We live in a world where communication has never been easier or more dangerous. To speak your mind is perilous to say the least, and things will only get worse as technology and indolence advances. It seems that everyone, regardless of their status and income, has a mobile phone, and smart phones at that. This gives instant access to the internet and to all of the social media as well as email, Skype and the like. This should be a good thing, and perhaps in a way it is, but there is of course a dark side to it all.
Using a mobile phone or iPad or computer to access the world means that your location is identifiable. It is possible that whatever you do whilst communing with Google or Facebook or whatever takes your fancy, that you are being observed and giving away your personal data to anyone with wits enough to access it.
Posting opinions on Twitter of Facebook has led to careers being terminated prematurely and lives being changed for the worse; opinions must fall into line and be politically correct or you may find yourself in trouble.
Jeremy Clarkson made the mistake of muttering a childhood nursery rhyme on TV, alas using what is now referred to as the "N" word. He can use the "F" word or the "C" word and no-one is particularly bothered, but the "N" word was deemed almost sack worthy. He is in my opinion, an arse, but that is irrelevant.
This morning on the radio, several bearers of two X chromosomes were seriously debating the issue of being referred to as "girls", some find the term demeaning somehow. How sad is it that such an issue is even worthy of radio time.
Our language is a bastard mix, enriched with beautiful metaphors and similes, and yet its use in all of its glory seems to offend so many people so much of the time.
There are plenty of opinions out there that I disagree with, but words to me are never offensive. I welcome criticism of my own beliefs and am quite happy to accept that I may well be wrong, though of course, just like everyone else, I don't think that I am.
Using a mobile phone or iPad or computer to access the world means that your location is identifiable. It is possible that whatever you do whilst communing with Google or Facebook or whatever takes your fancy, that you are being observed and giving away your personal data to anyone with wits enough to access it.
Posting opinions on Twitter of Facebook has led to careers being terminated prematurely and lives being changed for the worse; opinions must fall into line and be politically correct or you may find yourself in trouble.
Jeremy Clarkson made the mistake of muttering a childhood nursery rhyme on TV, alas using what is now referred to as the "N" word. He can use the "F" word or the "C" word and no-one is particularly bothered, but the "N" word was deemed almost sack worthy. He is in my opinion, an arse, but that is irrelevant.
This morning on the radio, several bearers of two X chromosomes were seriously debating the issue of being referred to as "girls", some find the term demeaning somehow. How sad is it that such an issue is even worthy of radio time.
Our language is a bastard mix, enriched with beautiful metaphors and similes, and yet its use in all of its glory seems to offend so many people so much of the time.
There are plenty of opinions out there that I disagree with, but words to me are never offensive. I welcome criticism of my own beliefs and am quite happy to accept that I may well be wrong, though of course, just like everyone else, I don't think that I am.
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