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Showing Original Post only (View all)“Political correctness”: decoding a vicious, pernicious code word [View all]
I always cringe when I hear the phrase political correctness being used. Its a deeply coded phrase, and what it encodes is a stubborn, neoconservative cultural politics, a politics of entitlement and disrespect. And yet that politics is so deeply coded that one encounters the phrase being used by people who should know better; and maybe they will learn to avoid the phrase, if they take the time to get caught up on its context and complexity. If I never see it being taken out and waved around in public discourse again, it will be too soon.
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More plain-spoken versions of this definition appear as ripostes to a diatribe against political correctness that was published (unsurprisingly enough) on the Richard Dawkins Foundation website:
In other words, political correctness is a nasty way to describe talking nicely, as though talking nicely is nasty. This rhetorical duplicity, coupled with the privileged, dominant positions from which pronouncements on political correctness typically come, has made the phrase political correctness slippery, robust, and insidious. The phrase thus provides a present-day example of political speech and writing as the defense of the indefensible, as criticized by George Orwell, in his 1946 essay Politics and the English language. The phrase political correctness is a perfect example of a phrase whose cryptic complexity lets it smuggle into ones speech or writing a formidable freight of covert (and perhaps, sometimes, unintended) meanings that can detract from or even derail the point of a statement in which its used, when its not being openly used to justify oppression.
Amidst the flame wars, troll rampages, and other hostilities that attend a digital mediascape much more populous and interactive than it was in the mid-1990s, it is a tragedy of English vocabulary and public discourse that one of the main progressive take-away points from the political correctness furore that we be courteous, thoughtful, sensitive, inclusive, and above all respectful in our language has been lost, body-snatched by a sneaky and vicious code word for the privileged, entitled, and bigoted to claim not only license but even moral high ground for their vituperative sound and fury.
http://academicalism.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/political-correctness-decoding-a-vicious-pernicious-code-word/
...
More plain-spoken versions of this definition appear as ripostes to a diatribe against political correctness that was published (unsurprisingly enough) on the Richard Dawkins Foundation website:
Political Correctness Buzzword used to express the absurd notion that the majority is being dominated by the minorities. (foundationist)
Political correctness is formalised good manners. It has been a benefit to society. Before it became influential it was common to see overt racism, sexism, homophobia, jokes about the disabled and so on. Fortunately a culture of respect for diversity developed and with it a culture of disrespect for rudeness political correctness. The term political correctness can be used as a verbal weapon by those who want to do extreme things, things which would attack equality and human rights. When others complain, the response thats just political correctness is supposed to be a conversation stopper, because political correctness is supposed to be wrong. Complaining about political correctness is as absurd as complaining about good manners. The response thats just political correctness usually translates as thats just being polite. (Zara)
In other words, political correctness is a nasty way to describe talking nicely, as though talking nicely is nasty. This rhetorical duplicity, coupled with the privileged, dominant positions from which pronouncements on political correctness typically come, has made the phrase political correctness slippery, robust, and insidious. The phrase thus provides a present-day example of political speech and writing as the defense of the indefensible, as criticized by George Orwell, in his 1946 essay Politics and the English language. The phrase political correctness is a perfect example of a phrase whose cryptic complexity lets it smuggle into ones speech or writing a formidable freight of covert (and perhaps, sometimes, unintended) meanings that can detract from or even derail the point of a statement in which its used, when its not being openly used to justify oppression.
Amidst the flame wars, troll rampages, and other hostilities that attend a digital mediascape much more populous and interactive than it was in the mid-1990s, it is a tragedy of English vocabulary and public discourse that one of the main progressive take-away points from the political correctness furore that we be courteous, thoughtful, sensitive, inclusive, and above all respectful in our language has been lost, body-snatched by a sneaky and vicious code word for the privileged, entitled, and bigoted to claim not only license but even moral high ground for their vituperative sound and fury.
http://academicalism.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/political-correctness-decoding-a-vicious-pernicious-code-word/
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Exactly. Also, people are more sensitive today than they were years ago.
Louisiana1976
Jul 2014
#106
If your standard of comparison is the Middle Ages, of course we are more sensitive
eridani
Jul 2014
#192
Ethnic insults becoming moretaboo is a great thing. Just like talking about sex becoming less taboo
eridani
Jul 2014
#205
Actually from their perspective they legitimately thought they were doing the right thing.
Tetris_Iguana
Jul 2014
#226
Exactly. It is people getting fed up and saying they won't just accept it anymore.nt
redqueen
Jul 2014
#237
people are tired of continually being insulted for no reason but the manner borned. horrible,
seabeyond
Jul 2014
#179
i am in the maher thread. purposely offensive to offend then offended when the insulted are offended
seabeyond
Jul 2014
#4
They seem to have no idea what "free speech is a two-way street" really means.
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#177
Both sides of the political spectrum manipulate language to further their agendas
Algernon Moncrieff
Jul 2014
#32
Back when, news organizations reported on "Pro Abortion" and "Anti Abortion" politics.
Algernon Moncrieff
Jul 2014
#162
So, to be clear, tolerating a Menorah or a Nativity = smug superiority over the abused?
Algernon Moncrieff
Jul 2014
#166
"I think the ACLU has bigger fish to fry than whether someone wants to have a prayer before a footba
greiner3
Jul 2014
#204
"Rant" or not, this is one of your best posts that I've read in a while. You draw the lines
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#182
For the part about "insisting any diversity should be respected", consider this:
muriel_volestrangler
Jul 2014
#18
But we see that an anti-FGM activist did call it 'political correctness'
muriel_volestrangler
Jul 2014
#23
but a further problem with the example of circumcision is that it is foundational to
CTyankee
Jul 2014
#95
The use of the phrase is still misguided. "Political correctness" has become such a generic
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#184
Yeah, I would think "telling people what to do" is pretty well justified when it comes to mutilation
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#186
I'm not a fan of male circumcision either, even if it's nowhere near the same thing
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#224
Most of them are Republican/conservative/right-leaning. But not all. n/t
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#187
What they don't realize is they have their own, equally arbitrary version of "political correctness"
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#188
It's an example of made-up bullshit. Propaganda of the conservative, fox news variety.
redqueen
Jul 2014
#21
All these made up conservative talking points really make the rounds. You'd think we could
Squinch
Jul 2014
#118
What does one bizarre, misguided aberration have to do with not needlessly offending people
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#190
PC was originally a term bandied about by Chinese Maoists to describe the correct part line.
Comrade Grumpy
Jul 2014
#22
So she feels that you are objectifying women when you offer to take her to a boob restaurant, and
Squinch
Jul 2014
#212
You manufacture situations in which she is made uncomfortable enough that she feels she needs to
Squinch
Jul 2014
#221
OK, this is really entertaining and all, but we're going to end this now
Algernon Moncrieff
Jul 2014
#222
The strange thing is that the pasted 'wall of text' seemed to support your OP
muriel_volestrangler
Jul 2014
#75
Igel is the only one saying "it's a useful ..."; your pasted 'wall of text' is what redqueen
muriel_volestrangler
Jul 2014
#81
Meh - people who reply to posts in their own threads with 'tl;dr' don't get to complain
muriel_volestrangler
Jul 2014
#93
I don't believe, in fact I'm positive, that's not what she what she was trying to say.
ismnotwasm
Jul 2014
#53
I own my language, it doesn't own me. I use my language as I please. I recognize no authority.
hunter
Jul 2014
#111
I imagine that the dogmatic who discount the colloquial may even believe 'gentleman'
LanternWaste
Jul 2014
#113
^^^^ That. The article says it's about entitlement and disrespect. When it is used to complain
Squinch
Jul 2014
#122
Don't you have any sources that aren't right wing agenda scams? That's two so far in this thread.
Squinch
Jul 2014
#124
No, Nye. Wikipedia is fine. In fact, it tells us that the Baa Baa Black Sheep story was a right
Squinch
Jul 2014
#129
Why are you using trivial bullshit to mock serious concerns about oppressive behavior?
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#195
My observation is that when "political correctness" is brought up in discussion of political issues
WatermelonRat
Jul 2014
#54
A lot (and by that I mean most) of the over-the-top stuff on tumblr is sarcasm.
redqueen
Jul 2014
#57
It's certainly possible, thanks to Poe's law, that a given example may be a troll or satire.
WatermelonRat
Jul 2014
#68
Demonization of the words "politically correct" is nothing but brainwashing propaganda
Uncle Joe
Jul 2014
#61
Lots of DUers were accused of "political correctness" when they objected to Rude Pundit
Nye Bevan
Jul 2014
#86
If you're making the point that "political correctness" is a largely meaningless phrase, there are
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#197
Political Correctness = Smug, greedy, well-fed white people have created a language to conceal
Exultant Democracy
Jul 2014
#76
Is using the word "seniors" to describe old people politically correct? I'd say so but you won't
brewens
Jul 2014
#102
hey buddy a troll is a troll and not deserving of any politeness from anyone
CBGLuthier
Jul 2014
#135
I love how you folks attempt to act as if the word cracker is vile and hurtful.
CBGLuthier
Jul 2014
#145
Well, you brought up the idea first, so instead of asking loaded questions why not provide examples
alp227
Jul 2014
#175
I believe it is used as a phrase to demonise compassion by the Right (wrong?)...
uriel1972
Jul 2014
#165
Call it "lunacy," then. Or "stupidity." Or even "intolerance" if you think that fits.
nomorenomore08
Jul 2014
#199
Right. If political correctness was just being courteous, then the word courteous would be used
valerief
Jul 2014
#213
Before it was used derisively by the Limbaughs of the world, it was used with 100% earnestness
Warren DeMontague
Jul 2014
#183
''It is my firm belief that it is a mistake to hold firm beliefs.'' ~Robert Anton Wilson n/t
DeSwiss
Jul 2014
#206
Excellent, thanks. Much nicer to see this from the left than the hoax stories from the right
redqueen
Jul 2014
#234
K&R I start to brace myself for a tsunami of stupid every single time I hear someone start
Number23
Jul 2014
#229