What Are Your Thoughts About Political Correctness?

There are some cases where PC makes total sense. Foe example in regard to race, which has been the subject of centuries of abuse and slavery. In such instances it is only fair that we all mind ourselves nowadays, especially since nothing can truly undo all the harm that had been done in the past.

What I dislike about PC is when it is highly valued in one aspect, but completely disregarded in another. For example there are some religions that people are mindful not to criticise, whereas other religions can get bashed as much as we please. It just doesn't make sense for one end to have all the protection, and the other to have none. The amount of disrespectful things that I've heard about certain religions from non-religious (therefore presumably neutral) people, is stunning. For the record, I'm not religious myself so I'm not saying this merely out of defence for my own religion.

(Please note that I am excluding racist people, anti-Semitic people, and Islamophobes etc, because they obviously don't give a thought about Political Correctness)

Another aspect in which PC is rather unbalanced is in regards to Latinx people. I myself am Latino, and I've been noticing a hell of a lot of mockery and spite directed towards us -- in pop culture and in real life. Often we are portrayed as complete idiots who are swept underneath delusions and/or beliefs of outlandish folklore, which I find very offensive. How is this acceptable?

I just think that if PC is going to be imposed on some aspects, it should be imposed on all similar aspects where it is fair. There is also the thing where several topics are needlessly regarded as taboo due to Political Correctness, which I find somewhat annoying because it slows down any progression in development as a society. Those are my thoughts.

 

I think the principle of using respectful language towards others is a good one. However, it seems to be going too far and some of the things just make a mockery of the original idea. For example, at my school we can't call a gathering of ideas a "brainstorm" because apparently it's offensive to people with epilepsy. This means that people may be less likely to key into the idea of diversity because they'll think it means using stupid words and phrases to be "PC" and having random Black characters in media that don't add anything, rather than the principle of celebrating our differences.

Overall, it's an honourable idea that's been taken too far.

 

It's an authoritarian, anti liberal and toxic idea. I believe in praising values, not imposing what is appropriate to say arbitrarily.

 

I don't see political correctness in a good light at all.

To me, it looks like outside communities trying to baby minorities of all kinds. For example, it see as offensive now to talk about ''blind people''. Sight-impared people, people affected by blindness or however you say it in English. Did blind people ask for this? I certainly don't recall that.

Another example would be when SJWs claim that gender is a social construct. Pardon me? Are you saying that trans people chose being trans, then? Or that, somehow, we wouldn't be trans if ''society'' didn't make us trans? THAT is something I find offensive. People who know nothing about trans issues interfering and propagating harmful ideas in an attempt to be ''politically correct''.

Also, you guys have no idea how ridiculous it is in gendered languages like French... For those who don't know, French and other latin languages use the inclusive masculine. For example, we have a male and female word for ''student'' (étudiant, étudiante). Usually, when we use the plural form, the plural masculine is used if there is one or more males in the group. Otherwise, the plural feminine is used. HOWEVER, it's been considered sexist to do so now. So we need to write both forms EVERYWHERE. Making the text absolutely ridiculous.

So, to make you see how out of hand it got, let's have an example.

Eng: ''The graduated students will become successful teachers.''
Fr with inclusive masculine: ''Les étudiants gradués deviendront des enseignants efficaces.''
Fr with both forms: ''Les étudiantes et les étudiants gradués deviendront des enseignantes et des enseignants efficaces.''

See how long that is? Imagine an entire text like that. It only started to happen in the last five years. Like, geez, I didn't know that grammar was sexist, now.

I could go on and on, but I think you see my point.

EDIT: Also, see how you need to put the feminine first so that the masculine is next to the adjective. Usually, when doing an enumeration, you're supposed to put the longest word (feminine) last. HOWEVER, since the adjectives are not repeated and instead use the inclusive masculine, you need to put the masuline next to it. So... they don't even end up using it everwhere. What's the point?

 

I guess I think some of the excesses of the PC movement are a bit silly but I'll honestly take that over the anti-PC movement any day. The core of the PC movement is the notion that words are actions and actions have consequences, period. As far as I'm concerned the most vocal anti-PC people are basically just arguing against common decency.

 

Self-righteous rudeness is what I see this as, honestly. I'm all for PC in some contexts. Just use your common sense and you'll be fine. Among close friends, PC is obviously not too big of a deal, but in public, don't expect people to be okay with some terms. People have a right to be offended, and you have a right to say what you want, but both can't exist without some tension. If you want to use such terms, you'll have to deal with the consequences. *shrug*

 

I agree with the intention but disagree with the action. If that makes any sense at all. I like and agree wholeheartedly with the idea of the world being more sensitive to each other's issues and struggle and I agree with a world where we see and treat everybody equally but I disagree with treating everybody's differences like the elephant in the room. I disagree with walking on eggshells around each other because that just causes everybody to be uncomfortable around each other. Which in turn will not encourage the world to co-exist and respect one another. The intention is not that we sweep our differences under the rug and avoid noticing them. The intention is to embrace each other's differences and appreciate them. The intention is not to give every group of people room to be offended by everything. The intention is to eliminate the intent to offend all together. I, as a gay man, hate the thought of my straight family and friends having to sensor themselves and tiptoe around me because they're afraid of offending me. I appreciate them being conscious of my feelings but I want them to be conscious of their own feelings too.

 

I tend to take a moderate stance. Certain topics are sensitive, so try to watch your manners around others. But I think other things go too far, and even try to speak over minorities. I am tired of hearing what I should be offended by as a disabled person, and I think it just makes matters worse for me.

Also, some things are just ridiculous to get offended over, like when trans women complain about cis women talking about their periods. I don't even get periods anymore myself (birth control) but I understand they are just talking about their own unique female experience and not saying "all women have periods". Those using transphobic slurs would be another matter and I wouldn't condone that.

 

Replace "political correctness" with "treating people with respect" and ask yourself that question again. That's literally all it is.

It's ugly. That's ugly. Really think about it.

 

Well. I have a weird belief. PC is racist. PC is mostly used by white people to help fight racism where minorities can fight it themselves. The PC people think they have to help the minorities, because minorites can't defend themselves. This is just another form of rascism. I am 50% hispanic, so i know what im talking about.

 

That people never agree on a definition of PC, and that how talk of PC will go wrong most of the time.

 

I believe in trying to be respectful to others but not to the point where it hinders free expression of thought and makes people feel as if they have to walk on egg shells around others.

 

I think it's alright to try and avoid offending people but it becomes an issue when it impedes on good conversation which it's sadly started doing more often.

 

My policy would be to say something in the most accurate and respectful manner, regardless of it is politically correct or not. Whether people take offence is not my problem.

 

Against it.

 

I'm against super pc, I'm against hate speech. There's a happy medium. I also sit in the middle of the political spectrum and look at how the lib dems turned out, so my views count for pretty much nothing.

 

I'm anti-PC but pro-politeness.

 

I'm actually not against PC if you think of it as avoiding being offensive. Just try to think about people calling gay men "sissies", "faggots" and other terms like these. Or maybe calking trans women "shemales". I bet most of thesepeople wouldn't like that unless they gave you permission to do so. Political correcteness, in it's original meaning, is just avoiding offending anyone through words and I'm very impressed at how many people here is either against it or come saying that they agree with that in a moderate degree.

I know it's used as a pejorative term, but so is the feminist movement that isn't about making women become superior to men like many people think. I'm talking about it's "pure" meaning and I say that I'm not against it with any "buts".

Before anyone asks me if doing [insert example of perceived ridiculous act of PC]. Hell, I do have the common sense to know that's not always possible or it can even be incovenient in some contexts, but let's have some respect for other people.