In 1945 bums were there to be whacked.

Yes, undoubtedly the audience of this adult-oriented motion picture was supposed to be thinking of the classic spanking-based claim (by a child's chastiser) that "This hurts me more than it does you."

It was certainly true, in terms of emotional distress to the mother who was reluctantly carrying out a new role as her son's disciplinarian within this situation, which is why I thought that the boy's strapping with the belt should have been shown onscreen, featuring the camera's focus on the facial expressions of both characters.

The whole scene struck me as being about their reactions, especially those of Sally Field's character, rather than how the other household members (merely overhearing it) felt about the boy's punishment, so to me the corporal correction occurring offscreen was rather of a 'cop-out' by the film's director...

--C.K.

I like the 40s (many favourite films are from then, including the aforementioned 'Brief Encounter'), my favourite artistic and architectural style is Art Deco and my favourite bands are predominantly ones from 1920s to early 1950s (especially the dancehall bands) but I wouldn't be too nostalgic for the era. This was an era in which racism, sexism and classism were at an all-time high, paranoia was an international pastime and there was a hugely genocidal world war for half of it! Makes me think the "PC" modern era isn't so bad!

It is the dishonesty of political correctness that I find so annoying. I don't think any of us want to ever return to the bad old days of using the sort of language Alf Garnett used in Till Death Us Do Part but personally I feel that the media luvvies and the PC do-gooders have a lot to answer for. Look at the way the Tottenham fans were treated over their use of the word "Yid". Who does it really offend? A large number of Spurs fans are Jewish anyway so let them call themselves what they want.

As for sexism I agree that things are better now in this country at least but again its gone too far and a man hardly dares pay a woman a compliment without the risk of being called a male chauvinist. If anyone remembers that case of the human rights lawyer and the unfortunate chap that was "outed" for calling her gorgeous they will know what I mean. After listening to all the endless media drivel about the Royal birthday over the last few days you can't possibly claim we are much nearer to being a classless society. Of course its good to see the back of some of the forelock touching and grovelling to ones betters but it still goes on just listen to Jenny Bond or one of the other royal flatterers simpering about the latest royal baby. If that doesn't make you ill nothing will.

I think IS must be considered as big a threat to us as the Nazis once were. Not that I can really talk about the forties although I do remember the fifties well and even without donning my rose-tinted spectacles I can tell you they were better days than now. Mind you cruelty is always with us. You can't escape that whatever you think about political correctness.

I remember them too. Stodgy, overcooked food (outside London, foreign restaurants were virtually unknown); smoke-choked cinemas, public transport, pubs, etc; two dull TV channels (The Black and White Minstrel Show, anybody?); prudish official censorship of books, plays, movies; unheated houses (getting up in the mornings shivering in front of a two-bar electric fire); unheated cars, just great for winter journeys; National Service (I missed it by two years, lucky bastard that I was); abortions illegal; homosexuality illegal; unmarried mothers stigmatised; signs in lodging-house windows "No Irish, No Dogs, No Blacks".... The Good Old Days, you reckon?

You have forgotten to mention hanging! We no longer do it which is a good thing. And surprisingly no mention of corporal punishment in your entertaining post. No longer used in schools which is another plus. Yes all that you say is true but you are only mentioning the bad things about the fifties. Two dull TV channels indeed but how many crap ones now on freeview? And what happened to all those railway stations we once had? Cars are now everywhere! Even in the country we don't wake up to the sound of birdsong but to the sound of the builders drilling at twenty to eight in the morning. Noise is everywhere! Boy racers driving their uninsured cars with rap music blaring out! Suicide bombers carrying out a holy war on the West. We have the blessed joys of multiculturism and staying in the EU rammed down our throats by the BBC and all the other media hypocrites and we live in a world where mass hysteria breaks out every time a "celebrity" as much as stubs his or her toe! No funnily enough I would happily swap the late fifties and early sixties for 2016! Just a personal opinion. No offence meant and I am very glad that racism and homophobia is now completely unacceptable!

So tempted to say, "Boys! Behave and do stop arguing!" (LOL)

This from an almost-sixty year old who remembers most of what you both say and agree with almost everything.

Just one thing I want to add to the discussing: Ah the innocence of youth when two crappy tv channels didn't matter as I was usually out all hours terrorising the countryside.

It is the dishonesty of political correctness that I find so annoying. - Blimp

I am not looking to argue here when I ask, in what regards? What do you find dishonest about political correctness and how would you define it as opposed to valid respect and sensitivity?

I don't think any of us want to ever return to the bad old days of using the sort of language Alf Garnett used in Till Death Us Do Part - Blimp

Of course.


but personally I feel that the media luvvies and the PC do-gooders have a lot to answer for.
- Blimp

They do indeed, as do the extreme anti-PC brigade. Both sides are counterproductive.

Look at the way the Tottenham fans were treated over their use of the word "Yid". Who does it really offend? A large number of Spurs fans are Jewish anyway so let them call themselves what they want. - Blimp

I am not a football fan, being a dry academic with little hobbies, so I am not familiar with this controversy. If some people of an Eastern European Jewish background wish to all themselves "Yids" then I think that is their own business to do so. When it starts to be used by those not of an Jewish Eastern European background start using the term, especially due to certain uses of it in the 1930s, then I can see why it may become problematic.

As for sexism I agree that things are better now in this country at least but again its gone too far and a man hardly dares pay a woman a compliment without the risk of being called a male chauvinist. - Blimp

I guess it depends on the compliment. AKA "Oh you are looking smart/nice/good in your dress." as opposed to "Coooor love you look fit. I wouldn't mind givin' you one." or something like that.

And I suppose on the time and place. For instance, someone at a seminar constantly stopping to "compliment" a female doctor on her looks rather than what she is there to say (and I have witnessed this on a few occasions); this can get very annoying.

If anyone remembers that case of the human rights lawyer and the unfortunate chap that was "outed" for calling her gorgeous they will know what I mean. - Blimp

I am not familiar with this case. My opinion will depend on the circumstances.

After listening to all the endless media drivel about the Royal birthday over the last few days you can't possibly claim we are much nearer to being a classless society. - Blimp

Perhaps only chronologically. I am actually part of a dying breed, an old school socialist (so much I am almost a true conservative what with primitive communism and so-called traditional values (i.e. sharing) et cetera) so I share your annoyance if not your political beliefs.

Of course its good to see the back of some of the forelock touching and grovelling to ones betters but it still goes on just listen to Jenny Bond or one of the other royal flatterers simpering about the latest royal baby. If that doesn't make you ill nothing will. - Blimp

It does and I find it embarrassing for the country. As a northerner however, I know only one monarchist so at least it doesn't intrude upon my every day life.

I think IS must be considered as big a threat to us as the Nazis once were. - Blimp

I am not completely in disagreement here as one far right-wing extremist group is much like another. Added to the fact if I was in IS territory I'd probably have been beheaded by now after watching the desecration of much of our global heritage in the name of religion and ultra-conservatism.

Not that I can really talk about the forties although I do remember the fifties well and even without donning my rose-tinted spectacles I can tell you they were better days than now. - Blimp

I'd say some things were better; more community up here in the North (before the certain events and governments in the 1980s destroyed much of our culture), more jobs (at least here again), better fashion and music, more political consciousness et cetera, but as a whole I wouldn't say it was better for the reasons that PhilK has given.

I'd say part of it is down to region and part class but if you were (and I am not saying you were necessarily) southern and middle-class it was probably great, but if like most of my friends and family you were northern and working-class it wasn't particularly great aside from slightly more work and a better community spirit as long as you "fitted in".

Mind you cruelty is always with us. You can't escape that whatever you think about political correctness. - Blimp

Yes.


I remember them too. Stodgy, overcooked food (outside London, foreign restaurants were virtually unknown); smoke-choked cinemas, public transport, pubs, etc; two dull TV channels (The Black and White Minstrel Show, anybody?); prudish official censorship of books, plays, movies; unheated houses (getting up in the mornings shivering in front of a two-bar electric fire); unheated cars, just great for winter journeys; National Service (I missed it by two years, lucky bastard that I was); abortions illegal; homosexuality illegal; unmarried mothers stigmatised; signs in lodging-house windows "No Irish, No Dogs, No Blacks".... The Good Old Days, you reckon? -Philk

A good post. Actually this is like my house now...

These points actually did effect members of my family.

You have forgotten to mention hanging! We no longer do it which is a good thing. And surprisingly no mention of corporal punishment in your entertaining post. No longer used in schools which is another plus. Yes all that you say is true but you are only mentioning the bad things about the fifties. - Blimp

I'll let PhilK speak for himself, however, I don't read his post as saying the 50s were all bad merely that they did have a lot of problems we don't have now. And for all the talk of PC it is a price to pay for a more tolerant society rather than one that did openly embrace a lot of racism, sexism, classism and homophobia.

I personally won't claim that is gone but I do think we have improved somewhat in part due to soem of the things claimed to be PC (ironically a term originally used by Marxist feminists).

Two dull TV channels indeed but how many crap ones now on freeview? - Blimp

I can't disagree here. I don't watch television much for this reason.

And what happened to all those railway stations we once had? - Blimp

They got re-privatised and thus ruined in the name of profit.

Cars are now everywhere! Even in the country we don't wake up to the sound of birdsong but to the sound of the builders drilling at twenty to eight in the morning. Noise is everywhere! Boy racers driving their uninsured cars with rap music blaring out! - Blimp

True.

Suicide bombers carrying out a holy war on the West. - Blimp

As opposed to a "political" wars carried out on the East (the wars in Aden and the Yemen, the Israeli-Arab wars, the colonial and post-colonial conflicts in Africa and the Indian subcontinent, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Suez and Malay crises et cetera). Or the threat of nuclear annihilation! And that isn't even mentioning (again) that big thing they had in the 1940s.

We have the blessed joys of multiculturism - Blimp

Speak for yourself but I have no problem with the "blessed joys" of multiculturalism; I tend to take people as they are and I enjoy curry and Italian food too much! That and some of my ancestors weren't "British" (a multicultural identity I might add).

and staying in the EU rammed down our throats by the BBC and all the other media hypocrites

Although I support leaving the EU (for the reasons it is anti-democratic in many places and is a hang-up from the most "red scare" era of the Cold War) both sides are guilty of massive hypocrisy that tends to boiled down to wanting to stay in the EU out of habit or due to the ease of travel or leaving mostly because staying means keeping the, mostly British created, concept of "human rights" (which is bad for some reason) or having to deal with and occasionally be told what to* do by, foreigners and (aka other Western Europeans). I despair at both sides of the debate and will rejoice when it is over!

*And, as is conveniently forgotten, tell them what to do!

and we live in a world where mass hysteria breaks out every time a "celebrity" as much as stubs his or her toe! No funnily enough I would happily swap the late fifties and early sixties for 2016! Just a personal opinion. No offence meant and I am very glad that racism and homophobia is now completely unacceptable! - Blimp

I am glad we can all agree on the last part.

Personally I'd pick a far future when we have ironed out our problems, live in a classless society, and if I controlled it wear fashion from the 1930s and the most popular genres of music are Jazz, Folk and Blues and the popular and formal music of the late 12th Century and early 13th century.... but that is just me!

Not sure what AJB thinks but personally I find EVERYTHING concerning political correctness (or cultural Marxism) to be annoying, not just its dishonesty. I think it's particularly naive to believe that it's all about "valid respect and sensitivity" and I see very little respect or sensitivity from the mob supporting the PC view of the world.

Ultimately, it's a form of fascism in that it seeks to impose a uniformity of thought and behaviour on everyone and attacks anyone that doesn't conform. If you look carefully enough you'll find examples almost everyday where some rabid group are baying for blood because someone has said something they regard as politically incorrect.

I see no evidence that any "extreme anti-PC brigade" exists as those people such as myself who are sick to death of political correctness in all its forms tend to express themselves as individuals rather than as part of the hive-mind mentality of the PC crowd.

On the issue of political correctness i do feel society is negatively affected by it and many are demonised as a result.

If racism, homophobia or any such thing is to level where a person is intimidated, assaulted or having their basic human rights infringed, then that is wrong, and should be dealt with robustly.

However if someone for example dislikes my sexuality, so what. I want to be loved by all, but am realistic to know i will not be, i realise there are verbose dislikeable folk who will express their views to me or in my vicinity, i don't like it, but am not going to start waving the pc banner, anyway a few well rehearsed phrases, in response to such nasty verbosity tends to work just fine.

I like to view such matters within the realms of that famous quote "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it".

My problem with political correctness: it forces you to be always "on", always thinking "will honestly expressing myself hurt another's feelings or have me labeled in someway?".

In short, it interferes with the free exchange of ideas between people.

Then there's the "if you support X then you must support Y and that leads you to supporting Z" logic of the accuser - when someone can hold one opinion without necessarily supporting the others.

Most of the PC culture seems to be very judgemental and has little reason to be so.