Political Correctness

[Sharky]

Political Correctness... does it actually have anything to do with politics? What are the origins of this overused, overvalued, and freedom-of-speech reducing phrase?

Discuss.

 

[dhruv227]

don't know

 

[adamparkzer]

Political Correctness... does it actually have anything to do with politics? What are the origins of this overused, overvalued, and freedom-of-speech reducing phrase?

Discuss.

I don't really know too much about politics, as it seems boring to me. However, I think political correctness has more to do with extreme ethical correctness than it does with actual politics.

That's sort of all I can contribute. I'm very unknowledgeable about politics.

 

[jtwhite]

I think it's used because people believe one thing but it's not popular so they say the "politically correct" thing to prevent opposition.

I'll use Gay marriage as an example. A politician may be severely against this but he can't just say that. He must say "I believe marriage is meant for a man and a woman but I am tolerant of monogamous homosexual relationships."

Almost all politicians will say that unless they completely support gay marriage because that's the politically correct thing to say.

I don't really know too much about politics, as it seems boring to me. However, I think political correctness has more to do with extreme ethical correctness than it does with actual politics.

I too believe it has a lot to do with ethical values.

 

[garrettroyce]

I think it's all a bunch of nonsense to keep the powerful in power and the wealthy wealthy. If a politician can convince you to vote for him no matter how he/she really feels or acts, what could be better for them?

 

[Sharky]

I think it's used because people believe one thing but it's not popular so they say the "politically correct" thing to prevent opposition.

I'll use Gay marriage as an example. A politician may be severely against this but he can't just say that. He must say "I believe marriage is meant for a man and a woman but I am tolerant of monogamous homosexual relationships."

Almost all politicians will say that unless they completely support gay marriage because that's the politically correct thing to say.



I too believe it has a lot to do with ethical values.

So how does replacing whiteboard/blackboard with wipeboard/chalkboard, and disallowing blacklisting, instead favouring the colour-free 'blocklisting' alternative, fit in to that?

 

[callumacrae]

I always think of political correctness as a way for the "clever" people to frown down on stupid people.

~Callum

 

[garrettroyce]

I always think of political correctness as a way for the "clever" people to frown down on stupid people.

~Callum

It does seem patronizing that someone who is very important in your day-to-day life has an opinion and won't tell you, or anyone else for that matter, because you can't handle the truth.

 

[Sharky]

One just gets the impression that the latest list of Things-You-Cannot-Say comes from somewhere that is so out of touch with reality that it's untrue. I know of nobody who found white/blackboard, or blacklisting, offensive. It's amazing how things have changed. Eg., in the film The Dam Busters (1955), there is a black Labrador called "Nigger". Now, it's taboo. And yet, it's used freely in certain genres of music: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=nigger+site:azlyrics.com . Go figure.

 

[garrettroyce]

It's also like "salesman." You're supposed to say "salesperson." Or you cannot say "he" when you're unsure of a gender, such as when referring to someone on the forums, you're supposed to say "he/she." Do women really feel offended that the male gender has been associated with ambiguity? Should they be offended that a table in the German language is "der Tisch," which uses the masculine article "der" and not the feminine or neuter articles "die" or "das," respectively?

I'm not mad about "mother earth" or "maiden voyage" and require them to be "parent earth" and well, whatever the neutral of "maiden" is... virgin? "virgin voyage?" that sounds dirty.

PS. shouldn't this be in crossfire?

 

[brianjkimball]

the statements made by politicos to satisfy whoever they were talking to .
the dem or gop would do what ever they wanted but
the politicaly correct thing to say according to focus groups
were MANDITORY answers to give in what ever area they were stumping .
in detroit you talked blue coller but in newyork you flip flop.

 

[garrettroyce]

the statements made by politicos to satisfy whoever they were talking to .
the dem or gop would do what ever they wanted but
the politicaly correct thing to say according to focus groups
were MANDITORY answers to give in what ever area they were stumping .
in detroit you talked blue coller but in newyork you flip flop.

I wouldn't say that's political correctness, because they have to be politically correct in both places. That's just politics in general, unfortunately.

 

[fractalfeline]

Agreed with Sharky. PC terms seem to be invented to prevent offending a small minority of people who are easily offended, and very vocal about how offended they are. I'm a woman, and frankly I couldn't care less if you use the word "salesman" to refer to a dude who sells you things. He/she is unwieldy as a term, "they" is frowned upon as grammatically incorrect, and "it" is frowned upon in general for being "inhuman." It's too bad we don't have a 3rd person singular that works! (Then again, we don't have a 2nd person informal plural either, so I tend to use "yall" even if it is a hillbilly term!) I tend to lump political correctness into the same category as censorship, and think it's all kinda silly.

I've always thought of the real reason for words is to communicate ideas. As long as the right idea gets across and is expressed, then the actual wording matters little. I'll never be a grammarian, and PC? Only when I might be quoted publicly or on formal papers. Otherwise? Bah, screw it. As long as we understand each other, why quibble about details?