“Political Correctness is synonymous with respect”, and other fatuities.

You consistently remind us of how political correctness is synonymous with “respect”. Many critics of political correctness often grant you this appeal to your good intentions, even if they disagree with your principles, methods and results. I imagine you give them the same benefit of the doubt…

I do not agree with you nor them, however. I think these “good intentions” of yours are in fact bad ones, and your “respect” is in fact disrespect, no more than mere attempts at narcissistic self-aggrandizing, used to disguise your racial, sexual and intellectual prejudices beneath a Crest-white veneer of moral superiority. Your “respect” is a mere costume for something far uglier, and since respect can never be found to manifest beyond the promises and insistence of your “respectfulness”, it is a bloody lie.

After such a cheerful start, allow me to recommend you a piece of software. If you are of the pro-censorship type, there is a plugin you can add to your browser that changes the phrase “political correctness” to the phrase “treating others with respect”, so that whenever someone is quoted criticizing political correctness in some online article or other, the plugin will make it read as if he is actually criticizing “treating others with respect”. For example, Donald Trump saying “I’m so tired of this politically correct crap” magically becomes “I’m so tired of this [treating others with respect] crap”. Hilarity ensues, among other things.

The developer of the plugin claims the results were “enlightening”, as if he had learned some hard-earned truth about the world by obfuscating it to suit his fancies. According to a Huffington Post article commenting on the plugin, “the switch won’t always make the Internet a nicer place, but it does show what people are often saying when they complain about things being too PC”. Right… People complaining about “things being too PC” are actually complaining about respecting others. The logic that we can know what people are really saying only after altering what they are really saying, is as nonsensical as the plugin itself. No greater fatuities have ever been uttered by human beings.

The irony is, this plugin exemplifies precisely the methodology of the politically correct in its very function, namely, in how it attempts to censor others, while at the same time, allowing the censor to feel better about himself for doing so. But I actually don’t mind the plugin, since not only does it only affect the idiot who installs it, but it makes reality in to a sort of padded room or playground for someone child-like enough to require it, keeping him well out of arm’s reach from the rest of us.

I could just as easily make a plugin that changes “political correctness” to “suppressing free speech” just out of spite, at least to understand what promoters of political correctness are “really saying” when they use that word, but as intimated earlier, it’s a little too Orwellian for my own liking. In order to understand whether political correctness is “treating others with respect” or “suppressing free speech”, we don’t even need to alter what they are saying. We need only to take a look.

In response to Bill Maher questioning why we cannot use the phrase “Islamic Terrorism” to describe Islamic terrorism, former governor Jennifer Granholm reminded him that there are moderate Muslims “who do not like that term, and words matter”. I don’t think she meant it in the same sense as “all lives matter”, but we nonetheless get a hint of the fundamental assumption of political correctness. Words matter—which, when used as it was to imply words have some painful effect on certain human beings in society, turns out to be mere superstition once we take a brief look into the physics of this assumption.

What I think she meant to say was “feelings matter”, and that these feelings and the people who have these feelings are apparently of such a childish sort that they require euphemism, genteelism and the sanitization of speech long before it is even heard by those whom it is claimed to protect. Not only should we deny the speaker his speech, but we should also deny the listener to hear it. How “respectful” of her. It reminds me of adults having to spell out certain words around their children, because saying them would be too much for them to hear. But this is what a censor does and has always done: decide on what words the inferiors are allowed to hear by suppressing those whom would speak them. There is either a hair-thin line between “respect” and patronization here, or they are one and the same.

The technique of “glittering generalities”—vague but noble words appended to speech in order to make it seem more attractive—is quite common as far as propaganda goes. Saying “Political Correctness is about respect” is one of these glittering generalities, and is a surreptitious way of disguising its ugliness. This works perfectly well on the emotionally pathological and the intellectually lazy, who besides finding words as cause to injury and pain, also find them as cause to satiety and self-gratification. Like the plugin mentioned earlier, all it takes is a little manipulation, misrepresentation, and patronization in order to serve this purpose.

Either way, after a brief analysis, respect in any form cannot be found around the behaviour and social interactions of the politically correct, despite their grandiose claims.

Treating others with respect requires someone to receive this respect, and it is not too bold a request to ask these respectful ones to point out, with their hand and finger, who exactly in the world is being treated with this respect. Witness that the moment they should be pointing to someone in the world is also the same moment they refer to something in their head, which only ever turns out to be some abstract group of people in general—the “marginalized”, “minorities”, and so on—and never any individual in particular.

We all remember the time when the rocket scientist Matt Taylor successfully landed a spacecraft on a comet (or do we?). Yet the amazing accomplishment was overshadowed by the response to the shirt he wore during the live-stream of the mission, which had upon it women in “pornographic poses”. The PC backlash, fully saturated in their respect and kindness, went on to imply that the shirt was an example of why women shy away from STEM fields—“casual sexism” as a Slate article put it, and “casual misogyny” in a Verge article—and that Taylor and his shirt were guilty of it. After the greatest moment of his career was ruined, Taylor broke down in tears upon admitting his poor choice in shirts, and apologized profusely to the victims of his “sexism”, who no-doubt laid prostrate, shamed and beaten on the floor around him. The PC crowd, once again having acted in the spirit of kindness and respect, moved on to combat other crimes as they always do.

Who were they respecting in this instance? Definitely not Matt Taylor; definitely not the artist of the shirt; and most especially not the women who work in STEM fields, who are implied to be so weak as to be turned away from their career choices by an article of clothing worn by someone else.

In the video above, the speaker leaves out the most important part of the definition of “political correctness” that she uses, which just so happens to be the very reason people are opposed to it. Also, she conflates the principle of free speech with the first amendment, even advocating that free speech isn’t freedom from consequences, which is exactly what free speech is. She claims she is actually enhancing free speech by making the language uglier. Further, she divides the human species into specious groupings and advocates tailoring the language for them accordingly. All of this is packaged and delivered to the children who watch MTV.

I’m sorry, but to discriminate in this manner—based on race, sexuality, or on other perceived generalities—and tailoring the language thereby, is insulting and disrespectful. Intolerance in the spirit of tolerance is still intolerance. Denying people their right to hear certain speech, whether it offends them or not, is a crime that necessarily follows the suppression of someone else’s right to say it. None of this is done in the spirit of respect, and all of it is done in the spirit of self-concern, self-promotion and flat out racism, sexism and classism.

Need to go back and watch the videos you posted, but I agree with you.

I like this site that shows some ridiculous example of PC.

20 Outrageous Examples of PC

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Jesus... You know whose keeping PC alive and trending? Whining conservatives, that's who.

Enjoy you fairy tale war against PC. It's not like you're completely wasting your time and energy on it...

You know where the war thrives? On outlets like Fox, Alex Jones, Glenn Beck, and of course the internet.

Here's my addition to the thread,

Discourse in politics should be about the truth and the essential nature of things.

PC is at least one step away from that, at best, and is obviously available as a smoke screen at all times.

Main Stream Media is sophistry.

Politics is not meant to be a profession in the USA. Politics in the USA is meant to be an observation of the execution of limited power by amateurs.

Political power is a black hole.

a reply to: Swills

Jesus... You know whose keeping PC alive and trending? Whining conservatives, that's who.

Enjoy you fairy tale war against PC. It's not like you're completely wasting your time and energy on it...

You know where the war thrives? On outlets like Fox, Alex Jones, Glenn Beck, and of course the internet.

Great argument. Keep up the good work.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

It's not an argument, it's a fact and ATS is infested with conservatives whining about PC. I'm sure conservatives have been whining about PC forever now but it really took off with Trump. Once he dropped the "It may not be PC" bomb the tidal wave of anti PC threads has engulfed this forum.

Don't worry, you'll get plenty of people here agreeing with you along but I'm not one of them.

a reply to: Swills

It's not an argument, it's a fact and ATS is infested with conservatives whining about PC. I'm sure conservatives have been whining about PC forever now but it really took off with Trump. Once he dropped the "It may not be PC" bomb the tidal wave of anti PC threads has engulfed this forum.

Don't worry, you'll get plenty of people here agreeing with you along but I'm not one of them.

How is it a fact? Is Bill Maher a whiny conservative?

Sorry, but people have been complaining about PC since at least the 80's, but I guess we'll just accept your facts because you consider them such.

Ugh. That mocking MTV host is absolutely grating. She's preaching the choir, obviously, and the choir is, it would seem, completely filled with 5 year old children. Well, MTV certainly hasn't gotten any better since I was young, apparently. No shocker there.

Regarding STEM careers and women. The biggest hurdle there isn't t-shirts. As a female who was interested in the sciences, who also wanted to have children before I was racing the biological clock, I think the inflexible structure of learning fights female biology. It also fights anyone who needs to work while learning. Flexible schedules and creating flexible means of accessing education would do far more for "diversity" than anything else. Plus, there's at least some thought there aren't a lot of women in the sciences because many just don't seem to have an natural interest. That's OK, too. Sometimes boys like to play with dolls, sometimes girls like to play with trucks--but sometimes it's the other way around and that's OK. T-shirts, though, are not a major determining factor. I'd say pornographic t-shirts are tacky, personally, and probably not good work-wear, but taste in clothing shouldn't overshadow an accomplishment that's worthwhile.

Policing people's speech and thoughts wastes time and effort. We're basically fiddling while the place burns down around us.

There are bigger fish to fry and people need to stop being so infantile. It just seems like a means of being an "activist" without having to actually have to DO anything worthwhile about REAL WORLD problems.

Whining about "micro-aggression" and "offensive language" is much easier than, say, working to build a system that actually works for everyone regardless of race, creed, orientation, age or color. Leftwingnuts seem to be always ready for a fight that involves little in the way of intellectual or physical exertion.

I'd say, for the Rightwingnuts, the same is true. Whining about transgenders in the bathroom, congratulating clerks who won't sign documents or play-acting over pro-life in an effort to get votes from the gullible (which, frankly, if half of the republicans were actually serious about pro-life we'd be a pro-life nation by now) also WASTES TIME.

Genuine respect would be agreeing to disagree on some points and meeting to try and find a workable solution to real problems (pollution, corruption, graft, decaying infrastructure, endless wars grinding up young people like a global human blender, etc, etc).

This whole PC nonsense is a sideshow act meant to distract and divide.

Meanwhile, while all the stupes are fighting, the clever folks who know the game are having a good laugh while raping, looting and pillaging all across the planet....with few if any roadblocks.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Yeah, shocking isn't it? Liberals aren't what you would call PC either, especially comedians. My point is, there is no war except the one conservatives wage.

a reply to: Swills

Yeah, shocking isn't it? Liberals aren't what you would call PC either, especially comedians? My point is, there is no war except the one conservatives wage.

A war? It's just talking. So it's an awful point, completely bereft of facts.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I think the censors have learned to tread cautiously.

Recently there was a golf championship televised.

And yet, they had no problem calling it "The Masters".

a reply to: DBCowboy

Don't get me started...

But it reminds me of this gem:

a reply to: Swills

I cannot help but notice that your signature quotes George Carlin. The very same that, as the OP has videos showing, was staunchly opposed to "political correctness".

Not all who oppose "political correctness are conservative, and someone being opposed to something against which you are not opposed to does not constitute "Whining". Nothing in the OP had any semblance of whining.

Your immediate respond to marginalize, label, and denigrate without addressing the points in the OP is very telling.

a reply to: Swills

Eh, it's both sides, really. It's easier to blow hot air than do heavy lifting. It's just that the left blows one kind of hot air and the right blows the other. The end result is still that nothing gets done and the rest of us just end up with a headache from all the chicken-squawking-idiocy of it all.

originally posted by: Swills
Enjoy you fairy tale war against PC. It's not like you're completely wasting your time and energy on it...

I wonder if these chaps who lost their job because some woman didnt appreciate their private joke believe in fairy tales.

as a liberal, I find the repulsive movement of "pro"gressives silencing by bullying, attacking jobs, doxxing, and threatening the livelyhood and safety of people who make jokes to one another in public place absolutely repulsive.

Quite awhile ago, "PC" was synonomous with just being respectful, not using racial slurs, homophobic stuff, etc..basically attacking people. Now it has become a catch all for anything anyone may ever be personally offended by, even if that wasn't the intent.

PC yesteryear: dont use that word to describe people = good
PC Today: Dont wear clothes from a different color of people = bad

PC Yesteryear: let people enjoy what they want in their bedroom without judging and be who they want to be without telling anyone to sit down and shut up.
PC Today: Judge people based on their status of race, cis, gender, ethnic background, and hobbies. Cis white men need to step back and be quiet for anyone not them.

That is regressive crap. That is todays PC. That is the enemy to liberalism, expression, and freedom.

The far right culture war of the 80s and 90s rebranded themselves and swapped fringe sides. they see they can make a lot more headway under the guise of social purity than religious purity.

Always fight cults and hive minds...especially when it starts effecting your side of the ideology.

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Yeah, shocking isn't it? Liberals aren't what you would call PC either, especially comedians. My point is, there is no war except the one conservatives wage.

hmm

Campus censorship ‘an epidemic’ at UK universities as Aberystwyth, Edinburgh and Leeds named among ‘most ban-happy’

...all in all, enacted 148 bans, or actions, over the past three academic years. The vast majority have been put into place by SUs - 125 bans compared with just 23 put into place by universities - and the most common ones have included the banning of newspapers (30 institutions), songs (25), and sports clubs or societies (20).

Tom Slater, coordinator of the rankings, described how universities are meant to be spaces reserved for “unfettered debate and the pursuit of truth.” However, he added: “Today, in a time when campus bureaucrats see students as too vulnerable - or too easily led - to listen to difficult ideas, the entire purpose of the academy is being undermined, and the bar for censorship is only getting lower.

“In our research, bans on allegedly transphobic feminists sit alongside bans of allegedly racist sombreros. Today, students aren’t even trusted to dress themselves - let alone think for themselves.”

Full Article at Independent

Perhaps there isn't a war yet as you say..perhaps its time there is one..and perhaps it is time right and left unite to fight off this invasion

Obama Thinks Students Should Stop Stifling Debate On Campus
He says they shouldn’t be “coddled and protected from different points of view.”
HuffPo Article

Its ok to be against this new regressive political correctness swarming into the west. it is against all sides here..stop demanding its a right wing thing. I see anyone defending the nPC culture to be so far to the left it horseshoed to the extreme right position, just with different targets.

a reply to: SaturnFX

It seems like a lot of this grew up out of a weird mix of marketing strategies used in political campaigns and real underlying issues that needed to be addressed (that is to say, racism/sexism/exclusionary behavior, etc).

Now it's this big, ugly, Frankenstein's monster of stupidity rampaging through the Western world, trampling common sense and wreaking havoc on productivity.

Politicians/their moneyed handlers are using our differences and our love of blowing melodramatic hot-air (a la Jerry Springer and reality TV) to divide and conquer.

The fact of the matter: a) being rude to others is not good b) but it's not a hang-able offense, either.

If we're going to lose our collective you-know-what every time someone puts their foot in their mouth with some off-color remark....we're going to be in an endless spiral of losing our collective you-know-what.

It's just silly. The whole thing is silly.

a reply to: Swills

No, it is language manipulation, plain and simple. It is a way to make up eupemisms that are just close enough to the original term that they are almost synonymous but far enough away that they can subtly shape public perception and thought.

Think undocumented worker being used for illegal alien. The terms are used synonymously, but the former conjures up a far different mental image than the latter. And the PC police will tell you that the former is the politically correct term and not hurtful, so you better use it. Why? Because the idea of someone who works without documents is one that is nicer and perceived as less threatening than the idea of an alien to this country who is here illegally. It shifts your mental image and nudges your emotions to feel more sympathetic, so of course, they want you to use that language.

It's as much about you and your emotions as it is anyone else's when it comes to this.

The words of Evelyn Beatrice Hall come to mind as I read through this thought provoking OP, "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

This does not mean I will sit quietly and agree with all one has expressed - especially on social media - since I visit some sights to passively read and/or aggressively engage once in a while. This does mean I will always have the need to express my agreement or disagreement. Just like I grant myself the freedom to respond or not, I remind myself that others are also entitled to their views, no matter how I feel about IT. The person and their opinions in my mind are two different entities. And nobody, especially their words, can emotionally manipulate me unless I allow it. This is why I really don't care about political correctness. I agree or disagree on certain matters because of how I feel towards a certain issue based on my own personal philosophy formed along my life path.

I respect everyone right to say what they want - even those I personally perceive as a$$holes and I don't agree with. Some perceive me as being an a$$hole and don't agree with me a lot of times. I acknowledge their right to do and feel so. I accept and expect it. I value freedom for myself and all others.

Btw, thanks for posting those videos; Charlamagne Tha God is someone I listen to a lot, and the great George Carlin always light me up.