Wolf whistling, is it wrong?

[Jeffrey Shaw]

You don't have to criminalise something to try and stop it. Maybe just educating people as to why it's not a good thing.

Good point. Too many undesirable behaviours are criminalised; it's the first response of most politicians. A better outcome is achieved by the softer 'nudge' approach. People are often willing to change if they feel it appropriate- less so if they're ordered to!

[Ridgewalk]

I often wondered who the Sun readers were, reading this thread I think I’ve had my answer

[leviathan13]

You don't have to criminalise something to try and stop it. Maybe just educating people as to why it's not a good thing.

 

And then we get in to the realms of 'teach men/boys not to rape'.

 

These people don't care about their actions, so no amount of education and discussion with them will help.

 

Maybe the women should reply back, stand up to them. The argument, and possibly rightly, will be that the women might be too intimidated to do so. It might result in a threat to their personal safety if those men decide to turn nasty.

 

So, if no amount of education will work (eventually that kind of attitude will die out as the generations die out) and we can't criminalise it...

 

Where do we go? The only other thing os for the 'victim' to simply ignore it. Pretty much what i've had to do through my life to avoid a kicking.

[Guest makapaka]

And then we get in to the realms of 'teach men/boys not to rape'.

 

These people don't care about their actions, so no amount of education and discussion with them will help.

 

Maybe the women should reply back, stand up to them. The argument, and possibly rightly, will be that the women might be too intimidated to do so. It might result in a threat to their personal safety if those men decide to turn nasty.

 

So, if no amount of education will work (eventually that kind of attitude will die out as the generations die out) and we can't criminalise it...

 

Where do we go? The only other thing os for the 'victim' to simply ignore it. Pretty much what i've had to do through my life to avoid a kicking.

 

You’ve taken a leap there from my previous argument which was about wolf whistling / shouting at women.

 

Not rape.

 

Education will work - in fact I’d go as far as saying it is working as i personally think things have improved if you compare how things were say 20/30 year ago.

[leviathan13]

You’ve taken a leap there from my previous argument which was about wolf whistling / shouting at women.

 

Not rape.

 

Education will work - in fact I’d go as far as saying it is working as i personally think things have improved if you compare how things were say 20/30 year ago.

 

Well, you say it's a leap, but the idea is the same. We know that not every man wolf-whistles, just like we know not every man is a rapist. However, people seem to think that education is the key, despite the fact that these people don't care.

 

Probably why things have changed is because the generations are changing, not because of education. The old guard are dying out and the modern views are now creeping in.

 

Homosexuality is a good one. People who would have thought it was wrong are now dying out. You couldn't have educated them, but things are progressing because the generations are dying out and the new generations are taking over.

 

Wolf-whistling will eventually die out, but not through education...

[Mister M]

Possibly worth consideration is the 'Considerate Constructors Scheme', who work with the industry to change the perception of the construction and allied trades.

Key to this scheme is pressure being brought to bear on rude behaviour of the few that give others who work in the industry a bad name.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2017 at 21:32 ----------

 

Well, you say it's a leap, but the idea is the same. We know that not every man wolf-whistles, just like we know not every man is a rapist. However, people seem to think that education is the key, despite the fact that these people don't care.

 

Probably why things have changed is because the generations are changing, not because of education. The old guard are dying out and the modern views are now creeping in.

 

Homosexuality is a good one. People who would have thought it was wrong are now dying out. You couldn't have educated them, but things are progressing because the generations are dying out and the new generations are taking over.

Wolf-whistling will eventually die out, but not through education...

 

There maybe some truth to that; but I think that legislation in that area also helped to usher in a culture change in attitudes.

Although I'd like to believe that with each new generation comes a more enlightened attitude, homophobic bullying is still a problem in many primary and secondary schools

[Cyclone]

I said i could be offended... meaning if i chose to be. But i am never offended these days because if someone does/says something i dislike, i either ignore it or discuss their view. I wouldn't claim offense just to shut them up.

 

I'm unable to go through the rest of your reply at the moment as i'm in the middle of something and it's a tad lengthy to pick apart on my phone... apologies.

 

The fact that you aren't ever offended, doesn't mean that whenever someone else is offended it's not real.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2017 at 21:43 ----------

 

Well, you say it's a leap, but the idea is the same. We know that not every man wolf-whistles, just like we know not every man is a rapist. However, people seem to think that education is the key, despite the fact that these people don't care.

 

Probably why things have changed is because the generations are changing, not because of education. The old guard are dying out and the modern views are now creeping in.

 

Homosexuality is a good one. People who would have thought it was wrong are now dying out. You couldn't have educated them, but things are progressing because the generations are dying out and the new generations are taking over.

 

Wolf-whistling will eventually die out, but not through education...

 

It IS through education, education of the young, who are now not so young and are just people, adults, middle aged even...

[leviathan13]

The fact that you aren't ever offended, doesn't mean that whenever someone else is offended it's not real.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2017 at 21:43 ----------

 

 

It IS through education, education of the young, who are now not so young and are just people, adults, middle aged even...

 

I can't speak for other people, but i believe that offense is a choice.

 

So you're offended... so what? It doesn't change anything.

 

I say something, a person says they're offended by my comment... what next? I have to change my behaviour simply because someone isn't mature enough to deal with someone else's view??? What if i'm then offended by what they say?

 

Offense is a pointless escapade that has no place in the adult world...

 

In my most humble of opinions.

[Mister M]

I can't speak for other people, but i believe that offense is a choice.

 

So you're offended... so what? It doesn't change anything.

 

I say something, a person says they're offended by my comment... what next? I have to change my behaviour simply because someone isn't mature enough to deal with someone else's view??? What if i'm then offended by what they say?

 

Offense is a pointless escapade that has no place in the adult world...

 

In my most humble of opinions.

 

That seems rather an odd thing to say in the context of this discussion. I'd say it's the people who wolf whistle that need to grow up, not the people who may take offence.

[Guest makapaka]

I can't speak for other people, but i believe that offense is a choice.

 

So you're offended... so what? It doesn't change anything.

 

I say something, a person says they're offended by my comment... what next? I have to change my behaviour simply because someone isn't mature enough to deal with someone else's view??? What if i'm then offended by what they say?

 

Offense is a pointless escapade that has no place in the adult world...

 

In my most humble of opinions.

 

That’s a very odd point of view.

 

It’s right that people can take unnecessary offense.

 

People can also rightly take offense. You could argue it’s pointless in terms of achieving anything - but that would be the same for any number of other human emotions.