After all, it is what make this world interesting, to all be differently minded.
I believed I understood what you meant with the term "depressed" and really appreciated your link. This sharing of tips and ideas is what makes this forum interesting and useful.
AND I will try not to be too "depressed" (as I am now) because I find it hard to improve my running to reach this dreadful 12k by June / July. I just can't do it, I will never get there, no way can I reach my goal. I am trying so hard and it is distressing to me to realise my legs, at the moment, are so tired after 5K and I may not be able to achieve my goal. However, thinking of that girl story, I feel like : "snap out of it, think about that girl and what she has to go through and she is running a Marathon! So what is a lousy 12K !"
So let it be if other people are unhappy over a word. Obviously it genuinely means something very different to them and it is very important to them. However you cannot read people's mind or know their personal history, and it would be time consuming for all of us to have to analyse every words we write to fit in with different level of meanings.
Anything that will help me reach my goal in July is more than welcome.😀
NHS - are you trying to reach the 12K running non-stop?? When I was just starting out on C25k, I decided I would attempt the 14K Sydney City to Surf - using run/walk at 2/1 ratio. I managed to do it and subsequently went on to complete a HM last year at the same pace and using a tighter 1min/30sec ratio. When I complained to someone that I was exhausted (legs wise) at the end of the HM and could not possibly even think of doubling that distance , he said that is the way you are supposed to feel at the end of a race - it IS a race after all, not a training run!! Now I realise that I am also exhausted ( but in a different way) at the end of my weekly parkrun!!
You have plenty of time to stretch those training runs out to 12K by July - try using run/walk if your are now running non-stop - and if you are already using run/walk, then lengthen the walking periods. When you eventually, do that 12K - you will wonder what the fuss was all about!!
Yes Bazza, I am trying to do the 12K running non-stop. Somehow I find the run/walk is harder. Once I stop running and walk, it is hard for me to run again. I had a go at it but perhaps it is because I run say 10 or 15 minutes then walk and so on. I owe to give it a go with a shorter ratio, say 2/1. Still working at it.
Sorry Bazza but I think it is a lazy way out to dismiss a criticism of something you say as political correctness without bothering to respond to the points raised. In your original post you equated depression with feeling sorry for yourself, which I and several other people pointed out was totally untrue. That would have been that. But you then followed it up with talking of Darwinism and survival of the fittest suggesting that depression was a 'weakness', Depression is a serious and life-threatening illness, which has obviously affected many of us on this forum who felt belittled and insulted by your words. We were not being 'politically correct'. We were expressing our genuine feelings. You would presumably not speak of cancer in such a derogatory way. Anyway, block me if you like: I shan't block you. I find politically incorrect Aussies (or is that tautology?) quite entertaining
Hi Bazza, I'm a live and let live type. I picked up your "misuse" of the word depression and it did cross my mind that some people might be upset by it. But when things like that happen I normally just think "let it go. He didn't mean to insult anyone. He's just using words in their old sense". I love your posts and hope this "shit storm" doesn't put you off.
I live in Germany and the Germans have a problem with the distinction between English and British. For them everyone is English. I am actually English, so it doesn't bother me, but the Welsh and Scots have a real struggle. But the Germans really don't mean to upset people.
I think tolerance should go in both directions. We should all try to avoid hurting people, but those who are inadvertently hurt should also realise no insult was intended.
Really not sure why someone who has the strength of character to complete C25K finds it impossible to just say "Sorry, perhaps I should have said 'Feeling low' instead of depressed" and then we could all move on and talk as usual about what we're here for, what we have in common. (Whether you privately feel people are being oversensitive or not)
Without wanting to sound harsh, this forum supported me from the start of c25k and beyond, but this type of thread is a little disappointing and deflating.
I read the posts for inspiration, for support and to know I'm not alone when my running isn't going so well. I don't feel it's the right arena for 'venting' over issues which, quite frankly, are really insignificant.
I rarely post, but read the digest daily and take comfort in the knowledge that there are people out there who are 'bonded' through their running experiences.
Let's keep this forum as a place of non judgmental support and 'safety' for those who wish to post.
The support I've had on here from the outset has been great - thankyou
Bazza, your viewpoint is distinctive and individual and I have learned a lot from your posts on here, but you can't ask or expect others to remain silent if they disagree with your statements or inferences. There is no need for anyone to block others, surely. The exchange of opinions across the planet is what makes forums, such as this one, such a valuable form of communication. We are a pretty civilised and supportive bunch on here and acknowledging other people's sensitivities, even if we disagree with them is just common courtesy and one can of course reply to argue the point, which, from my analysis, is all that happened in the original post.
Let's continue to exchange opinions and raise one another's awareness of the diversity of personalities and types that make this shared community so invigorating. I hope that doesn't sound too PC to you!
Great, an arument about semantics on a running forum.
Really, can we not leave the 'Political Correctness' argument to sandal-wearing Grauniadistas and Daily Mail readers who want the Black and Whte Minstrel show back?
So Bazza could have chosen his words better in his original post, true, but then again, I have never noticed these storms of protest when people post "Failed W4R2 - too depressed to talk about it", or "so depressed, I haven't been able to run for a week because of rain/injury". For that matter when people say "Had a senior moment and forgot my Parkrun barcode", the common useage of these terms is generally assumed, rather than a slight, intended or unintended to people who suffer clinical depression or Alzheimers.
Whilst I read Bazza's original post in the spirit in which it was intended, I can see how someone to whom it is a sensitive subjct might conceivably take it the wrong way and be upset, but Bazza has made it abundantly clear in his clarification that that was not his intention and that should be the end of the story. Demanding apologies or his head on a pike is quite unecessary. Raking over this whole thing endlessly serves no purpose. There are plenty of places online to debate this sort of tedium, but this is not one of them. Let's stick to running, health and fitness.
Bazza I had reports from your last post yesterday but I let it fly because I thought others were putting their opinions forward in a tactful way, and the discussion was confined. You could of personally sorted out that post by just as you had advised others ignoring but you chose to inflame. This forum is or never has been about individual persecution of any form. We are all different and have different opinions.
While your posts are interesting and informative I can't help feeling in this instance you are inflaming a situation on the forum that was ready to die down. I have been closely watching the post and that post was ready die down move to another page and that would the end of it.
You have concioiusly moved the issue to another page started it all again for another day and bringing more upset in its wake.
I will spend another day closely watching this post but I if it becomes an outright battle on here I will delete the whole post because I will not have this issue carrying on for any more days on here.
You are more than welcome to message me if you want to reply to me and the other admin and Heathunlocked support on this matter.
I think I am, at least in part, responsible for the current situation.
The way I see it, there is no harm if a conversation become a little heated (within a reasonable limit) when the parties are passionate about the topic.
I think that, regardless to the disagreement and the "passionate" argumentations, both topics stayed within the boundaries of a civilised exchange of views.
I'd be very sorry if that turns into a pro-/against- Bazza poll.
I'd like to say that the "incident" is close... but, IMVHO, there has been no incident at all to begin with.
Best regards (and sorry for the extra work caused)
How about we read each other's posts with a bit of common sense and a lot of goodwill? I have never encountered anyone posting here with the intention to hurt; in fact the complete opposite. It is an exceptionally kind and supportive forum. Look around the internet if you really think c25k is a nest of vipers. There are plenty of places I wouldn't want to post. Let's just keep it cosy, inclusive and friendly for everyone's sake.
I totally agree. Maybe read posts with kindness, balance what is said with an open mind and better to say nothing. Words can easily be misunderstood, intentions are always out of kindness here. Let's not get like the rest of the Internet, we are family. Julie
The first post with the use of the word depression is something that is understandable in terms of the common usage of the word as opposed to the clinical usage. The second post in defense of the first with the "survival of the fittest" analogy was unkind in words and tone.
What is the big deal with saying that no harm was meant rather than getting defensive ? Being supportive of one another is the point of this board. Kindness goes a long way.
Political correctness is not the issue. People experiencing mental health issues are often criticized as being "too" sensitive whereas mental health issues have long been not taken seriously.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Not sure I enjoyed that! W5r3
51, absolutely no sport for the past 33 years and miraculously finished/enjoyed week 1
Never in a million years would I have believed it!
Hi there, I'm a newbie on this forum but I'm now on week 8 run 2 and I now have the running bug.
Just when I was really enjoying it.
