Wow, a whole new industry is being built around the notion that whatever someone does or says, there will be someone else somewhere who is poised and ready and eager to leap at taking umbrage. To exploit this recent social phenomenon, enterprising minds have concocted a potpourri of sweet-smelling “solutions” to help address the surging social scourge of inadvertently stepping on someone else’s toes (and make a buck out of it). One example of the remedies being offered is ‘unconscious bias’ training.
Instead of the reader slamming their face into a palm or desktop, or raising impolite general questions about the actual effectiveness of services claiming to improve general politeness, it’s worth contemplating what would happen if someone were to slam these endeavours as smarmy, exploitative, and/or opportunistic.
Then again, I may well be in need of said ‘unconscious bias’ training to purge my ‘unconscious bias’ against disingenuous hooey…
'Luthon64
It's all very well to send Unilever staff on unconscious bias training. But should we perhaps also send EFF members on anger management training? Looking at the ad it is not difficult for me to see why it might have offended some. And here is how it might have been resolved:
EFF: Dear Clicks, it has come to our attention that you have an advertisement that could send the wrong message (see attachment 1). We find it rather offensive that it is implied that black folks have abnormal hair. Perhaps you want to rephrase?
Clicks: Oops, we see what you mean. Didn't mean it to be taken that way, sorry. We'll withdraw the ad immediately.
EFF: Thanks for understanding!
Now instead they burn down half of a country that is already in deep economic doodoo.
What bothers here is that the company has now caved in, in abject hand-wringing terror, before a bunch of opportunistic, fascist thugs. You can be sure the EFF will now be emboldened to become even more aggressive. This is exactly how they managed to eventually take over in Italy and Germany.
In any event, I for one will henceforth do what I can not to offend: I will not talk to any black folks, or write stories about them, or make paintings of them, or employ them in any capacity. I'll dutifully stick to my own culture; that way I can't possibly offend, exploit or culturally appropriate anyone. Right?