On being PC...

[Slabobbin]

I've noticed comments being thrown around lately (just recently in the "black man" thread) about the "PC Police" and about "being PC".

What is your definition of PC?

From my understanding, PC stands for "politically correct". Well I hate politics, I know nothing about them, I'm not even registered to vote so being politically correct is the furtherst thign from my mind.

Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, my opinions are my opinions are my opinions. They aren't there because I want to be "PC" or any other lable. They aren't there because I'm trying to fit a mold. They are just my honest gut reactions to things.

So why does the "PC" card get played so much? Isn't it possible for someone to have feelings and opinions that stem from with in and have nothing to do with some sort or agenda?

[kingclick]

I've noticed comments being thrown around lately (just recently in the "black man" thread) about the "PC Police" and about "being PC".

What is your definition of PC?

From my understanding, PC stands for "politically correct". Well I hate politics, I know nothing about them, I'm not even registered to vote so being politically correct is the furtherst thign from my mind.

Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, my opinions are my opinions are my opinions. They aren't there because I want to be "PC" or any other lable. They aren't there because I'm trying to fit a mold. They are just my honest gut reactions to things.

So why does the "PC" card get played so much? Isn't it possible for someone to have feelings and opinions that stem from with in and have nothing to do with some sort or agenda?
PC doesn't relate to "politcs" PC is really related to the use of language and and jumping on people for saying things the WRONG way.

An example would be...

"One of my best friends is...."

Somehow instead of it being taken at face value, it actually has become a way to accuse someone of being racist.

"I love my wife..."

Yeah that is what ALL wife beaters say when they are accused of beating their wife.

A protestation of innocence has somehow become another proof of the persons guilt.

That is being PC because it's NOT thinking for yourself and listening to the person you are talking to. That is just going with the flow.

The PC police are the "thought police".

[Echo2]

PC is the notion that everyone should say things that are so watered down and bland that there is absolutly no way anyone could posibly be offended by what is said.

PC is the idiots answer to harassment. Since the definition of harassment has been left to be determined in the victims mind, there is no way for anyone to tell when they are "harassing" someone so the idea is to use PC language and suposedly no one will be offended. However, PC language is so bland and watered down that one can barely get a simple idea across, let alone a complicated one.

A simplified example would be;

That black man is walking across the street.
He may not consider himself black, he may not be walking and he may not be a man. He could get offended three fold in that statement.

That person is crossing the street. No gender, no race, no specific definition of how the person is manuvering to the other side of the road. Pretty hard to get offended from this but we have lost most of the detail to the statement and all of the shades of language that make the sentence interesting .

THis is a very bland example, but I think it explains how PC is watering down our language to the point of being boring and none descriptive.

[kingclick]

Good example Echo! Check your PM box.

[George1]

In this thread, PC seems to have become an abbreviation for Preaching to the Choir.

[GracieMae]

:hijacked:

I thought PC stood for Psychotic Cheerleaders :smileydun:

[Niles]

I find that on many message boards people throw out the term "you are being PC" when they are actually just throwing out completely unfounded opinions, and just expect people to take that for what it is worth with no support. If you challenge the completely bogus claim it is because you are being "PC" not because they can't support their own opinion.

Politically correct is a concept designed to help people be more sensitive in language. It can be taken overboard, esp. when people define the correct term about a thousand different ways given the day.

It is ridiculous to have someone say, "I am not short, I am unheightened". Not so ridiculous to ask people to refrain from saying "is that kid a retard, or what?" It is silly to say "Herstory" instead of "History" to keep from being sexist. Not so silly to ask people not to say "I think the redman belongs on a reservation.", or "He was jewing me down."

But here is what I actually generally see:

Person #1: "All people with blond hair are airheads, and REALLY stupid."
Person #2: "No, they are not, there is not proff whatsoever that all people with blond harid are airheads, and REALLY stupid."
Person #1: "Well that is my opinion, and I am sticking to it."
Person #2: "Well unless you can back up that statement with fact, and reality, then you are full of crap."
Person #1: "When did you become the PC police? I can NEVER say anything I believe anymore without people getting all PC on me."

And the problem isn't "PC" at all but the broad generalization, that has little actual basis in reality.

[Monet]

I't about having MANNERS! Yes, PC can go WAY over the top, but it HAS helped people to stop saying crude, sexual and bigoted things. I can't tell you how many times I had to tell others to shut the hell UP at work and in social situations because their conversations bothered me. Yeah, it's out of proportion now, but I prefer that to listening to some jerk talk about broads, someone's T&A and using racial slurs.

[Taneli]

Ah... politically correct... another US term that I have never seen the real use for...