What's wrong with political correctness?

scottie2121scottie2121 Posts: 11,284
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Or another way to put it is:


what's wrong with tolerance, understanding, awareness, empathy and sensitivity?
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  • ianxianx Posts: 9,190
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    It's gone mad.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    Because it is usually aimed at the easy target and not at the actual cause of the problem.
  • jmclaughjmclaugh Posts: 63,988
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    what's wrong with tolerance, understanding, awareness, empathy and sensitivity?

    Nothing but political correctness can very often be the opposite of the qualities you list.
  • bookaddictbookaddict Posts: 2,806
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    Absolutely nothing. The problem is that the term 'political correctness' is the reason given for daft things that people insist on changing (like the names of things) to avoid offending people, when no-one was offended in the first place.
  • MoonyMoony Posts: 15,093
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    Or another way to put it is:

    what's wrong with tolerance, understanding, awareness, empathy and sensitivity?

    Isn't "political correctness" primarily cited when things are taken too far (i.e. reading intent/meaning into otherwise benign language - rather than simply being tolerant, understanding etc)........hence the reason the term is usually used in a pejorative context.
  • scottie2121scottie2121 Posts: 11,284
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    Moony wrote: »
    Isn't "political correctness" primarily cited when things are taken too far (i.e. reading intent/meaning into otherwise benign language - rather than simply being tolerant, understanding etc)........hence the reason the term is usually used in a pejorative context.


    It's become that, so isn't it time political correctness was reclaimed?

    For me it's a great concept but often those people and parts of the media that complain about it are the ones who want to be able to express prejudice and hatred and ignorance.
  • finkfink Posts: 2,364
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    So isn't it time political correctness was reclaimed?

    For me it's a great concept but often those people and parts of the media that complain about it are the ones who want to be able to express prejudice and hatred and ignorance.

    The problem with political correctness is that more often than not it antagonises by attempting to solve a problem that didn't even exist in the first place.
  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    It's become that, so isn't it time political correctness was reclaimed?

    For me it's a great concept but often those people and parts of the media that complain about it are the ones who want to be able to express prejudice and hatred and ignorance.

    'PC gone mad' is the distress call of the thwarted bigot
  • scottie2121scottie2121 Posts: 11,284
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    fink wrote: »
    The problem with political correctness is that more often than not it antagonises by attempting to solve a problem that didn't even exist in the first place.

    It may, in some people's minds, not be a problem - for example using the word 'P**i', to describe someone from parts of Asia. However, times have moved on and I hope there's a better recognition that language can be used to offend and oppress.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    ianx wrote: »
    It's gone mad.

    Mentally ill, if you don't mind!
  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    Or another way to put it is:


    what's wrong with tolerance, understanding, awareness, empathy and sensitivity?

    What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?
  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    fink wrote: »
    The problem with political correctness is that more often than not it antagonises by attempting to solve a problem that didn't even exist in the first place.

    A lot of these stories are wholly or partly fabricated and deliberatly misconstrued in order to assign the PC gone mad label to it.

    Trouble is once these myths are out there people will believe them.

    The oft repeated 'rainbow sheep' story is a good example of this.
  • SurferfishSurferfish Posts: 7,659
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    ianx wrote: »
    It's gone mad.

    I think you'll find it's mentally challenged. ;)
  • valkayvalkay Posts: 15,726
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    jackbell wrote: »
    Mentally ill, if you don't mind!

    Learning difficulties is the P.C.term:rolleyes:
  • malpascmalpasc Posts: 9,626
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    "Political correctness gone mad" is the protest cry of bigots across the country.

    What they mean is they quite rightly aren't allowed to call black people "n*****s" anymore, or gay people "queers" etc anymore. Certainly without being pulled up on it anyway.

    The "PC Brigade" are a non-existant group of people who allegedly ban Christmas and St George's day celebrations even when neither of these occasions have ever been banned.
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    Or another way to put it is:


    what's wrong with tolerance, understanding, awareness, empathy and sensitivity?

    That's not being PC and I think people get it confused with do-gooders who poke their noses in and get offended on others behalfs.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    valkay wrote: »
    Learning difficulties is the P.C.term:rolleyes:

    Unless you are mentally ill = madness.
  • scottie2121scottie2121 Posts: 11,284
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    That's not being PC and I think people get confused with do-gooders who poke their noses in and being offended on others behalfs.

    That's my understanding of what political correctness is.

    It's the warping of the concept that's the problem . . as you have illustrated well.
  • TerryallgoldTerryallgold Posts: 1,208
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    nuffing rong wiv it innit bruv
  • Pink KnightPink Knight Posts: 24,773
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    Nothing wrong with political correctness.
    As long as it doesn't go too far.
    Or old programs are banned from TV or DVD release.
    There should be a warning, those that are offended can either switch over or not buy something.

    I'd like to see more of Spike Milligans's work on DVD. Such as the Q-series or Melting Pot.Curry and Chips was released and society didn't collapse.

    The other bug bear is changing the name of things.When Black Boards were still around they became Chalk Boards. Changing Christmas to Winter festival. Stopping someone having pot pigs in their window because it could be offensive. That's when it goes too far.

    I'm glad racist name calling and violence is being wiped out and people are generally treated equally, but an unpc issue sometimes only becomes an problem when its brought up rather than ignored.
  • malpascmalpasc Posts: 9,626
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    Nothing wrong with political correctness.
    As long as it doesn't go too far.
    Or old programs are banned from TV or DVD release.
    There should be a warning, those that are offended can either switch over or not buy something.

    I'd like to see more of Spike Milligans's work on DVD. Such as the Q-series or Melting Pot.Curry and Chips was released and society didn't collapse.

    The other bug bear is changing the name of things.When Black Boards were still around they became Chalk Boards. Changing Christmas to Winter festival. Stopping someone having pot pigs in their window because it could be offensive. That's when it goes too far.

    I'm glad racist name calling and violence is being wiped out and people are generally treated equally, but an unpc issue sometimes only becomes an problem when its brought up rather than ignored.

    The name of Christmas was NEVER changed to Winterval/Winter Festival or anything else! That was something that the right wing press took out of context (when do they do anything else?) when a particular local council decided to combine several celebrations, including Christmas as well as some other religious/cultural celebrations under a particular banner. It did not change the name of Christmas itself.

    You've been reading too many tabloid headlines.
  • FMKKFMKK Posts: 32,074
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    Nothing wrong with political correctness.
    As long as it doesn't go too far.
    Or old programs are banned from TV or DVD release.
    There should be a warning, those that are offended can either switch over or not buy something.

    I'd like to see more of Spike Milligans's work on DVD. Such as the Q-series or Melting Pot.Curry and Chips was released and society didn't collapse.

    The other bug bear is changing the name of things.When Black Boards were still around they became Chalk Boards. Changing Christmas to Winter festival. Stopping someone having pot pigs in their window because it could be offensive. That's when it goes too far.

    I'm glad racist name calling and violence is being wiped out and people are generally treated equally, but an unpc issue sometimes only becomes an problem when its brought up rather than ignored.

    The Christmas banning thing was simply a piece of tabloid myth making. It didn't actually happen.
  • woot_whoowoot_whoo Posts: 18,030
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    I've said it before and I'll say it again: 'political correctness' is simply having to be polite about people one feels somehow entitled to be rude to.
  • woot_whoowoot_whoo Posts: 18,030
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    malpasc wrote: »
    The name of Christmas was NEVER changed to Winterval/Winter Festival or anything else! That was something that the right wing press took out of context (when do they do anything else?) when a particular local council decided to combine several celebrations, including Christmas as well as some other religious/cultural celebrations under a particular banner. It did not change the name of Christmas itself.

    You've been reading too many tabloid headlines.

    If I recall correctly, the 'Winterval' festival which the downmarket papers were claiming 'replaced' Christmas had 'CHRISTMAS' in bold letters on the front of its flyers. The leaflets also mentioned the various Christmas festivities underway. The papers neglected to mention all this, though.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,177
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    The problem is that it is used as a tool to take away freedom of speech. UK freedom of speech rights:-
    United Kingdom citizens have a negative right to freedom of expression under the common law.[78] In 1998, the United Kingdom incorporated the European Convention, and the guarantee of freedom of expression it contains in Article 10, into its domestic law under the Human Rights Act. However there is a broad sweep of exceptions including threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or cause a breach of the peace (which has been used to prohibit racist speech targeted at individuals),[79][80][81] sending another any article which is indecent or grossly offensive with an intent to cause distress or anxiety,[82][83] incitement,[84] incitement to racial hatred,[85] incitement to religious hatred, incitement to terrorism including encouragement of terrorism and dissemination of terrorist publications,[84][86] glorifying terrorism,[87][88] collection or possession of a document or record containing information likely to be of use to a terrorist,[89][90] treason including imagining the death of the monarch,[91][92][93] sedition,[91] obscenity,[94] indecency including corruption of public morals and outraging public decency,[95] defamation,[96] prior restraint, restrictions on court reporting including names of victims and evidence and prejudicing or interfering with court proceedings,[97][98] prohibition of post-trial interviews with jurors,[98] scandalising the court by criticising or murmuring judges,[98][99] time, manner, and place restrictions,[100] harassment, privileged communications, trade secrets, classified material, copyright, patents, military conduct, and limitations on commercial speech such as advertising.
    UK laws on defamation are among the strictest in the western world, imposing a high burden of proof on the defendant

    The exceptions cover a LOT. This could have only happened with acceptance of Political Correctness, imo.
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