NationStates Jolt Archive

Racism or political correctness.
I gotta go w/PC, which is (if you ask me) friggin thought control disguised as tolerance.

Racism or political correctness.
I gotta go w/PC, which is (if you ask me) friggin thought control disguised as tolerance.

Well so far racism has resulted in far stricter control than PC ever has.

Well so far racism has resulted in far stricter control than PC ever has.

Nah, racism didn’t result in anything. Economics did. Racism was just a way to justify the enslavement of Africans. Everything always goes back to Economics I tells ya!

Anyhoo, I voted Racism. Because as much as I hate PC, it never killed six million Jews.

Politically correct racism?

Well so far racism has resulted in far stricter control than PC ever has.
Meh, as far as I'm concerned PC is nothing short of thought control - don't get me wrong, I have contempt for racists but at least they're not pseudo-tolerant

don't get me wrong, I have contempt for racists but at least they're not pseudo-tolerant Yes they are, just look at the BNP/Robert Kilroy-Silk.

"I'm not racist but…"

Nah, racism didn’t result in anything. Economics did. Racism was just a way to justify the enslavement of Africans. Everything always goes back to Economics I tells ya!

Isn't it a fact that slavery is economically inferior to wage labour though?

Meh, as far as I'm concerned PC is nothing short of thought control - don't get me wrong, I have contempt for racists but at least they're not pseudo-tolerant

Everything is thought control. Nobody wants to think for themselves. That's why political ideologies exist.

Racism or political correctness.
I gotta go w/PC, which is (if you ask me) friggin thought control disguised as tolerance.
I had to opt for racism, since PC is usually at least partially motivated by concern for others ( albiet misguided ). Racism isn't self-correcting; PC is, since a skeptical people can reason their way out of it.

Isn't it a fact that slavery is economically inferior to wage labour though?

Not in the 1600 and 1700’s when you are trying to run huge plantations in distant colonies where very few of your own people will migrate to and you have killed off the majority of the locals. By the time the Civil War rolled around, though, the North’s economy far surpassed the South’s. Thusly, the South lost the war because they couldn’t afford a bigger, better equipped army. Everything goes back to economics.

Quite simply, PC is more subtle, destroying us from the inside.

Racism, however, is obvious, easy to tackle and has laws against it.

Guess what I voted for...

Racism or political correctness.
I gotta go w/PC, which is (if you ask me) friggin thought control disguised as tolerance.
I think the hardcore PC is going the way of the dinosaurs. It was a kneejerk reaction to an uncomfortable and uncertain issue. It was a good idea that went overboard, but I think more and more, reasonable people are rejecting the extremes of it, and the tide of overzealousness is receding.

I would not say the same of racism, however. After being the focus of both racism, and PC policing, I can honestly say, I'll take the wrist-slap of PC over the kick in the ribs of racism, any day.

However, I don't think it's an either or situation. Choosing PC as a less detrimental force does not mean that it cancels out the harm of racism, and visa versa.

Because as much as I hate PC, it never killed six million Jews.
Sad point. Yet true.

Also...PC has had some good effects. It has made people think about the harmful labels they use, the way that they treat others. Even if that is a result of 'fear of punishment', it has at least got people thinking first and speaking after. Yes, it's gone too far. Most ideas do at some point. However, I don't feel particularly constrained by it. So, I can't go around calling people jungle monkeys. I wouldn't have anyway, and having someone THINK before they call me a dirty, drunk squaw, is a nice change.

That doesn't mean I don't think we should fight it when it gets out of hand. We should. But I don't think it's been a MORE detrimental force than it has been a good one.

Meh, as far as I'm concerned PC is nothing short of thought control -
It's not thought control. It's ACTION control. Think your evil, nasty racist thoughts all you want, as long as you consider how your actions may be received, it's all good.

To be very clear...I'm not calling you a racist, I'm using 'you' in the impersonal sense.

Racism has the potential to be dangerous (the Holocaust, the Klu Klux Klan) and can result in death. PC however is encouraged and can limit free speech and local customs, it can also be so petty it's offensive to the people it's meant to be protecting. :headbang:

Overall then, while PC needs to be curtailed it is unlikely to ever result in death or physical injury .

Oh, and PC is done with good intentions while racism is an expression of hatred and intolerance so I'm voting racism.

Quite simply, PC is more subtle, destroying us from the inside.


In what way?

In what way?

It destroys things little by little. First we don't tell racist jokes. Fair enough. Then we don't have X-mas decorations in shops to offend Muslims. What? After that, we stop the Santa Claus in shopping centers to blah blah protecting youth blah blah good and evil blah blah. Ridiculous.

Whilst it does not kill people, if allowed free reign, it will destroy cultures.

Sorry if I seem a bit vague.

Most of the problems with PC stem directly from bigotry in the first place. Thus, I would say that racism and other bigotry is the root cause. If people weren't racist/sexist/etc., no one would care which out of all the words (which would all be pretty much acceptable, since none would have a negative connotation) you used to describe someone. There is nothing offensive, in and of itself, for instance - with the "n" word. If it had developed as a word to describe those of black skin without the negative connotation added on, then the word wouldn't be any more offensive than black. However, that isn't how it happened and now the PC police feel the need to keep the word out of use.

It destroys things little by little. First we don't tell racist jokes. Fair enough. Then we don't have X-mas decorations in shops to offend Muslims. What? After that, we stop the Santa Claus in shopping centers to blah blah protecting youth blah blah good and evil blah blah. Ridiculous.

Whilst it does not kill people, if allowed free reign, it will destroy cultures.

Sorry if I seem a bit vague.
Na, this is PC to the extreme. It will fade as long as people stand up and demand justification for things...weak justifications won't last long.

I'm not against banning Christmas, but I'm certainly against the ignorant idea that everyone celebrates it, or gives two shits about it. Even Christians don't see it in the same way. Being more aware that there are OTHER holidays out there is a good thing. Most kids know what Ramadam is now...would that have been true even 10 years ago? People go overboard, that's inevitable. But for all the overboard silliness, there is a lot more legitimate reasons to not just toss PC out. It will destroy cultures no more than racial mixing has, or will.

And what is this 'nebulous PC' anyway? People are talking about it like it's some sort of living creature with a will...

Na, this is PC to the extreme. It will fade as long as people stand up and demand justification for things...weak justifications won't last long.

I'm not against banning Christmas, but I'm certainly against the ignorant idea that everyone celebrates it, or gives two shits about it. Even Christians don't see it in the same way. Being more aware that there are OTHER holidays out there is a good thing. Most kids know what Ramadam is now...would that have been true even 10 years ago? People go overboard, that's inevitable. But for all the overboard silliness, there is a lot more legitimate reasons to not just toss PC out. It will destroy cultures no more than racial mixing has, or will.

And what is this 'nebulous PC' anyway? People are talking about it like it's some sort of living creature with a will...

I suppose your right.

But to be honest I thought we were talking about hard-core P.C.

I suppose your right.

But to be honest I thought we were talking about hard-core P.C.
Define hard-core PC then. (I think PC was lumped all together as one policy, but let's shift towards the extreme) What policies have been enacted/enforced LEGALLY that represent the extreme PC?

Simple test for me would I rather have my best friend a racist or my best friend was PC? Had to go with PC, people who are racist annoy me more

Define hard-core PC then. (I think PC was lumped all together as one policy, but let's shift towards the extreme) What policies have been enacted/enforced LEGALLY that represent the extreme PC?
Well, the Bill banning incitement to religious hatred is a good example. I think that was actually passed (here in the UK) although I don't follow the news, so I could be wrong.

Well I'm partly of Jewish descent, and I'd rather be referred to as a 'person of Hebrew descent' than pushed into a gas chamber.

Chappelle's Show: Deals with Racism, and is politically incorrect.

The GOP on PBS: Is Politically Correct, but is sexist/racist against gays.


Gimme the racism any day. At least that can be funny. ;)

I think the key issue here is that in everyday mainstream society, no person or group actually is racist or politically correct. They're both things that we accuse other people of being. What we term "racism" or "political correctness" are infact just the most easily identifiable extremes of both sides of the issue. True racism or political correctness in our society doesn't actually exist anymore outside of insults.

I think the key issue here is that in everyday mainstream society, no person or group actually is racist or politically correct. They're both things that you accuse other people of being. What we term "racism" or "political correctness" are infact just the most easily identifiable extremes of both sides of the issue. True racism or political correctness doesn't have any actual efect on modern society anymore.

Bunk.

omg - why are people so up in arms about political correctness lately? Don't you have gripes about anything real to talk about?

What is political correctness anyway? Is it like me thinking I would rather you call my sister mentally handicapped than a retard?

Because if you call my sister a retard I will pop you in the mouth. :gundge:

Bunk.


ooh, how compelling, a one word reply - I totally see your side of the issue now. :p


Although top marks for use of the word "bunk", btw.

ooh, how compelling, a one word reply - I totally see your side of the issue now. :p


Although top marks for use of the word "bunk", btw.

I totally borrowed it from someone who used it on me earlier today :)

Anyway, I've personally experienced racism (We saw a cook spitting in our food when I was little... the cook had seen my brother wearing a Jewish star), and I've personally seen the expensive waste of money that PC can become.

I voted racism.

Extreme racism and extreme political correctness I dislike to say the least. Moderate political correctness I can deal with (and can sometimes agree with) but not "moderate" racism.

One of the reasons along with all the other good points made.

Racism is worse. People tend to blow PC way out of proportion. It's become something that everyone makes fun of to try to appear independent and cool. In fact, I think people dissing PC is worse than PC, at least where I live, because it's way more prevalent, annoying, and cliche. "OMG I have to hear people call them disabled instead of crippled! Poor me!" And maybe you made some muslims feel more welcome when you wished everyone a happy ramadan/christmas/chanukah.

PC is Political Correctness. This means obeying the political views of those in a position to impose such views. The arguments presented here that racism is worse overlook the fact that racism has often been the politically correct position. In Apartheid South Africa, in Nazi Germany, in segregated USA in the slave trade Eiurope, racism was politically correwct. It was wrong to consider other races as being equal to your own.
Thus as PC has other crosses to bear, in addition to racism, PC is definately worse.

PC is Political Correctness. This means obeying the political views of those in a position to impose such views. The arguments presented here that racism is worse overlook the fact that racism has often been the politically correct position. In Apartheid South Africa, in Nazi Germany, in segregated USA in the slave trade Eiurope, racism was politically correwct. It was wrong to consider other races as being equal to your own.
Thus as PC has other crosses to bear, in addition to racism, PC is definately worse.
You're working from a different definition than most. Most people can't define PC all that much...they just label the trend to be 'less offensive' as PC. Unless the original poster had this definition in mind when he created the thread, I think I'm going to stick with the more commonly held perception of PC...which is vague, and unfocused.

Racism easily. Being expected to use heavy-handed and clumsy euphemisms is irritating, but it pales in comparison to slavery and lynching.

You're working from a different definition than most. Most people can't define PC all that much...they just label the trend to be 'less offensive' as PC. Unless the original poster had this definition in mind when he created the thread, I think I'm going to stick with the more commonly held perception of PC...which is vague, and unfocused.

Most people don't think about what PC is then. PC is you, as an individual, being told how you ought to think by some mysterious and unidentified propoganda machine. That it has a socialist agenda now, does not exclude it from having been used in Fascist or other more explicitly totalitarian causes in the past. Racism is just one way of thinking that, in my opinion is wrong. PC is telliung others how to think, removing their autonomy. This is worse than holding an incorrect belief.

I don't like PC, but racism is obviously worse.

Almost all of the great atrocities of the world were caused by racial hatred; also, millions were forced to suffer because of it. Comparatively speaking, no tyrant or murderous ruler was kept in power by political correctness, and PC was never used to justify atrocities of any kind.

Most people don't think about what PC is then.
You're right.

But what you are discussing is still a different issue than what most others are discussing.

Nah, racism didn’t result in anything. Economics did. Racism was just a way to justify the enslavement of Africans. Everything always goes back to Economics I tells ya!

Anyhoo, I voted Racism. Because as much as I hate PC, it never killed six million Jews.

Everything DOES revolve around economics...

I also voted racism, but can't stand pc.

These questions are like: "Would you rather be burned alive or eaten alive by a shark?" I should start that thread! :p

You're right.

But what you are discussing is still a different issue than what most others are discussing.

And if no one discusses it, the majority will keep on thinking that PC is just a harmless and meaningless set of rules for language use. It is too pernicious for me to feel comfortable not protesting against its basic idea.

And if no one discusses it, the majority will keep on thinking that PC is just a harmless and meaningless set of rules for language use. It is too pernicious for me to feel comfortable not protesting against its basic idea.
Ooooh....pernicious...one of my favourite words!

Ok. Give some examples of some pernicious PC policies so we can disect them:)

The "Political Corectness" movement is far worse because it is a subtle masquerade for racism (and sexism). Both believe that given populations are inferior.

The racists will tell you he believes XYZ to be inferior because of a (debunked) theory that there are human races and that some are genetically superior.

The PCists will tell you that the XYZ (using whatever PC term is currently vouge) is a group of powerless victems who are ultimately unable to succeed on their own. They simply substitute euphemistic terms for the harsh and crude terms of the racists.