OK. Is it politically incorrect to use the term politically incorrect?

[MoonRiver]

Poll question: OK. Is it politically incorrect to use the term politically incorrect?

Inquiring minds need to know!

on edit: I mean according to DU standards.

Poll result (41 votes)
Yes.	(9 votes, 22%)	Vote
No.	(7 votes, 17%)	Vote
WTF?	(17 votes, 41%)	Vote
Other.	(8 votes, 20%)	Vote

[Posteritatis]

1. "politically incorrect" kinda strikes me as a PC term itself, so no. (nt)

[baldguy]

2. As long as it's understood

that there's more "political correctness" in the conservative block than anywhere else.

[ruggerson]

3. My Pet Obsession

eh?

[MoonRiver]

6. Nope. Just curious.

[Hissyspit]

4. Dunno, but it's become a fairly meaningless term, nowadays.

...in its usage in all kinds of context and meaning.It's all judgments and conflict and prioritization of values. Some use the term to belittle or marginalize other's judgments or values. Some use the term to point out hypocritical assessments. Others use the term to paint assessments as hypocritical when they are not.

I try to avoid using it. But I guess I'm being "politically correct" when I do that.

[Bluebear]

5. My Pet Tic

[Gold Metal Flake]

7. Politically correct, politically incorrect: these are right wing terms.

[RufusTFirefly]

8. Exactly

Anyone who seeks respect for anyone other than rich white Christian men is deemed "politically correct."

Tom Tomorrow had a great cartoon on this topic. I'm afraid I couldn't find it though. Anyone?

[Boojatta]

10. Is Salman Rushdie a rich white Christian man?

The "Sir" of knighthood suggests that some people are seeking respect for him.

[Bluebear]

12. ..

.

[blondeatlast]

20. Edit: self-delete. nt

[Igel]

13. Historically, they're not RW at all.

In fact, when it started being applied by the RW it was deeply ironic. It was a 1920s ('30s?) Russian CPSU term, translated, and used by the American party. Authoritarian, but not RW. Sheehan may consider Stalin to have been fascist, but I can't.

Politicheski pravil'no, politically correct (with an alternative translation that's far too clunky, 'correct per policy'). Since the CPSU had eternal yet oft-changing policies/politics, while forming the very definition of Communist morality, it was a potent term. One should think and act according to party politics/policies; such thought and actions were politically correct, and it was a very positive evaluation. To have your actions or friends or whatever described as politically incorrect was a warning: You're out of step with the party, and egregious bits of political failure would mean you've placed yourself out of the party, whatever your membership card said.

We see that kind of thinking on all parts of the political spectrum. Voting for the
Iraq war was incorrect politics; voting for Southbridge (?) to be approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee is counter to proper Democratic politics. In both cases, the acts judged politically incorrect by some were grounds for saying that regardless how the politicians voted otherwise, they were no longer true Democrats. A fallacy, and probably as many such examples can be found on the right as on the left.

One can apply it to individual opinions and utterances, as well. Just because a locution is overused doesn't mean that it does not have meaning.

[Bluebear]

9. Poll question: Do you think Rove is a closet gay?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Are you upset that that was locked, is that what this is all about? Because besides your politically incorrect polls it's about your only appearance here since May.

[jgraz]

11. What an offensive question. Please try to be more sensitive in the future

[Raejeanowl]

14. Apparently So

I've been censured quite recently for using the "politically correct" term, so I apologized and called the person a garden-variety hypocrite instead.

We do know what we mean when we say it, so if someone would prefer I be iconoclastic or simply rude and impatient or whatever pops their balloon when they deserve it rather than - gads! - politically incorrect, I'm sure I could accommodate them.

[endarkenment]

15. It is rightwing framing.

If you want to continue helping the fascist kleptocracy with their mind-numbing propaganda barrage that has half the population dazed and confused, by all means keep on using that term.

[BlooInBloo]

16. CLUTCH THE PEARLS!!! White folks have been called out on their browbeating...

... racism/sexism-dismissing term "politically correct"!! Oh the pain! Oh the horror! We poor, poor, oppressed white men can't get away with ANYTHING any more! Why can't you brown or penilely-challenged folks just let us dismiss you? Throw us a bone here!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. its funny to hear someone whine so much when they accuse others of being overly sensitive.

[Lex]

18. "Politically correct" was probably coined by Frank Luntz to make fun

of people who don't say the "N-word" or call homosexuals "fags."

Seems like something the right-wingers made up to lash out at people trying not to used bigoted or hateful words.

[blondeatlast]

21. Close--I believe it was David Horowitz. It does sound absolutely Luntzian, however. nt

[Lex]

22. Thanks.

I figured it was one of those jerks. They are crafty and evil in their manipulation of terms.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. The term was popularized by Christopher Cerf

(see my post #25)

[Blue_Tires]

19. can we still call Robb a dingbat??

[Bucky]

31. Robb is an aerially-inclined rodentium with a dented chassis.

And you can't spell "dented chassis" without "ass."

[blondeatlast]

23. Don't be so sensitive when you are called out for being, well, un-PC. That's about as PC as it gets.

Tetchy, aren't we?

[booley]

24. Not politically incorrect, just dunb or decietful

Politically incorrect has joined other words like Faith based and Compassion into the worl do Orwellian newsspeak

Nowadays , the phrase is typically used as a cover when someone wants to say something racist, biased or stupid.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

25. The current use of "politlcally correct" is a rightwing distortion of

an actual leftist term.

In traditional leftist groups, there was often a doctrinaire Marxist who would object to some tactic or idea by saying, "That's not politically correct." What that meant was that it was not according to strict Marxist doctrine.

The current usage began with Christopher Cerf, who's a right-winger, making fun of using more sensitive language. To a certain extent, he had a point. "Developmentally disabled" is a euphemism for "mentally retarded," which is a euphemism for "feeble-minded," which is a euphemism for the early twentieth century terms of "moron, imbecile, and idiot," all of which were originally scientific terms for different degrees of retardation. You can call those particular people whatever you want; what matters is how you treat them. Changing the terminology didn't change the way the people designated by the term were treated.

"Hearing impaired" and "visually impaired" are actually more accurate terms, because not all people who don't hear or see well enough to function in society without some sort of assistance are totally deaf or totally blind. However, I've noticed that people who have these conditions refer to themselves as "blind" or "deaf."

Some of the terms that have become famous were actually made up by Christopher Cerf. Nobody ever seriously used "vertically challenged" for "short" or "follicly challenged" for "bald."

Now the right wing has run away with the term. If you object to racist, sexist, or homophobic utterances, you're being "politically correct."

[BlooInBloo]

27. Because you just don't know what you're allowed to say any more!

It's SO HARD to know when you're being offensive! Everybody is so sensitive! Can't they just take joke?



DUers slay me.

[Bluebear]

28. You forgot "lighten up!" nt

[BlooInBloo]

29. Gah! Thank you!

[Bucky]

30. No, but it IS part of a follow-the-herd mentality.

90% of the time people who complain about "PC" terminology are really complaining against exercising good manners.