Go to Religion in the Modern World
- Add a comment
- Go to An international view of political correctness
Npwadays politicians must be careful so as not to offend any community
posted by
adventurer02
on July 7, 2015 at 3:34 AM
| link to this | reply
I think definitions are changed at will to fit desired outcomes and these seem to be most represented in the misguided. I don't always leave a comment but I never miss reading your work. sam
posted by
sam444
on June 4, 2008 at 10:01 AM
| link to this | reply
Strat - Re: As in most things, we in the US tend to take everything
I view the trend towards political correctness as a pendulum, inevitably swinging too far towards the direction of extreme but eventually correcting itself over time as people adjust to a new set of parameters. It is important in this adjustment period to be cognizant of history, the Mark Twain example you use is perfect to illustrate that our use of language is evolving and to demonstrate what were once social norms in how we expressed ourselves pertaining to others.
I have no problem with an addendum being added to such historically important works explaining that they were written in another era and that the language used was considered acceptable back then. This type of approach serves everyone in terms education but to edit the work itself is unconscionable. History cannot be re-written.
posted by
gomedome
on June 4, 2008 at 8:47 AM
| link to this | reply
As in most things, we in the US tend to take everything
far, far over the top. We tend to see things -- or rather, be presented with everything -- in extremely polarized terms. Here, for example, many would conceivably boil down the terms "liberal" and "conservative" as code words for "whining, crybaby communist" and "bible-banging, daisy crushing nazi."
Hopefully, any idiot knows not to use racial slurs, or ass grab indiscriminately, or all the things that are, in fact denigrating, insulting, and destructive. Obviously, most do not.
But the problems come when certain groups, in the name of "being sensitive" want to remove, say, most of the dialogue in the novel "Huckleberry Finn" because Twain used the N-word a lot, for example. Never mind that Twain was writing social satire that was in fact, pointing out and skewering great injustice.
That example, I realize, is extreme, even simplified, but sadly, not uncommon, and is precisely my main objection to the PC movement.
Once again, sorry for the lengthy treatise. As always, enjoy the writing and the atmosphere around here! Take it easy!
posted by
strat
on June 4, 2008 at 7:36 AM
| link to this | reply
Xeno-x - Re: they've warped the definition of political correctness
I don't get it but even more puzzling is the fact that if you were to ask any of the people whom we've seen post their diatribes against political correctness; to define what they are against, most cannot. What is it they want, a return to the days when racial slurs and derogatory euphemisms towards minorities permeated our everyday language?
posted by
gomedome
on June 4, 2008 at 5:48 AM
| link to this | reply
they've warped the definition of political correctness
just as they warp liberalism, etc.
posted by
Xeno-x
on June 4, 2008 at 5:19 AM
| link to this | reply