Political Correctness going to far?

If we look back at our country 50-60 years ago, we see a more conservative nation. One that knew it's values, and knew where to draw the line. But nowadays we become so sensitive to EVERYTHING that no one can walk a few inches without stepping on somebody's toes.

So in this thread I pose the question: Has political correctness gone TOO far? Or, if it hasn't yet, will it soon? Where do we draw the line between basic human rights and unfair advantages? Can we see that line anymore? Or has the fog of political correctness warped our nation into something that would make our forefathers weep?

The answer is yes but lets not confuse political correctness because I am an open minded and tolerant kind of person . You know political correctness has gone to far when kids cant fail exams in school that is no way to prepare them for the big bad world. However eradicating political correctness should never be used to spread intolerance and discrimination against the likes of gays e.t.c .

reply to post by Nostradamouse


50-60 years ago it was still acceptable to hang a black man for looking at a white woman the wrong way...
50-60 years ago beating a homosexual was considered a gentlemanly pastime...

yeah, i don't put much trust in people being able to draw the line back then when they were so openly bigoted.

IMO, political correctness = thought police. It's goal is to remove individualism and homogenize (as in the milk) society.

Anyone read 1984, or Brave New World? The latter is the logical conclusion of PC IMO. There are no parents, only "test tube" children that are basically all clones. There are 5 classes of humans - Alpha (smartest and best looking) down to Epsilon (basically trolls). Each class is brainwashed into thinking they are the best and society can't do without them, so there's no "class warfare". No nasty thoughts, words, or actions are allowed. And if life gets to be too much, you just pop a "soma" tablet until it all feels OK again.

Now, I'm sure the idealists on this board will read that and think, "Right on!". But really, wouldn't that also be a pretty empty existence for a human being? No reason to grow and advance as a race and culture.

Anyone here really want/need to be told how to think, act, and feel?

Never forget that that is exactly the ultimate goal of politcal correctness.

Enjoy your humanity?

[edit on 11/8/2007 by centurion1211]

PC is all about language.

The thing is language is used descriptively, not prescriptively.

Someone prescribes us to call people with disabilities 'retarded'. This works for awhile, but then people learn that 'retarded' is being used derogotorily.

So they change it, now we will say 'handicapped'. When 'handicapped' becomes derogotory, they want us to change it again.

Let's try 'developmentally challenged'. That'll work for a year or two.

How many PC terms have changed and continue to change over the years?

Is a black person in Australia still called an 'African American'?! Or are they an 'African Australian'? Anyone from Aussieland in the house?

I can tell you that there are no 'African Canadians' over here.

I have to wonder, are there any African Americans in Africa?!

See how stupid trying to fight the flow of language? The real fools are the ones who try by coining these ludicrous phrases, butchering the language.

Going too far? It is and has been out of control for the last twenty odd years...

[edit on 8-11-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by Enrikez
PC is all about language.

Is a black person in Australia still called an 'African American'?! Or are they an 'African Australian'? Anyone from Aussieland in the house?

I can tell you that there are no 'African Canadians' over here.

I have to wonder, are there any African Americans in Africa?!

See how stupid trying to fight the flow of language? The real fools are the ones who try by coining these ludicrous phrases, butchering the language.

That is one facet of the issue.

As a matter of fact, I've been wrestling with just what should I call myself and expect others to call me (or I'll get pissed, etc.) - euro-american? How about caucaso-american?

Let me use that to illustrate point lost on all these PC proponents.

PC is being used to divide people.

That's right, instead of just being Americans, you now need to be shunted off into your own little group.

Makes it easier to keep an eye on you and pass out all the government benefits that way ...

The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal . . . - K. Vonnegut Jr.

Harrison Bergeron - excellent story.

Is this the goal? To make us all common?

Though I must admit, the double standards of political correctness are hilarious. Speaker is right, I was going to say 10 to 15 but 20 years sounds good. What started out as a grass roots issue (for lack of a better word) has snowballed into a nightmare for the general population. The question is, at least for me, why are we letting it happen? Since when did the feelings and the supposed needs of the few offended outweigh the many?

Your son got an F on his test. He failed. Sorry to hurt your feelings.
Humpty Dumpty fell, but there were able, somehow to put him back together again, so little children everywhere would not be upset.

I could go on but there is no point, I may offend someone in doing so.

~B

[edit on 11/8/2007 by bobafett1972]

Well, take the whole "retarded" being labeled as "learning diabled" issue. That whole thing causes obfuscation because they are two very different things. A person who is "learning disabled" just has problems grasping certain concepts, this actually makes up about 30-35 percent of the population. A person who is "retarded" is someone who cannot properly function on their own.. They have no real logistical thought patterns whatsoever...

[edit on 8-11-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


Concerning "retarded" and "learning disabled" I'll give you a Danish PC word for it, and I do think it is originally conceived. It is alternative consciousness.

Heard it before? Let me know.

While we've evolved from the point of being blunt and not really caring about what others say about us, we have also went past the threshold as well. While I do not condone racial slurs, I believe there is a bit over "overkill" on some things. I've seen the PC or racial cards played just because they wanted their way. I'm part native american and I do feel that natives were oppressed back in the day, but they aren't now. And everytime I go home and I drive past the reservation and look at all the homes I watched the government build for the tribe, I can't help but shake my head as I pass. So many of those houses, a few months after being built looked like they aged 20 yrs with trash all over the yard. I know not all of them looks like that but it makes me so dang mad. I've never played the racial card. I've never demanded anything for myself for past regressions that happend hundreds of years ago. I worked to get where I am and for all that I own, I just get damn upset when I see someone play the PC or race card for a handout. You don't believe in God or whatever, then just don't say one nation under god in the pledge. Its just getting stupid. Stories about a school getting sued because the class wanted to have a dance and one person didn't want one because its against their faith. It's great to have beliefs and ideals but when its one out of hundreds just say "ok I'm going to stay home or etc" instead of telling your parents and watching their eyes light up as they see the potential for money or something else. It makes me sick. It's so bad I don't think if someone started choking I'd probably keep from helping them so I don't get sued. Its good we got rid of the hate bashing but we didn't need to get sue happy and touchy feely on everything.

But you can take it or leave it its only an opinion

-Aza


[edit on 8-11-2007 by Azathoth]

In all honesty I think the slightly overly PC nonsense is much better than the way the US (and most western countries) was 60 years ago.

Put it this way, if I had to choose this over that, I'd still choose this.

I'd choose women being allowed to vote and secularism over having to call black people African-Americans...

But I do agree some things ARE too PC, but I don't really care much.

And seriously, I like some of it, some of it isn't even about sensitivity for me its about lessening confusion.

When someone calls a Native American an "Indian", I have to ask "Which Indian do you mean? The India-Indians or the Native Americans?" Now THAT is obnoxious...

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


yeah... because the relative acceptance of the homosexual community that it's inspired is just another example of something that's out of control
we should really stop it before those people get accepted as equal human beings...

honestly, political correctness is normally in control in most circumstances, it's just a few places where people are being idiots. and these instances get blown out of proportion by certain talking heads... oh, speaker check out the tread on bill o...

yeah... because the relative acceptance of the homosexual community that it's inspired is just another example of something that's out of control

we should really stop it before those people get accepted as equal human beings...

honestly, political correctness is normally in control in most circumstances, it's just a few places where people are being idiots. and these instances get blown out of proportion by certain talking heads... oh, speaker check out the tread on bill o...

There's a difference between allowing equal rights for all sorts of minorities and banning all criticism of those minorities. Critising the homosexual and lebian community or certain ethno-cultural group does not equal hate, injustice or even disrespect. It's merely indicative of a different perspective, yet political correctness is an attempt to ban such critism no matter how justified it may be.

reply to post by centurion1211


I like the fact that I can agree with you here. Yes the separation is done in the labeling. It's more obvious politically but not as obvious in terms of ethnicity.

I'm not speaking about historical genealogy, I mean the point that we have to have different classes and labels for americans.

I was watching one of those lame afternoon shows one day about ten years ago, and they did an episode on this. The host was talking about sensitivity and proper term usage. One audience member stood up and asked

"why not put america first, as in american african or american europoean, like american indians do?"

I thought this was a fair question. that person was booed by about 80% of the audience. It was a very sad moment.

These people liked their labels, and they liked making sure that they were separated. What's strange is that they don't realize they are prejudiced.