Re: Political Correctness Re: Manmonth or Peoplemonth?

[Sheridan-Smith John <john -dot- sheridan-smith -at- BMWFIN -dot- COM>]

The people most likely to need to refer the concept of the man-hour are
female clerical workers in commercial or industrial environments.

In my experience such people don't give a monkey's about political
correctness but do care a great deal about doing their job well.  They see
change for change's sake as an obstacle to their performing their jobs.
(That experience does not consist of discussing such issues with "educated"
professionals but of doing ordinary jobs alongside ordinary people; a kind
of experience that too few technical writers possess.)

The people who do spend time worrying about the man-person debate are
middle-class managers either desperate to curry favour with the prevailing
management culture or equally desperate to boost their own intellectual
image.

I make any judgements on terminology in the light of such experience and
after careful audience research (including finding out whether the
management are prepared to allow the ordinary users' views to predominate).
In the absence of any desire for change I use such terms as man-hours with
gay abandon and spend my time on things of greater import to mankind.

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John Sheridan Smith


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