On Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:54:39 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


wrote in message

Why did you snip what I said in my first two lines? "The word has
nothing to do with political correctness, as the phrase is used by
either side. It has to do with maximizing profits, by
trying to make the employees fell important." Do you disagree with
any of that? You don't seem to.

Making employees feel important by using special terms is another form of
political correctness. Same thing, fancy words.

No, it's not. It's an attempt to encourage employees.

"Political correctness" refers to not insulting people. Originally
Blacks, Jews, and Latinos, but now it's been applied to more people,
including some that even more people still want to insult.

I don't know anyone who thinks that "clerk" is insulting, or even that
Associate is less insulting or more non-insulting. But it's more
inclusive-sounding.

Retail clerks are just as
important as "associates".

Of course they are. You don't think I think otherwise do you?

They are clerks, so call them that. Truck
drivers, grave diggers, garbage men, are all importnat jobs that people do
and they can be just as proud doing a good job as a banker or chemist.

Of course they can be, but the employers didn't change their term just
as a matter of whimsy. Someone tried it out, or someone has looked
into the matter and concluded that in fact, at least in the cases
studied, at least at the beginning of this practice, before it was so
common, they do a better job when called associates. People here
complains continually about the quality of service at Lowes and HD,
and this is one effort, whether successful or not, to get the clerks
to do a better job.


I didn't say whether using the term "Associate" was good or bad. I
don't know why you are arguing with me.

You did say:
The phrase has been applied to a lot of other groups in the years
following, but it still seems to me that those people who deride
political correctness allign themselves with and probably are the ones
who would be still be talking about (nasty names deleted)

Now that sounds like you are voicing your opinion of people that deride
political correctness. People like me. Perhaps you have a different
meaning?

Criticizing people who deride political correctness has nothing to do
with whether the term Associate is good or bad. Because I don't think
using Associate is an example of political correctness. You do, but I
don't. So regardless of whether I'm right about that part or not, you
can't fairly conclude I tied the two together that way, even if you
would have been if you had made the same statements.