Political Correctness

by snugglebunny 29 Replies latest jw friends

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  OrphanCrow

  Political correctness causes discomfort in the privileged classes.

  Sure...go ahead and dump political correctness. It is one of the least understood social concepts of its time and the claims that it has out served its purpose may be valid.

  What do we replace it with? Or, do we not replace it and just try to maintain the status quo so that people of privilege can maintain their comfort level?

  Okay...no more 'political correctness'. Back to the 60s it is...one step forward and two back. Typical of the human species - fearful of any change that can be perceived as threatening their social status. It is a wonder that we have survived this long

  Damn, I wish they would hurry up with that space exploration stuff. We need a new planet so that those of privilege, who own this planet, can stay here and all of us who support the rights of marganilized people can go to a new one. Send us off to space to re-start this pitiful human species. You can have this damned earth
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  Simon

  I think you are confusing people being civil and not bigoted or misogynistic (or whatever) with what most people think of as "stupid political correctness" which is when it's gone overboard and used to try and silence people or just ruin someone else's time.

  e.g. it's politically incorrect to make racist or sexist comments, no one taken seriously would argue that isn't the case. But it's also politically incorrect to say happy christmas to people when it's intended with no malice or insult.

  The two things are not the same. When we say "political correctness is stupid" we're not suggesting that blackface should be allowed.
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  OrphanCrow

  I think you are confusing people being civil and not bigoted or misogynistic (or whatever) with what most people think of as "stupid political correctness" which is when it's gone overboard and used to try and silence people or just ruin someone else's time.

  I don't think I am confusing the two, Simon. It is all part of the same package.

  You give the example of "...it's also politically incorrect to say happy christmas to people when it's intended with no malice or insult." This example just highlights the ignorance of those who believe that their intentions are exemplary and because of that, that their actions are justifiable regardless of how those actions effect anyone else. It reminds me of someone who drives a transport truck through my garden because it is the shortest route for them and then says "...oh, but I didn't mean to kill your garden! I was trying to miss the potatoes and I didn't hit the peas! Be grateful for small mercies..."

  So what if no malice is intended? It is the consequences to others that are important. Political correctness isn't about you...it is about the ones who are marginalized/silenced by dominant culture.
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  Simon

  This example just highlights the ignorance of those who believe that their intentions are exemplary and because of that, that their actions are justifiable regardless of how those actions effect anyone else.

  How exactly does it affect someone else? Did anyone die?

  It reminds me of someone who drives a transport truck through my garden because it is the shortest route for them and then says "...oh, but I didn't mean to kill your garden! I was trying to miss the potatoes and I didn't hit the peas! Be grateful for small mercies..."

  So saying "happy christmas" is up there with attempted murder or criminal damage?

  Or, more likely, is it nothing at all the same.
  

  So what if no malice is intended? It is the consequences to others that are important. Political correctness isn't about you...it is about the ones who are marginalized/silenced by dominant culture.

  And how is person C silenced because person A wants to say Happy Christmas to person B?

  What exactly are the consequences to C in this case? "oh my god, the humanity"
  

  Why should person's C culture matter so much vs A and B's? Don't they have the same right?

  Does person C have to avoid saying their greeting to anyone else lest A or B hear it and take offence?

  If A and B are in C's "culture" are they going to be afforded the same considerations?
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  OrphanCrow

  It is about respect, Simon. Respect for others, pure and simple.

  And...hyperbole won't cut it. I said nothing about attempted murder. I am not going to get entangled in hyperbole diversion tactics. Sorry....thanks for the chat. :)
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  Simon

  But you think the respect should only go in one direction ... why?

  ... and who choses who should get respect and who shouldn't?

  No wonder you want to cut-and run - your position is classic "idiotic political correctness" where you can't defend the reason for what you have no trouble condemning and why people end up feeling more inclined to tell other cultures to go f*** themselves if polite and friendly greetings are met with a lecture and condemnation.

  PC'ness becomes the reason why other cultures can be viewed with suspicion and resentment.
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  snugglebunny

  So what if no malice is intended? It is the consequences to others that are important. Political correctness isn't aboutyou...it is about the ones who are marginalized/silenced by dominant culture.

  The intention may be good, but the reality is that life isn't fair. I've been on the wrong side of that unfairness as much as I've been on the right side of it. Constantly altering our language so as not to offend those who feel discriminated against actually only serves to highlight their differences and eventually smacks of patronisation.

  Refraining from obvious insults is just plain good manners. However, insisting that the dominant culture walks around on eggshells for fear of causing offence - such as saying "Merry Christmas" will only result in many of that dominant culture becoming wearied and unempathetic to the minor culture.

  It's all a question of degree and intent IMHO. After all, being offended hasn't yet proved fatal to anyone.
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  LongHairGal

  ORPHAN CROW:

  Political correctness has gotten WAY out of hand!

  I feel everybody is in danger of terrorism in the Western world because of "not wanting to profile anybody". Meanwhile the Israelis know full well they HAVE to profile people!

  While I agree with you that perhaps political correctness was enacted to insure people should not be marginalized, insulted, discriminated against because of disability, etc., unfortunately it has had an unintended result. Now, certain groups might think they should be treated like sacred cows and/or imagine they have more rights than others and may possibly have agendas that are harmful and offensive to the populace as a whole, while they are laughing in everybody's face.

  The key is balance and we clearly don't have that.
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  truth_b_known

  Division and narrative control. That's what political correctness is about. There is a war for the minds and hearts of people in an attempt to force change through guilt.

  I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but it seems something that exists mostly in the United States. I am sure it is found in other first world nations.

  One of my favorite examples of how ridiculous it is was during an interview on ESPN with an NHL player who played for the Calgary Flames. He was asked by the ESPN commentators what it was like to be one of the few African-American players in the NHL. The player responded - "I don't know. I'm not African or American. I am Canadian."

  The hyphenated world is divisive.

  Another example in the United States is replacing "Illegal Alien" with "Undocumented Immigrant". The latter term is used by those who feel it is less offensive. That's like calling a murder a "non-consensual assisted suicide" or a theft a "non-consensual co-ownership of property" or trespassing as "non-consensual co-habitation of property".

  Political Correctness is similar in Orwellian double-talk.
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  John_Mann

  This whole thread offends me. You are a bunch of racists!