posted December 11, 2015 08:55 PM            

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Originally posted by deepseastar:
People weren't angry at Target for a "photoshopped picture." They were angry at Target for running an ad that advocated date rape. (i.e., "Spike your friend's eggnog when she isn't looking"). The fact that ad was approved by multiple people and created by multiple minds and NO ONE noticed how that ad might be interpreted is mind-bogglingly stupid.

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posted December 11, 2015 08:57 PM            

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Originally posted by Faith:
That was Bloomingdale's:

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/bloomingdales-apologizes-weird-vaguely-date-rap ey-holiday-ad-168146

^^ Fail

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posted December 11, 2015 09:03 PM            

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Originally posted by Geeky:
And I feel we are LONG OVERDUE for calling people (and companies) out on this crap.

It's not that I (or we) are all offended, it's that information moves faster than ever and more people can join together and publicly call out a perpetrator on their nonsense, whether it's racist, sexist, or whatever.

As far as the Target thing goes... do you mean the thigh gap photos? I think they realized how dumb that was (I mean, the photo editing looks like it was done with Paint, not Photoshop) but after being called out, they launched the "Target Loves Every Body” campaign. Of course, to save their own ***** , but they wouldn't have done that without public pressure.

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posted December 11, 2015 09:19 PM            

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Originally posted by Kannon McAfee:
I agree with many of the comments here that have added perspective to what could too easily be blanketed with a term like 'political correctness.' Seems to me people usually decry that another person is trying to 'censor' their free speech when they bring up political correctness. When what is generally true is that they are being told that a term or way of referring to another person or group is considered disrespectful or demeaning to persons of that group.

We all have to be educated in empathy by each other and taught how to enlarge our group identities to include the whole. It goes against age old tribal tendencies.

This is not censorship. It is learning how to grow up and speak respectfully so as to maintain a social atmosphere conducive to democracy and peace.

The ad illustrated above is a wink-wink to the dressed up modern chauvinist in which secret desires (for domination/exploitation) are appealed to in order to make a sale. Corporate American can - and should - be called out for this disrespectful ******** .

[b]In terms of Astrology, I consider the US struggle with some of these things to be partly due to Neptune in Virgo, out of its natural place there, and in in the 9th house of publication, universities, higher education, and religion. When you add this to what many astrologers believe that the US is a 'don't fence me in or shut me up' Sagittarius rising personality, you can see how such tendencies need to be brought into balance.

We are a nation of talkers, but not very good listeners.

We'd rather blather a reactionary opinion than get better educated. In fact, the US is a nation full of people who overestimate their real understanding of their own country, society, and the world.

[/B]

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Okay...I see where you're coming from. On the other end of the spectrum, have you seen the buzzfeed video "The Social Consequences of Everything"?

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqevO_zrxsA

This is exactly the kind of debates I'm referring to. While trying to figure out how to spend their afternoon, the young adults in the video try so hard to be socially, politically and economically responsible that they end up spending the night in their basement because every idea they come up with bears some dire socially irresponsible consequence.

It's an extreme example, but it's the type of feeling I'm getting within social circles lately. For example:

"Don't buy those. They're not GMO free."
"I always buy organic, free-range, etc."
"Don't eat at Chick-fil-A. They don't support gay marriage."
"Make sure you turn the water off between each dish as you load it into the dishwasher."
"We don't go bowling because the materials they use to manufacture the balls kills small children." <---- okay that one I'm making up, but you get the point lol

And you also see more of these kind of topics on social media as well.

And I'm not saying ANY of these statements are bad things. It's great that people want to change, and are willing to call those in power out on their BS. But I haven't really experienced this feeling to this extent up until the past year or so, and now it's almost overwhelming.

Do you feel the shift?

Interesting that US has Sag rising btw. I can totally see that.

posted December 11, 2015 09:45 PM            

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Originally posted by bananaz:
Definitely a horrid ad. But it was not the one I was referring to

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I know.

posted December 11, 2015 09:48 PM            

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Originally posted by Faith:
I know.

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posted December 11, 2015 10:47 PM            

I'm currently on a pregnancy board with various threads about maternity topics. According to some 2nd, 3rd time mothers, the sensitivity has gotten worse this particular year. For example:

Mother makes a post about how she gains a lot of weight during pregnancy. She vents about how her friend noticed the weight gain and made an obnoxious remark about how she is blessed because "is one of those women who don't gain a lot of weight".

While most people on the board understood her frustration over her friend's bragging, there was a few who told her she was being offensive and "skinny-shaming" mom's who don't gain weight. In reality, she was venting about her friend who made her feel like crap.

I see this all the time on Facebook too. My chef friend told me the other day she's afraid to post pics of food because she doesn't want to offend her Vegan/ Vegetarian friends. This is a person who has a passion for cooking and presentation and used to love uploading pics of her creations.

posted December 11, 2015 11:25 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by bananaz:
buzzfeed video "The Social Consequences of Everything"?

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqevO_zrxsA

This is exactly the kind of debates I'm referring to. While trying to figure out how to spend their afternoon, the young adults in the video try so hard to be socially, politically and economically responsible that they end up spending the night in their basement because every idea they come up with bears some dire socially irresponsible consequence.

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Because College Humor should be easy to view (and one just has to remove the "s" from "https" for it to be clickable here):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqevO_zrxsA

Hah, I didn't catch it about the fedora until he asked the others if they liked his hat.

ETA: LOVED this YT comment!

quote:

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Suicide jokes offend me. I am a skeleton, and when living people kill themselves, they are appropriating my culture

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ROTFLMAO

Thought you would appreciate this that I happened to see this morning:

quote:

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Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: November 1, 2012
RE: Gala Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House.

There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols... feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!

A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 PM. Exchanges of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.

This gathering is only for employees!

Our CEO will make a special announcement at that time!

Merry Christmas to you and your family,
Patty

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: November 2, 20102
RE: Gala Holiday Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year.

However, from now on, we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians and to those still celebrating Reconciliation Day.

There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols will be sung.

We will have other types of music for your enjoyment.

Happy now?

Happy Holidays to you and your family,
Patty

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: November 3, 2012
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, you didn't sign your name...

I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this?

Somebody?

And sorry, but forget about the gift exchange, no gifts are allowed since the union members feel that $10.00 is too much money and the executives believe $10.00 is a little chintzy.

REMEMBER: NO GIFTS EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.

Patty

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
To: All Employees
DATE: November 4, 2012
RE: Generic Holiday Party

What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20thbegins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.

There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party or else package everything for you to take it home in little foil doggy baggy. Will that work?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet, and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms.

Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, each group will have their own table.

Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table.
To the person asking permission to cross dress, the Grill House asks that no cross-dressing be allowed, apparently because of concerns about confusion in the restrooms. Sorry.

We will have booster seats for short people.
Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet.

I am sorry to report that we cannot control the amount of salt used in the food . The Grill House suggests that people with high blood pressure taste a bite first.

There will be fresh "low sugar" fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the restaurant cannot supply "no sugar" desserts. Sorry!

Did I miss anything?!?!?
Patty

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All F*%^ing Employees
DATE: November 5, 2012
RE: The F*%^ing Holiday Party

I've had it with you vegetarian pricks!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your &#@&+**% salad bar, including organic tomatoes.

But you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!

The rest of you *&#@&+**% wierdos can kiss my *@#&. I hope you all have a rotten holiday!

Drive drunk and die,

The B*tch from H*ll!!!

Company Memo
FROM: Joan Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: November 6, 2012
RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her recent nervous breakdown and I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the asylum.

In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

Happy Whatever!
Joan

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That said, I can't see Pisces doing this (at least not for very long), they're too mutable, and to me Pisces Neptune would seem to make it less likely than more. But Saturn in Sag could spark some deep and even morbid soul searching, and I did find this which could be relevant:
http://astrostyle.com/jupiter-in-virgo/

posted December 12, 2015 01:51 AM            

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Originally posted by PixieJane:
That said, I can't see Pisces doing this (at least not for very long), they're too mutable, and to me Pisces Neptune would seem to make it less likely than more. But Saturn in Sag could spark some deep and even morbid soul searching, and I did find this which could be relevant:
http://astrostyle.com/jupiter-in-virgo/

But that's about the more benevolent type of PC thinking. The bizarre over the top as represented in the vid and the joke I just shared is more crazy...maybe the Pluto-Uranus square (Cappie Pluto & Aries Uranus), though that's not to say it's all bad. (And for me, 2013-14 seem worse than 2015 when it came to just being absurd rather than enlightened. And that video you linked to came out in 2014 while the "memo" I found appears to have been made in or about 2012.)

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Yes! You understand what I'm referring to. At first I wasn't sure I was describing it correctly. I started this thread in a slightly joking manner, but I wasn't trying to say, "Hey, why is everyone so sensitive lately? It's annoying." But rather, based on the topic coming up again and again through social media, "What caused all of these individualized ideals to start showing up all at once?"and of course the overwhelming, almost defensive nature of them. And can astrology explain the shift?

The company memo captures the feeling I'm getting from people exactly within my circle of friends, family members, co-workers, etc. It's hysterical. And slightly sad, because of the level of truth to it. Sorry about the link btw. I copy pasted without checking, but I'm glad you enjoyed the video I realize they are over the top, but they are expressions of how people are feeling about the situation.

When I think back, it was worse in 2014. You're completely right about the level of absurdity. I think that's when I started to notice, and then it carried over into 2015.

Kannon mentioned the possibility of it being the Pluto Uranus square too. Individual fighting authority/outdated ideals, yeah I can see how that plays into it. I can also connect to the square energy because for me it's extremely uncomfortable. Maybe because I'm a Pisces, but there's nothing worse for me than being caught up in the middle of friends debating social responsibility to the point where it sometimes becomes catty. Not too long ago, I was caught in the middle of friends arguing whether it was socially responsible to have more than 2 children...sigh...I couldn't get away fast enough. That being said, I know deep down it was beyond time for these topics to be addressed. Maybe with the combo of Saturn in Sag and Jupiter in Virgo, we will finally get to a more enlightened period?

posted December 12, 2015 03:51 AM            

(following this topic with interest)

posted December 12, 2015 01:48 PM            

Anything can be taken to a silly extreme. When you frame things from the point of view of what is wrong or imperfect about any given thing, and leave yourself no choice at all, then you've made yourself a prisoner, which is no choice at all.

That does not invalidate the principle behind social consequences, that we are all connected over all continents now in this globally networked 21st century economy. ALL purchases don't just have values attached to the buyer's end, but also to the laborer's, etc.

This awareness of the whole picture of our choices and how they fit into the global socio-economic picture is going to continue. Its part and parcel of the Aquarian/Uranian age, in which one's choices/identity is defined without a larger global picture. That's not 'being offended' -- its being as aware as you can while still being practical about the choices you make.

So this is not a short-term trend.

I don't let 'offense' choose for me. And I don't hold to organic or any other measure for some purist basis for the individual choices I make.

It only becomes a problem when a person nitpicks at others' choices.

posted December 12, 2015 02:44 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by bananaz:
I also wanted to address the sensitivity issue with an example:

I'm currently on a pregnancy board with various threads about maternity topics. According to some 2nd, 3rd time mothers, the sensitivity has gotten worse this particular year. For example:

Mother makes a post about how she gains a lot of weight during pregnancy. She vents about how her friend noticed the weight gain and made an obnoxious remark about how she is blessed because "is one of those women who don't gain a lot of weight".

While most people on the board understood her frustration over her friend's bragging, there was a few who told her she was being offensive and "skinny-shaming" mom's who don't gain weight. In reality, she was venting about her friend who made her feel like crap.

I see this all the time on Facebook too. My chef friend told me the other day she's afraid to post pics of food because she doesn't want to offend her Vegan/ Vegetarian friends. This is a person who has a passion for cooking and presentation and used to love uploading pics of her creations.

Does this make sense? Maybe it's just me lol. I guess I'm just noticing it this year more than usual. I thought it might have something to do with Neptune, but technically Neptune is in it's home in Pisces so I don't know...

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Yes, I have seen the pick up in sensitivity and abrasiveness this year as well. It has probably gotten worse lately because of cursed Libra Mars. My best friend has Libra Mars (squares my cap mars actually) and she is extremely sensitive, diplomatic but argumentative and very passive aggressive which is what we've seen a lot lately.

Jupiter in Virgo currently means the world at large is cynical.Jupiter in Virgo is a perfectionist. Going back to simpler times seems like the ideal, but the rationalist in Jup. Virgo knows that's impossible which brings mood down. Feeling overwhelmed is a common attribute of this. Jup. in Virgo has the downside of being petty, overly critical and irritable. Makes sense today right?

Not only is Neptune in Pisces right now, so is Chiron!!! Chiron is our deepest wound, and in the sensitive sign of Pisces this can be a woeful time. With the large orb conjunction with Neptune though we are escapists and want to find scapegoats for our problems. We don't want to handle our rough world.

Saturn in Sagittarius is also going on right now, meaning conservative take over. There's not a lot of tolerance going around nowadays (as proven by much hate in the world currently) and instead of being open minded, the world under this transit is narrow minded, especially in regards with religion and philosophy. Is it any surprise with all the hate going round?

Another point to see is that Pluto is in Capricorn (my personal favorite sign). This should either bring hope or give for caution. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was the American Revolution. Not to bring any spiderline drama into this but many believe that Pluto in Capricorn people and transit will bring upon the New World Order. Pluto in Capricorn brings structure where there is absolute chaos, it may take a while but Caps know success comes to those with patience and to those who wait.