NationStates Jolt Archive

Given that I myself think political correctness is a bad thing for society, I'm wondering why some people support political correctness. Perhaps someone can try to convince me.

_Taiwan, your guess is as good as mine. PC suppresses so many opinions and idealogues that it just isn't good for the world. If anybody anywhere says anything that anyone else finds offensive (which, odds are, anything you say is offensive to someone else), you could be sued, blacklisted, beat up, or any number of other not-good things could happen to you.

I think it is good to not offend others.
Some people don't even try to avoid that, so that's why sometimes you have to cut in on free speech.
Especially Nazis I don't see contributing anything at all to societal discourse, so they oughta be made to shut up.

Political Correctness is about being polite and not saying things that would offend people due to ethnic background or other criteria. It is politically correct not to call every German you meet a Nazi. It is politically correct not to use the N-word around blacks.
But like everything, PC can be overdone, and American society being as extreme as it is, its those people that get all the attention and give PC such a bad name.

There is a difference between being civil and being politically correct. Not making racist comments around others of different race or creed? That's being civil.

Calling a blind person "differently abled" out of some misguided notion that everyone has such a low self-esteem that acknowledging anyone's differences or failings would ruin them? That's politically correct.

It's almost like a Maternal instinct. You don't want anyone to experience anything bad. But people who never experience anything bad become wimps unable to deal with life and it's challanges.

Personally, I loath PC-ness.

There is a difference between being civil and being politically correct. Not making racist comments around others of different race or creed? That's being civil.

Calling a blind person "differently abled" out of some misguided notion that everyone has such a low self-esteem that acknowledging anyone's differences or failings would ruin them? That's politically correct.

It's almost like a Maternal instinct. You don't want anyone to experience anything bad. But people who never experience anything bad become wimps unable to deal with life and it's challanges.

Personally, I loath PC-ness.PC is part of being civil, only that you can overdo it so much that is no longer so.

there has to be a balance between two rights: the right to free speech, and the right to feel comfortable (ie, not in danger of physical or emotional assault). someone was recently expelled from my school for threatening to lynch all the black kids. his right to mouth off doesn't trump the right of black kids to come to school without being terrified for their lives.

It depends how you define political correctness. Insofar as it is synonymous with tolerance and civility, it is probably a good thing. Insofar as it requires people to mask their intolerance by using "acceptable" terminology, it is probably a bad thing. It is a fine line sometimes. I find a good rule of thumb is to call people what they themselves prefer to be called.

Its crap

political correctness has gone waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay OTT, it's ridiculous, sure racism is bad, ageism is bad, sexism is bad, but i'm not any of those things yet i still find myself having to be really careful that i don't say anything that would make me sound as if i am

Will somebody please define "political correctness" - with a politically correct definition? :p

What is 'political correctness'?

political "correctness" is nothing else than political CENSORSHIP, utilized usually by left-revolution parties prapaganding their "multi-cultural, tolerance" crap that has clearly failed.
Enough examples available in europe.

It's politeness, that's all. I think it's a sorry sign for any society if they feel that having to be polite limits their possibility of free expression... :eek:

Will somebody please define "political correctness" - with a politically correct definition? :p

What is 'political correctness'?
I don't know... it doesn't exist in Russia, I suppose. :)

It's polite, which is good. I really don't think we should be able use derogatory terms in everyday speech, or in fact, in speech at all.

But then it gets strange when some people define normal words as derogatory.

I don't know... it doesn't exist in Russia, I suppose. :)

Why, because all Russians are mean grizzly bears?

I am quite sure that comment was "politically incorrect". :)

Why, because all Russians are mean grizzly bears?

I am quite sure that comment was "politically incorrect". :)

More like a metaphor..

Politically incorrect would be calling someone who's mentally disabled or mentally-not-all-there a retard.

Because it's derogatory term, therefore rude, and in some strange way, anti-people.

I have no idea why I just said.

fact is that many political leaders act like retards and the consorship-utility of "political correctness" prohibits you from saying that...so the game may continue :-/

The problem with political correctness is that it can never attain its own standards.

For one thing, people's opinions about what's offensive and what's not changes frequently. Not so long ago, we stopped using the word 'black' to describe black people. 'Coloured' was, we were told, the preferred term. Now, of course, 'coloured' is considered offensive and patronising, and 'black' is the favoured expression.

The phrase 'half-caste', to describe someone whose parents were from different backgrounds, is now disallowed. Instead, we must say "mixed heritage" - which I confidently predict will be similarly forbidden in the next few years on the basis that "mixed" indicates confusion. Although if there is anyone on this planet whose heritage is not pretty confused I'll be very worried about them. Personally, I think of my 'heritage' and consider any attempt to narrow it down to two convenient labels absolutely futile. Yes, my mother is English and my father Scottish, fine. But why should I stop with them? Why should I not be equally proud of my Scandinavian heritage? My Norman and Saxon blood? My Celtic and Roman ancestry? Or the fact that as far as I'm concerned I am Human?

The other preferred term for mixed heritage is, of course, "dual parentage". Which is patently nonsensical since everyone is of dual parentage, save clones, and there are not enough of them around yet to worry about.

Then we have the disabled. Or "differently-abled" as we are instructed to call them. But different from what? Why should they be labelled as 'different'? I thought the point of political correctness was to protect people from having to feel 'different'? "Challenged" has, fortunately, died off in recent years - again, with good cause, since the implication that a short person was 'challenged' only served to imply that they felt the need to make up for some perceived deficiency. Again, the very purpose of politically-correct phrasing was subverted by political correctness itself.

There are numerous other examples. The pious insistence on referring to "Native Americans", as though this somehow relieves us from facing up to the fact that white Europeans conquered their land and all but exterminated them. As though, before our arrival, they would ever have referred to themselves as 'Americans'. Why is 'American' any less insensitive to these people's history than the equally erroneous 'Indian'?

The fact is that it is not the word that is used that causes offence, but the way in which it is used. Political correctness is, essentially, patronising. And I for one would consider someone's exaggerated awareness of my differences to be far more insulting than if they just took me as they found me. Attempting to set down rules and regulations about how I can be described is the best possible way to ensure that people never truly get to know me, and to encourage them to feel mistrust and self-consciousness when dealing with me. In days gone by, simple manners and courtesy were quite sufficient, and an awareness of the 'golden rule' - that we should treat others as we would like to be treated.

Political correctness as a culture and a mindset is a very harmful and divisive thing. :(

No. Now f*** off.

Why, because all Russians are mean grizzly bears?

I am quite sure that comment was "politically incorrect". :)
My comment was meant as a joke. We have polite and impolite people, of course, but there is no erm... banned words, no attempt to make language non-sexist and the like.

Soon the term "politically correct" would become politically incorrect, because it's rude to call somebody "idea-less" or "plain neutal to the point you get boring". :)

sample:
"what the hell do know ruskies and china-commies know about democracy?"

politically correct ? No. it failed the ideology censorship.

fact: The statement is absolutely true and stands all verifications.

sample:
"what the hell do know ruskies and china-commies know about democracy?"

politically correct ? No. it failed the ideology censorship.

fact: The statement is absolutely true and stands all verifications.

So, just because you are not able to phrase that more politely and grammatically correct (as in "The Russian and Chinese government are seriously deficient in general democratic principles") political correctness or politeness is a bad thing?

I think it is good to not offend others.
Some people don't even try to avoid that, so that's why sometimes you have to cut in on free speech.
Especially Nazis I don't see contributing anything at all to societal discourse, so they oughta be made to shut up.
Do you know what the idea behind political correctness is? IT was invented by a group of American linguistics professors who realised that the words we used influence the way we think. They believed that by eliminating these words from discourse they could end intolerance.

Similarly, in 1984, the Ingsoc government regulated Newspeak, shrinking the language every year until the goal was achieved. The goal was to ensure that no dissenting movement would have the ability to put its feelings or goals into words.

I also think that PC isn't too correct. The past 12 months saw an unreal amount of PC being spread. No one could say boo with out someone taking a high moral ground and accusing them of being racist or someother unfound accusation. I am not advocating a mass abuse of civil rights or anything, I do not condone racist behaviour or anything of the sort, but PC has gone way too far.

So, just because you are not able to phrase that more politely and grammatically correct (as in "The Russian and Chinese government are seriously deficient in general democratic principles") political correctness or politeness is a bad thing?


There is a wacking difference between political politness and correctness. While I agree that the posters nicknames for the Russians and the Chinese may not have been the most appropriate terms, pp is an understand necessity to diplomacy, PC is an aspiration.

By using simple words, you reach the people directly, the "common man" who could be also termed the "average idiot" in the current context ;-)

This way, politics stay close to the people (your voters and tax payers) and do not become a closed process of the elite of a country.

Given that I myself think political correctness is a bad thing for society, I'm wondering why some people support political correctness. Perhaps someone can try to convince me.
I think political correctness has a very important function: it calls our attention to the things we are saying, and to the biases we are communicating to others through our words. It makes us think about what we say a bit more (something I think we don't do often enough), and for that alone I think it is valuable.

I don't always choose to use politically correct terms, because I think many of them are stupid or pointless. But the fact that those terms exist, and that I might be expected to use them, gets me to think about what I really want to say and how I want to say it. It helps me make sure I mean what I am saying, in other words :). I appreciate that.

There's a difference between being polite and speaking in a considerate way (as Bottle suggests). Politeness and civility have been around a lot longer than political correctness. Political correctness does little more than supress debate and patronise disabled people / black people / $minority_community_in_Western_democracies. If anything, all political correctness does is heighten barriers between different types of people by giving them special labels as if to make up for something and instilling in society the need to tread extremely delicately around those people when a better way of reducing inequality / racism etc is just to treat them how you would treat any other human being.

Will somebody please define "political correctness" - with a politically correct definition? :p

What is 'political correctness'?

The term, "Politically Correct" was first used by the Communist Party USA back in the 1930's. It was part of the party's disciplinary process to ensure that party members stuck to the party line.

Surprising. There have been 42 votes so far, and no one has yet posted something to the effect of "Political correctness is good, and it doesn't go far enough yet".

Although I definitely believe we should be more understanding of people and work to be more respectful, using sugar-coated words and phrases isn't going to help the core problem. PC has gotten into ridiculously patronizing levels and has caused many people to fight against not only PC jargon, but against the underlying mutual respect it is striving to create.

I think political correctness has a very important function: it calls our attention to the things we are saying, and to the biases we are communicating to others through our words. It makes us think about what we say a bit more (something I think we don't do often enough), and for that alone I think it is valuable.

I don't always choose to use politically correct terms, because I think many of them are stupid or pointless. But the fact that those terms exist, and that I might be expected to use them, gets me to think about what I really want to say and how I want to say it. It helps me make sure I mean what I am saying, in other words :). I appreciate that.

Well said! I agree completely. :)