Fermiboson
Member
This forum is primarily British, and as such the term “anti-social behaviour” is commonly used and well understood to mean “things that are possibly against the law and annoying, as opposed to dangerous”. Of course, the term is also widely used in government publications, election campaigns, notices and posters on private property, etc. etc.
I suspect many Brits growing up in Britain may not even have thought twice about the term. However, I was not born in Britain. Prior to living in the UK, I have had two exposures to the term “anti-social behaviour”:
1. A characterisation of those with learning disorders such as autism and ADHD, as a justification for disciplining them in harsh ways
2. An umbrella classification of those interned in Nazi concentration camps under the “inverted pink triangle” mark, including homosexuals (and some Roma people, as I understand it).
So I was quite surprised to see the term being used so freely and casually in the UK for a generally non-malicious purpose, and I must confess I am still highly uncomfortable with the use of the term. As far as I can tell, the UK is unique in its use of the term and nowhere else in the Anglosphere, or even in Europe, really uses it (and/or translated equivalent) to mean “being loud and obnoxious on the train”.
Any thoughts on why the term is so widely used in the UK, its appropiateness and history?
I suspect many Brits growing up in Britain may not even have thought twice about the term. However, I was not born in Britain. Prior to living in the UK, I have had two exposures to the term “anti-social behaviour”:
1. A characterisation of those with learning disorders such as autism and ADHD, as a justification for disciplining them in harsh ways
2. An umbrella classification of those interned in Nazi concentration camps under the “inverted pink triangle” mark, including homosexuals (and some Roma people, as I understand it).
So I was quite surprised to see the term being used so freely and casually in the UK for a generally non-malicious purpose, and I must confess I am still highly uncomfortable with the use of the term. As far as I can tell, the UK is unique in its use of the term and nowhere else in the Anglosphere, or even in Europe, really uses it (and/or translated equivalent) to mean “being loud and obnoxious on the train”.
Any thoughts on why the term is so widely used in the UK, its appropiateness and history?