Political Correctness

What is it anyway? Is it just talking nice to people. Trying not to offend? Or is it a gag order, hushing dissent by means of labels? Are we sparing people from hatred, or spreading it?

This topic has been mentioned in numerous threads so I figured it could use one of it’s own.

To me it’s the great lie of our time. It’s a way to stab you in the back while looking into your eyes.
To me it’s a way to shut people you do not like, by labeling them a bigot or a racist when they may be none of those things. It makes things taboo, barring the way for honest conversation.

What say you?

It is a tool used by weak minded buffoons.

Its just a form of social conformity which has been around longer than humans (animals do it too).

It’s what a small, albeit effective, vocal minority has deemed as polite and civil.

Does anyone know it’s true origins?

[quote]NorCal916 wrote:
Does anyone know it’s true origins?[/quote]

Satan

It will eventually lead to the death of the first amendment

It is the doctrine that holds forth that is possible to pick up a turd by the clean end. People who subscribe to this don’t understand synonyms. Illegal alien, illegal, illegal immigrant, undocumented immigrant all mean the same thing. I strongly question the intellect of one thinks being PC makes anything better.

If you’re a politician, and the media is trying at all times to “get you,” don’t give them an easy target.

So you say “mechanic” instead of " grease-monkey."

Or if you are on the school board, you don’t use the “R” word.

Slurs are like swearing or “cussing.” You are totally allowed to do it, but sometimes people take you more seriously if you don’t. Or get really upset if you do. So you choose your words.

[quote]FlatsFarmer wrote:
If you’re a Republican politician, and the media is trying at all times to “get you,” don’t give them an easy target.

[/quote]

fixed for better accuracy

That is a good point.

Fox News found some people who were upset, but the President didn’t really cause mass outrage last week.

I honestly find this whole “Oh we’re in the era of the PC talk! We’re doomed!” really dumb.

There were always taboo words/phrases/concepts/what have you. Society enforced them, and you could find yourself becoming a pariah pretty darned quickly if you broke rank.

Having the taboo stuff change in your life-time is not, in of itself, a sign of the end of the world. If anything, it’s probably happening more rapidly than before (I have no idea whether this is actually true or not) simply because information can be spread a helluva lot more quickly nowadays.

[quote]pat wrote:
What is it anyway? Is it just talking nice to people. Trying not to offend? Or is it a gag order, hushing dissent by means of labels? Are we sparing people from hatred, or spreading it?

This topic has been mentioned in numerous threads so I figured it could use one of it’s own.

To me it’s the great lie of our time. It’s a way to stab you in the back while looking into your eyes.
To me it’s a way to shut people you do not like, by labeling them a bigot or a racist when they may be none of those things. It makes things taboo, barring the way for honest conversation.

What say you?[/quote]

Well the broader meaning and origin is conformity to the tribe or specifically conformity to the hierarchical power structure and mysticism of the tribe.

If you can find people that don’t panic and resort to emotional backlash when questioned about the most sensitive topics, hold on tight because they are rare and special indeed.

[quote]magick wrote:
I honestly find this whole “Oh we’re in the era of the PC talk! We’re doomed!” really dumb.

There were always taboo words/phrases/concepts/what have you. Society enforced them, and you could find yourself becoming a pariah pretty darned quickly if you broke rank.

Having the taboo stuff change in your life-time is not, in of itself, a sign of the end of the world. If anything, it’s probably happening more rapidly than before (I have no idea whether this is actually true or not) simply because information can be spread a helluva lot more quickly nowadays.[/quote]

Yes, I think it’s probably true and probably has a lot to do with the general reduction in violence across the species resulting in pockets of the population where people aren’t immediately ostracized for breaking social taboos. The internet has made that possible to a large extent in my opinion.

[quote]magick wrote:
I honestly find this whole “Oh we’re in the era of the PC talk! We’re doomed!” really dumb.

There were always taboo words/phrases/concepts/what have you. Society enforced them, and you could find yourself becoming a pariah pretty darned quickly if you broke rank.

Having the taboo stuff change in your life-time is not, in of itself, a sign of the end of the world. If anything, it’s probably happening more rapidly than before (I have no idea whether this is actually true or not) simply because information can be spread a helluva lot more quickly nowadays.[/quote]

Who said anything about being doomed?
It is a good observation about taboos changing, but the bottom line is it still taboo. So it serves no good purpose to change them. Minds are still closed, they are just shutting different doors.

If I am expected to drop my taboo then you should drop yours. I should not have to drop mine in exchange for yours.

I think political correctness is a way for people to claim the moral high ground without having to do anything to earn it.

I know a man who has been a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 50+ years. He will get up at 3 in the morning and leave his family to help a perfect stranger. And yet he will call someone “colored” or “oriental”, or even “wetback”, without malice. People who haven’t done and will never do near as much to help their fellow human would be quick to denounce him as a bigot, as a way of saying “I’m better than that guy!”

Enjoy.

Sad that Blazing Saddles could not be made today.

Sad that the Wayans Bros couldnt make a Blacxploitation version of it !

Can you imagine an African town with the Sheriff being a “Cracker” ?

[quote]Uncle Gabby wrote:
I think political correctness is a way for people to claim the moral high ground without having to do anything to earn it.

I know a man who has been a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 50+ years. He will get up at 3 in the morning and leave his family to help a perfect stranger. And yet he will call someone “colored” or “oriental”, or even “wetback”, without malice. People who haven’t done and will never do near as much to help their fellow human would be quick to denounce him as a bigot, as a way of saying “I’m better than that guy!”[/quote]

Are you for real?

It is not a way of saying “I’m better than that guy!” He is an asshole.

[quote]maverick88 wrote:

[quote]Uncle Gabby wrote:
I think political correctness is a way for people to claim the moral high ground without having to do anything to earn it.

I know a man who has been a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 50+ years. He will get up at 3 in the morning and leave his family to help a perfect stranger. And yet he will call someone “colored” or “oriental”, or even “wetback”, without malice. People who haven’t done and will never do near as much to help their fellow human would be quick to denounce him as a bigot, as a way of saying “I’m better than that guy!”[/quote]

Are you for real?

It is not a way of saying “I’m better than that guy!” He is an asshole.[/quote]

(facepalm) perfectly illustrating uncle gab’s point…

After showing my face and name here I have held back on politically incorrect statements on here because politically incorrect people are oppressed and persecuted. A politically incorrect person can now lose a job, not be hired, framed, or worse. This might sound paranoid, but I believe a pass might be given to someone who physically assaulted a politically incorrect person, and I wouldn’t doubt it already has happened.

This is how bad it is!