Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Holocene

2007-06-14T16:43:27Z

AtheistInAmerica:

According to evolutionary biologists and geologists, the Holocene is the geologic period we now live in. It covers the last 12,000 years and all of human civilization (although not all of humanity). It covers the Neolithic to the Information Age, and was preceded by the [[Pleistocene]] epoch.
==The Ages of the Holocene==
*[[Neolithic]] - The New Stone Age. This covers the advent of agriculture to the use of bronze weapons. Roughly 12,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago.
*[[Bronze Age]] - The Use of Bronze to make tools and weapons. 4,000 years ago to 2,500 years ago.
*[[Iron Age]] - This age is concurrent with classical Greece and Rome. It is during this age that Christianity first came onto the scene.
*[[Middle Ages]] - From the fall of Rome around 400 A.D. to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.
*[[Renassiance]] - Increased interest in science and vast increase in knowledge due to the printing press. Exchange of ideas between cultures. This was the age of Galaleo, Shakespeare, and Copernicus.
*[[Industrial Age]] - From the late 1700s to the early 1900s. This age saw the invention of many modern machines that we now take for granted such as the steam locomotive, automobile, telephone, and airplane. Working conditions were difficult and sometimes brutal during this era. This is what led Karl Marx to come up with communism. The idea was later twisted into a totalitarian dictatorship by the monster Stalin.
*[[Atomic Age]] - From WWII until about 1990, this era saw the invention of atomic weapons by the United States and the Soviets. This is the first time in the history of the earth that a single species is capable of destroying the entire planet.
*[[Information Age]] - Starting around 1990, the Internet began to be used by more people. Invented in 1969 by the US military, it became more commonly used by civilians during the 1980s and by 1995 the word "Internet" was beginning to entire everyday vocabulary. By 2000, high speed internet was beginning to become available and now billions of people all over the world are connected like never before. This is much to the chagrin of oppressive governments such as China and Colombia where ideas about freedom and social justice are being spread from Western Europe and North America into impoverished and oppressed nations.
==See Also==
*[[Pleistocene]]
[[category:Geological time periods]]

Holocene

2007-06-14T15:56:06Z

AtheistInAmerica: /* The Ages of the Holocene */

According to evolutionists, the Holocene is the geologic period we now live in. They claim it covers the last 12,000 years and all of human civilization (although not all of humanity). It supposedly covers the Neolithic to the Information Age, and is theorized to have been preceded by the [[Pleistocene]].
==The Ages of the Holocene==
*[[Neolithic]] - The New Stone Age. This covers the advent of agriculture to the use of bronze weapons. Roughly 12,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago.
*[[Bronze Age]] - The Use of Bronze to make tools and weapons. 4,000 years ago to 2,500 years ago.
*[[Iron Age]] - This age is concurrent with classical Greece and Rome. It is during this age that Christianity first came onto the scene.
*[[Middle Ages]] - From the fall of Rome around 400 A.D. to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.
*[[Renassiance]] - Increased interest in science and vast increase in knowledge due to the printing press. Exchange of ideas between cultures. This was the age of Galaleo, Shakespeare, and Copernicus.
*[[Industrial Age]] - From the late 1700s to the early 1900s. This age saw the invention of many modern machines that we now take for granted such as the steam locomotive, automobile, telephone, and airplane. Working conditions were difficult and sometimes brutal during this era. This is what led Karl Marx to come up with communism. The idea was later twisted into a totalitarian dictatorship by the monster Stalin.
*[[Atomic Age]] - From WWII until about 1990, this era saw the invention of atomic weapons by the United States and the Soviets. This is the first time in the history of the earth that a single species is capable of destroying the entire planet.
*[[Information Age]] - Starting around 1990, the Internet began to be used by more people. Invented in 1969 by the US military, it became more commonly used by civilians during the 1980s and by 1995 the word "Internet" was beginning to entire everyday vocabulary. By 2000, high speed internet was beginning to become available and now billions of people all over the world are connected like never before. This is much to the chagrin of oppressive governments such as China and Colombia where ideas about freedom and social justice are being spread from Western Europe and North America into impoverished and oppressed nations.
==See Also==
*[[Pleistocene]]
[[category:Geological time periods]]

Holocene

2007-06-14T15:55:42Z

AtheistInAmerica:

Politically correct

2007-06-14T15:40:01Z

AtheistInAmerica:

'''Political correctness''' or '''P.C.''' most commonly refers to the alteration of ones choice of words in order to avoid either offending a group of people or reenforcing a stereotype considered to be disadvantagous to the group. More specifically, groups which (or whose putative "leaders" or other activists) claim some status as systemically oppressed or discriminated against will periodically attempt to change the terms by which they are referred to and demand that society as a whole change its usage of words as well. Although traditionally associated with the liberals and the political left, Political Correctness has been challenged by libertarian comedian Bill Mahr and by left wing comedians Jon Steward and Stephen Colbert.

==Examples==

An example of political correctness is the changing terminology used to described handicapped people. In the past the term "crippled" was perfectly acceptable and not considered offensive. At some point, somebody decided "crippled" was degrading and the preferred term changed to "handicapped". This, too, was eventually deemed offensive and "disabled" became the preferred term. Today, "disabled" is now considered degrading and "differently abled" and "physically challenged" are now the politically correct terms. The same can be said for the changing uses of terms for Black Americans: "Negro" and "colored", once perfectly acceptable terms, were declared degrading and offensive by some activists during the 1970s and "Afro-American" and "Black" came into use, which in turn gave way to "[[African Americans|African-American]]", and in broader usage, "people of color".

The distinction for example between "colored people" (1950s-60s usage) and "people of color" (today) is an important one which illustrates the basis of political correctness.

As well as language, political correctness discourages the use of racial or stereotypes in fiction out of concern that these stereotypes may become self-perpetuating. For example, frequently seeing the image black gang-members decked out in gold chains, carrying guns and listening to rap may pressure young black people into seeing this lifestyle as the most 'acceptable' choice for their racial group. The common image of women-only occupations (nurses, secretaries, care workers, etc) and of men-only occupations (IT workers, military, machinary operators, etc) can discourage individuals of either gender from considering those occupations traditionally belonging to the other. Thus political correctness becomes the consideration of all public statements and media for their unintentional social impact.

==Differing Opinions==

Demands for politically correct language usage are rooted in the notion widely promoted among left-wing academics and sociologists that Western culture promotes systemic oppression against some groups by marginalizing them and disincluding them from the "norm"; the groups thus supposedly systemically marginalized are referred to as "the Other" by these left-wing academics.{{fact}} The implication is that these groups are systemically excluded from the mainstream. "Colored people" is therefore deemed offensive because the order of words puts "colored" first, emphasizing their difference from the mainstream, while "people of color" is acceptable because putting the term "people" first emphasizes that they are people and thus does not emphazise their difference from the "norm".

Reactionary [[politician]]s and [[pundit]]s allege that instead of encouraging supposedly marginalized groups to integrate with and assimilate into the mainstream of Western culture, political correctness ironically encourages them to emphasize and indeed to wallow in their marginalization from society, and to make a public display of such. This is known as [[identity politics]]. According to this view, gays and lesbians are therefore encouraged to label themselves as "queer" and make public displays of "queerness" calculated to disturb the sensibilities of mainstream people, rather than integrate into the mainstream themselves;{{fact}} Black Americans are encouraged to adopt [[Afrocentrism]] and convert to [[Islam]] or to conform to stereotypical black behavior, etc.{{fact}}

==The Language Police==
Conservative scholar [[Robert Bork]] has charged that the educational system is a battleground where the future of America is being undermined and ill-served. He has counselled against the troubles which will ensue as a result of antireligious policies in the schools, permissive attitudes toward homosexuality and abortion, as well as welfare policies that have destroyed families since [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s War on Poverty. <ref> Slouching Towards Gommorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline. by Robert Bork published by Harper Collins (c) 1997</ref>

In her book "[[The Language Police]]", [[Diane Ravitch]] documents just how easy it is to get a word, phrase or idea banned from modern textbooks and references. Textbook producers are beholden to small non-elected educational boards in a few key states such as New York or California. Few citizens know anything about these boards or who holds the seats of power on these boards. It's not a difficult for an interest group to mobilize a campaign to bombard the educational board. Meanwhile, the public is not even aware that their words or values are under attack.

Then, once a big state makes a textbook purchase, it's very difficult for a small state or any muncipality to make any changes. Thus, profound changes can be inserted into textbooks and reference books by putting pressure on a handful of educational administrators. The work of textbook selection committee's is done privately, to avoid politicizing textbooks, but the reverse has happened. It's easier to pressure a lawmaker who is not beholden to community standards, but instead is enamored with political correctness. <ref>The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Children Learn by Diane Ravitch (c) 2003 published by Knopf</ref> Ravitch has documented "''bias guidelines''" for major publishers of texts and tests. These "guidelines" consist of advice to writers and editors about words and topics that must be avoided.<ref>http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110003695</ref>

==Totalitarianism and Political Correctness==

The comprehensive and detailed control of all ideas, beliefs, and statements is one of the most problematic features of [[totalitarian]] regimes.[http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-3816(196002)22%3A1%3C68%3ATIAP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W] This could be viewed as an argument for or against the politically correct use of language, depending on one's perspective.

==Notes==

<references/>

==See also==
* [[Postmodernism]]<br />
==External Links==
*[http://www.capc.co.uk The Campaign Against Political Correctness]
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=8olE_futZogC&pg=PA378&lpg=PA378&dq=communist+%22socially+correct%22&source=web&ots=DYD85Lsf1G&sig=pkoUxDOLFJZsme40QO13zakFZw4 The Chinese Have A Word For It]

[[Category:Politics]]