Why The Term "Joe 6 Pack" Must stop being used (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Koch]

Recently I was invited over to one of the neighbors homes for their kid's birthday party. Upon entering the living room, I saw a large projection tv with conversion so bad everything appeared in three colors. The wife bought the husband a home theater in a box and he had it set up so that the surround speakers were placed on the wall behind the tv facing the audience. The sub was so loud it was drowning out anything that was coming out of the other speakers. The husband appeared slightly intoxicated on the couch. I offered to fix his tv and he said "no dude, I like it like that." I said "ok, enjoy" and proceeded to the party in the backyard. By the way, he was drinking a six pack.

Jeff

 

[Jon_Are]

Those who would feel alienated by the term J6P with its use and connotations here at the HTF are likely the very same people who refuse to be educated about the virtues of widescreen.

Point taken, Ross.

But I don't necessarily believe that they (the so-called J6P's) would be offended. Rather, that offending them is the predominate intention of the user of the term (admittedly a fine distinction).

Again, transparent, childish, and, ultimately, harmful to our cause.

Just my opinion. Certainly not something I'm losing sleep over.

Jon

 

[paul_v]

Personally all the politically correctness that's flooded society has made everyone a bunch of sensitive pansies. =). Like Bill Marr says...it's the feminization of America.

 

[Jon_Are]

Paul,

This issue has nothing at all to do with political correctness.

And it's Bill Maher, not Marr.

Jon

 

[John P Grosskopf]

Basically, if you call them anything other than "THE PEOPLE THAT DONT`T LIKE THE BLACK BARS THAT TAKE UP SPACE ON THEIR TELEVISION WHEN THEY ARE WATCHING A MOVIE" it's insulting.

Actually, pointing someone's attitude or behavior is going to insult someone no matter what the terminology. That's just a fact of life. People do not like to be labled in ways that cut to the chase and reveal truths about themselves, their choices, or their actions. That's the basic origin of the PC movement.

 

[Ben Tallen]

When you get right down to it, 95% of the people on this forum use the term "J6P" interchangably with "the uninitiated" or "non-enthusiast". These terms are not particularly offensive and neither is J6P. Some members are just hostile towards J6P and will make derogatory comments no matter what the actual term is.
"J6P is a blinkered, raving idiot who wallows in his own ignorance."
"The non-enthusiast is a blinkered, raving idiot who wallows in his own ignorance."
Is the second statement less offensive than the first? Of course not. It's not the name that causes the problem, it's the intent. (I suppose I should cover my ass here and state that I don't agree with either of the above quotes.)
One other thing, as someone who rarely posts on this forum I object to the term "lurker" being used to define those of us who read the posts without regularly participating. It paints us all as deviant sex offenders trying to cop a peek at the hidden world of HT.

 

[Jon_Are]

People do not like to be labled in ways that cut to the chase and reveal truths about themselves

Like being labeled , for example, a poor speller?
Jon

 

[Peter Rohlfs]

J6P is the right term for the people who want their screen filled no mater how it happens. HD TVs won't fix this because on a 16X9 screen Ben Hur still won't fill the screen and have "them there black bars".

I have 1 friend who I explained WS and OAR to hime he completely understood me. I explained how the people doing the P&S almost never are the people who made the film are are not qualified to be making those decisions. He agreed.

He still doesn't want the black bars, and wants the P&S versions. He is the very essence of J6P and I will use J6P to describe him.

Peter

 

[John_Berger]

Just to give my take on this ...
The term "Joe 6 Pack" is meant to mean those who are APATHETIC towards a certain belief, in this case that OAR is the way that a movie should be. It's not a stereotype of some fat slob in front of a TV with pack o' beer, unshaven, belching. It's the symbolism behind that stereotype -- someone who just doesn't care.
In that case, EVERYONE is a J6P on something!
As to political correctness, that is exactly what this desire to stop "J6P" is -- a misguided attempt to stop using a term just because a single person might be offended. Oh, golly! Wouldn't that be swell if we all used nicey-nicey words? I will not stop using "J6P" just because someone might get miffed at me. If someone does get angry at being called a "J6P", all that I can say is ... if the shoe fits!
Widescreen and big screen TV owners get stereotyped all of the time as "rich snobs" because we happened to have the money at some point to purchase a big TV. Don't tell me that this doesn't happen because I get e-mails accusing me of this regularly! I take no offense to being called a "rich snob" and I just brush off the accusations. Why? Because I'm not one and I *know* that I'm not one, even though I wish I was -- rich, anyway, not the snob part.
Words are just words. "J6P" is a generalization for apathy, in this case, towards widescreen. Get over it.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

And, with all due respect, I'm not entirely sure that is always a bad thing. While the HTF welcomes anyone with open arms, in the end this is a forum dedicated to a particular hobby and the interests that go along with that hobby. Not everyone has an interest in that hobby, or the respects that go along with it-- and that's okay. But I would argue that maybe the HTF isn't the best place for that person.

Heck, many of the unkind words aimed at the HTF of late on those "other boards" seem to stem from our overwhelming size and growth. New members and broader interests has supposedly lead to a watering down of the discussions as the average member here lately is far less interested in HT, and moreso in "dvd".

But, this is a forum specifically for the pursuit of hometheater, and while we accept that DVD is a major part of our hobby now, and is also reaching the mainstream- I don't think it means that the HTF has to serve the needs of everyone with a DVD player, or should even strive to.

DVD is an element of Home Theater, and thus of this forum-- but to abandon the ideals of HT in order to appeal to the growing audience of DVD-- well I would argue that isn't the purpose of this forum to begin with.

Not everyone who likes DVD needs to be a member here.

Very well said Vince. Home Theater was around long before DVDs and shall remain long after them. I have seen a general trend amongst newbies (no offense meant by that) to equate DVDs with Home Theater and it has always bothered me. I think people should take note of the fact that the name of this forum is "The Home Theater Forum' and not 'The DVD Forum'.

Sanjay

Member since 1997

 

[Kevin Matthews]

"You can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar"

..this doesn't apply to every situation but trying to understand & befriend the person you want to "see things your way" works a lot better than insulting him/her.
One last thought before some of you start screaming about "PC Soft soaping" and all that, no matter what you personally feel the definition of J6P is, it does have a rather non-understanding close-minded slant to it & isn't that supposed to be the reason we dislike "J6P" to begin with? Kind of hypocritical don't you think?

 

[Ralph Summa]

It's OK to hammer people when they mention they own Bose speakers. Just don't call that guy J6P.
This IS about political correctness, because what is happening is people are throwing around different terms that will accepted and not offend anyone. Written at the bottom of my post is a term that will not offend anyone.

 

[Deane Johnson]

Out of curiosity, is there any thing in the US Constitution that says people have a right not to be offended? Just wondering.

Deane

 

[Kevin Matthews]

No it isn't written in the constitution, but I find it rather obviously Ironic that most people in this thread are being close-minded & stubborn towards some people because they are being close-minded & stubborn.
That's life of course & I think it's funny. And a little sad at the same time.

 

[David James]

"Out of curiosity, is there any thing in the US Constitution that says people have a right not to be offended? Just wondering. "
I wonder why some feel it's necessary? Why can't people simply respect others viewpoints without herding them under a derogatory name. Political Correctness is now a derogatory term replacing civility and respect. Being politically incorrect has become a badge of honor and licence for rudeness and disrespect. The term J6P is no different than the other slang terms used to describe groups we don't like or approve of, whether they be racial, religious, political, etc.
Ok, I'm down off my soapbox and we can return to the regularly scheduled sniping and feeling of superiority over the unwashed masses.
I'm politically correct and proud of it.

 

[MartinTeller]

Kevin and David

 

[Bob Graham]

I prefer the term "Late Adopters", because I believe that OAR enthusiasts will ultimately prevail. When the mass market stores start stocking and displaying Widescreen TVs non-hobbyists will want them. It worked with DVDs and VCRs before that. Now that widescreen tvs are starting to approach the price threshold where they could be sold in these stores, it is a possibility.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Out of curiosity, is there any thing in the US Constitution that says people have a right not to be offended? Just wondering.

Do you limit all of your actions by the limits of the U.S. Constitution? Or do you instead perhaps care sometimes what other people think? The U.S. Constitution doesn't say "don't be a jerk," but that doesn't make being a jerk a good idea in every situation.

DJ

 

[Damin J Toell]

This IS about political correctness, because what is happening is people are throwing around different terms that will accepted and not offend anyone.

No, it's not about political correctness. If it was about political correctness, it would be about being overly non-offensive for the sake of being overly non-offensive. In this situation, we're supposedly in a massive and important battle to protect OAR. This is about the best method of waging that battle. Anything that hinders that goal should be avoided. Insulting those who we are supposedly attempting to convert hinders that goal. It should therefore be avoided. It's about winning the OAR war, not about being politically correct.

DJ

 

[Kaima]

MaxY,
Are you MelvinTheGrrreat?
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