Comments on: Is it offensive to use the word “ghetto”? http://youngandemployed.com/2009/06/17/is-it-offensive-to-use-the-word-%e2%80%9cghetto%e2%80%9d/ Perspectives on business from young marketing and public relations professionals Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:23:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: joseanes http://youngandemployed.com/2009/06/17/is-it-offensive-to-use-the-word-%e2%80%9cghetto%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-2 joseanes Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:51:36 +0000 http://youngandemployed.com/?p=8#comment-2 The origin of ghetto is both minority and economically related. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghetto However, in modern times minorities have the ability to live anywhere they want -- as long as they decide to follow rewarding careers. Associating an economically challenged area to minorities may be racist by itself - as it would be suggesting that minorities don't have the ability to stand by themselves and make a good living without the help of others. However, this example just serves to underscore a business fact: if you think that what you will say may be perceived in the wrong way -- it will be perceived in the wrong way by at least one person. Difficult to deal with sensitive people... but they do exist. And sometimes they are clients or coworkers on which we depend. Just experience. The origin of ghetto is both minority and economically related. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghetto However, in modern times minorities have the ability to live anywhere they want — as long as they decide to follow rewarding careers. Associating an economically challenged area to minorities may be racist by itself – as it would be suggesting that minorities don’t have the ability to stand by themselves and make a good living without the help of others.

However, this example just serves to underscore a business fact: if you think that what you will say may be perceived in the wrong way — it will be perceived in the wrong way by at least one person.

Difficult to deal with sensitive people… but they do exist. And sometimes they are clients or coworkers on which we depend.

Just experience.

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