Talk of brainstorming 'may offend epileptics' ("brainstorm" is not PC)

UK Telegraph ^ | 4.26.03 | Liz Lightfoot

[mhking]

The term "brainstorming" has become the latest target of political correctness, according to a charity.

Trainee teachers are being told to avoid the word for fear of offending pupils with epilepsy. Instead they are being advised to use "word storm" or "thought shower".

However, charities working with epilepsy say "brainstorming" is not offensive. "We had several inquiries from teachers about it so we did a survey of our residential home," said Gemma Baxter from the National Society for Epilepsy.

"We also contacted people with epilepsy in the community and the overwhelming response was that 'brainstorming' implies no offence to people with epilepsy, and that any implication that the word is offensive to people with the condition is taking political correctness too far."

People found it more offensive that the question was being asked of them, she said.

The Teacher Training Agency said it was not responsible for the suggestion that students avoid the word.

"We are responsible for overseeing the general quality of the courses provided by universities and colleges and we don't get involved in the minutiae of what they teach."

[mhking]

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[goldstategop]

LMAO!!! I'm have a Hold Muh Brainstorm Alert! over this regression in idiocy. Even for the PC Lefty Thought Police.

[stylin19a]

oh great ! Now we have to niggardly with how words are used.

[TomGuy]

Well,

"thought shower" is offensive for those with "bashful kidneys" and

"brainfart" is offensive to those with gas.

[Tax-chick]

All your thought are belong to us!

Whoops, sorry I was so offensive ...

[RAT Patrol]

Oh good grief. My niece has epilepsy and she wouldn't care.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

"We also contacted people with epilepsy in the community and the overwhelming response was that 'brainstorming' implies no offence to people with epilepsy, and that any implication that the word is offensive to people with the condition is taking political correctness too far."
People found it more offensive that the question was being asked of them, she said.

Praise be! There really is hope for mankind.

[goldstategop]

My goodness, just thinking about a brainstorm could actually give your neice an unwanted seizure. Obssessing about a particular word could endanger her life. <shudder

[Mears]

Gee,another word to add to the list of words we can't use anymore.

God help the young folks growing up in this PC world.

[Sofa King]

Perhaps "usless hunk of dog shit storming" would be more appropriate for these people to use. Let everyone else stick with "brain storming".

[Desecrated]

The English language may well be shrinking, due to the increasing number of words we are not allowed to say.

Very "Brave New World"-ish.

[reformed_dem]

Why is it that so many people are "offended" by things that don't affect them? Who says we have the right to go through life without being offended? I'm offended by all these people who find things offensive.

[davisfh]

" Talk of brainstorming 'may offend epileptics' ("brainstorm" is not PC)"

Sheesh! I must be offended by something. Now let me see - idiots, politically correct bedwetters, Bill, Hillary, Tom Daschle, Bill, Hillary, environmentalists, anti-SUV crowd, Bill, Hillary, Tom Daschle, . . .

[headsonpikes]

I think these wankers would prefer 'head-hugging', so as not to offend the brainless, and to be affirmatively nurturing.

"Let everyone else stick with 'brain-storming'." ;^)

[Revolting cat!]

Man, what's a bum to do? It's becoming hard for a housewife to orient herself with all these colored nuances of meaning. I think I'll go light me up a fag!

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[Sofa King]

Not so fast there slappy! 'Head-hugging' might offend the families of people who were killed when those aliens burst out of their eggs, latched onto their heads, and implanted a baby inside of them that later burst out of their chest! We need a more sensitive term!

[Tacis]

Hey, all the living relatives of that poor woman in _The Wizard of Oz_ who was so cruelly and maliciously melted by that little bitch Dorothy, are deeply, deeply offended by the concept of "shower." "Word sh**er" is profanity to us, and is not an acceptable alternative to the phrase that offends them.

[Ken H]

Shakespeare ran afoul of PC in his time as well.

He had to retitle his original Julius Seizure.