The Fat Controller - Watercress Line goes pc?

[zwk500]

It would be rude and unpleasant to do that, clearly, but there’s no suggestion anything like that happened here. Plenty of overweight people refer to themselves as fat (in fact a guy were I work refers to himself as “The Fat Controller”). “Abuse” is going to far IMO, and seems now to be extended to any viewpoint people disagree with.

No, it doesn't take long to look at social media and see that there is genuine abuse going on. It's different to banter within friends and family, which is often good-natured but in a well understood context. This isn't abuse, but I was talking more generally about the 'political correctness' complaints and weight is a complex issue in the context of bullying/marginalisation and the mental health impact.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, it doesn't take long to look at social media and see that there is genuine abuse going on. It's different to banter within friends and family, which is often good-natured but in a well understood context. This isn't abuse, but I was talking more generally about the 'political correctness' complaints and weight is a complex issue in the context of bullying/marginalisation and the mental health impact.

I got bullied for being fat at school (the irony being that by 2022 standards I wasn't, just 1980s kids were lanky beanpoles that people would consider unhealthily skinny these days - just watch some classic Grange Hill to get the idea) and it's had long term impact on my confidence, for what it's worth.

 

[43066]

Obesity is a very difficult one, as resolving it is all tied up in body image as well, i.e. if someone considers themselves a fat slob they are unlikely to take up sport to try and resolve it, for instance.

The image you're trying to get across is a less pointed version of "there's a great body there under all that lard", but not that pointed as anorexia is really dangerous too. Pure body positivity is really best aimed at things you don't have control of.

Indeed. I would never advocate “fat shaming” as it’s counter productive, and just downright nasty, but equally being overweight/obese is extremely unhealthy and not something we should encourage.

My issue with “body positivity” is that it essentially tries to equate being overweight with being a member of a minority group, so they any criticism is cast as somehow akin to racism/homophobia.

No, it doesn't take long to look at social media and see that there is genuine abuse going on. It's different to banter within friends and family, which is often good-natured but in a well understood context. This isn't abuse, but I was talking more generally about the 'political correctness' complaints and weight is a complex issue in the context of bullying/marginalisation and the mental health impact.

If people are genuinely being targeted/bullied then of course that is unacceptable.

 

[Ashley Hill]

When the line I volunteer on hosts a Thomas weekend we are briefed that TFC name is not to be used in anyway by the railway either in publicity or by referral. Of course you cannot stop the paying public using it.

 

[John Luxton]

When the line I volunteer on hosts a Thomas weekend we are briefed that TFC name is not to be used in anyway by the railway either in publicity or by referral. Of course you cannot stop the paying public using it.

As a matter of interest how long has this TFC directive existed?

I must admit when it comes to things I disagree with I could be deliberately subversive often did that at work.

I spent quite a lot of time teaching history when suddenly BCE replaced BC. I was never told to stop using the term BC but several colleagues seemed surprised I was still using it and they did not teach history so who inculcated them with the change?

Going back to the railway situation I am surprised volunteers are putting up with this.

Just before Covid kicked off there was a lot of disquiet displayed by National Trust volunteers when they were subjected to shall we say progressive ideas.

It appears to have culminated in a breakaway rebel group known as Restore Trust.

Could the infiltration of pc ideas create a similar situation in the heritage rail movement.

 

[AlterEgo]

Let’s face it nobody who grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine (as I did) really knows him as anything other than TFC. I’d actually forgotten the official name until being reminded of it by this thread!

I recall the terms being used interchangeably, TFC was in the television show, STH in the books I read.

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Could the infiltration of pc ideas create a similar situation in the heritage rail movement.

One can only imagine the sunlit uplands of non-PC and truly authentic heritage rail. Perhaps for true authenticity there should be a colour bar for staff.

 

[stuu]

I have to say, getting offended because a copyright holder insists on a particular name does seem a little snowflakey. Odd how it is the people who throw those terms around who seem the most easily offended. Just get over it

 

[43066]

I have to say, getting offended because a copyright holder insists on a particular name does seem a little snowflakey. Odd how it is the people who throw those terms around who seem the most easily offended. Just get over it

That isn’t actually what’s happened, if you read the article.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2022 ==

One can only imagine the sunlit uplands of non-PC and truly authentic heritage rail. Perhaps for true authenticity there should be a colour bar for staff.

There’s a happy medium to be struck. Staff taking it upon themselves to interrupt conversations to police the terms being used if they aren’t deemed to be sufficiently woke/PC is not on.

 

[Ashley Hill]

As a matter of interest how long has this TFC directive existed?

On my line at least the last two events. I don’t recall it pre -lockdown.

Going back to the railway situation I am surprised volunteers are putting up with this.

If you want to host a Thomas event you have to comply with the terms and conditions. Its not cheap either so if this is what it takes to run the event one puts up with it to make a profit.

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Staff taking it upon themselves to interrupt conversations to police the terms being used if they aren’t deemed to be sufficiently woke/PC is not on.

I agree. You cannot stop the public using TFC. AFAIA it’s the staff that are not allowed to use it. E.g Q “Where can we see TFC?” A “Sir Topham Hatt is on the platform” or “He’s over there.”

 

[zwk500]

I got bullied for being fat at school (the irony being that by 2022 standards I wasn't, just 1980s kids were lanky beanpoles that people would consider unhealthily skinny these days - just watch some classic Grange Hill to get the idea) and it's had long term impact on my confidence, for what it's worth.

Yes, 'kids are nasty' doesn't quite capture just how long and deep the hurt can run. I was bullied at school (not about weight, FWIW) and some of those problems are still in my system 15-20 years later.

Indeed. I would never advocate “fat shaming” as it’s counter productive, and just downright nasty, but equally being overweight/obese is extremely unhealthy and not something we should encourage.
My issue with “body positivity” is that it essentially tries to equate being overweight with being a member of a minority group, so they any criticism is cast as somehow akin to racism/homophobia.
If people are genuinely being targeted/bullied then of course that is unacceptable.

It seems we are broadly on the same alignment with this.

I spent quite a lot of time teaching history when suddenly BCE replaced BC. I was never told to stop using the term BC but several colleagues seemed surprised I was still using it and they did not teach history so who inculcated them with the change?

Other subjects refer to events more than 2,000 years ago! ISTR the change to 'Common Era' was a science-driven one because the global research community had a majority of people for whom the life of Christ was not a meaningful reference point.

 

[AlterEgo]

There’s a happy medium to be struck. Staff taking it upon themselves to interrupt conversations to police the terms being used if they aren’t deemed to be sufficiently woke/PC is not on.

But really who cares about one member of staff? Its a pathetically small thing to get worked up over and it makes anyone getting annoyed over it look even smaller.

 

[185]

Toby the Tram now identifies as a Light Rail Vehicle.

 

[John Luxton]

But really who cares about one member of staff? Its a pathetically small thing to get worked up over and it makes anyone getting annoyed over it look even smaller.

I don't think it's the one member of staff which is the issue.

A large number of people see it this incident as yet another example of how "Liberal Elites" which dominate certain areas of business are trying to control the general agenda.

It is clear that certain, though thankfully not all, big business is foisting their values and attitudes on people. One only has to look at how Mr Gates has started to meddle in world affairs outside of his area of expertise of software design if you need an example of this trend.

 

[43066]

But really who cares about one member of staff? Its a pathetically small thing to get worked up over and it makes anyone getting annoyed over it look even smaller.

It is. But threads on here where people huff and puff about individual members of staff are par for the course.

When in Rome .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2022 ==

A large number of people see it this incident as yet another example of how "Liberal Elites" which dominate certain areas of business are trying to control the general agenda.

Indeed. There is an increasingly censorious quality to public discourse these days that makes a lot of us feel deeply uncomfortable.