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Political correctness
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| Teacher | Date: Friday, 08.10.2010, 22:51 | Message # 1 |
 Head teacher
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| What does it mean to be politically correct? Is it a simple hypocrisy or one's attitude to social realm? Can we solve many global problems only being politically correct? Can political correctness be a form of respect? Do you think that there are degrees of political correctness?
In Vino Veritas...
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| Nekavaen | Date: Saturday, 09.10.2010, 02:47 | Message # 2 |
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| To be politically correct means to be able not to offend people of other races, nationalities, political views while talking to them or about them. It's certainly a form of respect that helps us not to sound rude.
But it is useful only when it lies within the edge of reason. In some situations political correctness turns into an absurdity. A well-known example: Americans are still arguing about how to refer to those people whose skin is not white. "A negro", "a black", "a black man"' - choose the wrong variant and you will be considered as a racist! P.S. I see nothing offensive in all cases. And actually I see no great differencies between them. I'm a "white woman" and what?
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Saturday, 09.10.2010, 10:42 | Message # 3 |
 Dean
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| Quote (Nekavaen) And actually I see no great differencies between them. I'm a "white woman" and what? I agree with your point but what you have said hints that you have never experienced any kind of social disrespect on the ground of being unlike others. We all live in the world of unequal opportunities and expectations. You and me look at this issue from the point of view of the white majority not white minority, from the point of view of a Christian majority in our city not a Christian minority in a muslim society.
The idea of political correctness appeared as a reaction to new world tendencies which bring or clash cultures together, which unite or dissociate nations.
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| Teacher | Date: Saturday, 09.10.2010, 18:42 | Message # 4 |
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| But time passes and the mechanism of political correctness is used more often in order to hide the truth from common people.
In Vino Veritas...
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| Nekavaen | Date: Sunday, 10.10.2010, 11:33 | Message # 5 |
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Head teacher
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| Well, I'll try to look at this problem a little bit differently.
Political correctness forces people to give things that are around them new names. It is supposed that these new names should sound more neutral and less offensive. Sometimes it really works. For example, nowadays in most European countries and, of course, in the USA people tend to say “a person with special educational needs” instead of “a down”. I think it’s normal and acceptable. But when Americans offer “a person who overcomes difficulties caused by wrong vertical proportions” instead of “a short man” I start thinking about where political correctness will lead us in the end.
The thing is that we can change names of various social or cultural phenomena every day. But at the same time their essence will remain unchanged and the problems connected with them won’t vanish. So, maybe it’s better to help homeless people and animals, immigrants and the disabled instead of inventing new terms for them.
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
Message edited by Nekavaen - Sunday, 10.10.2010, 16:52 |
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| lovefootball) | Date: Sunday, 10.10.2010, 18:21 | Message # 6 |
 Dean
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| We live in society and shouldn't forget about politeness. So, these terms are necessary, I think. But you are right saying they don't change anything much. What we say in public and what we really think are different things. Not always, of course.
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| Teacher | Date: Monday, 11.10.2010, 02:02 | Message # 7 |
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Head teacher
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| Quote (Nekavaen) So, maybe it’s better to help homeless people and animals, immigrants and the disabled instead of inventing new terms for them.
Firstly, "homeless" is politically incorrect.  Secondly, it's easier to invent new "correct" names for some phenomena instead of changing them.
In Vino Veritas...
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Monday, 11.10.2010, 09:00 | Message # 8 |
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Dean
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| Quote (Nekavaen) But when Americans offer “a person who overcomes difficulties caused by wrong vertical proportions” instead of “a short man” I start thinking about where political correctness will lead us in the end.
I really share you opinion...More than that you've mentioned another area of communication strategy that is usuual called DoubleSpeak, exactly what you have described - concealing wierd and wicked plans under a blanket of pleasing words. I often think that this is all a case of far-reaching NLP practices.
On the other hand you example of
Quote (Nekavaen) “a person who overcomes difficulties caused by wrong vertical proportions” instead of “a short man” |
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| Asya | Date: Monday, 11.10.2010, 23:09 | Message # 9 |
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| Political correctness is a very interesting issue to discuss actually. It usually causes very many controversies. That's because the notion of political correctness is somewhat ambiguous. Just analyse it! The very word "correctness" means something right and appropriate. How on Earth can "correctness" be a wrong thing? it seems to be nonsense. That's why political correctness is understood as politically correct pattern of behaviour. Can it again be inappropriate? of course, not! - That's imposed on us by the very term. But in reality we have quite an opposite thing. political correctness is working against us. And what's been true, or correct, becomes politically correct and accordingly untrue. And that is the point that causes so many discussions.
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| Rina | Date: Thursday, 14.10.2010, 21:44 | Message # 10 |
 Union committee president
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| I tend to regard political correctness as a polite way to treat people around you. From this point of view political correctness is obviously important and valuable. We all live in the society and we should accept its rules in order not to become social outcast. We should always remember that all people are different. More than that we should admit that to be different doesn't mean to be better or worse. To my mind, when a person understands it and begins to treat other people in a respectful way, this person's behaviour can be called “politically correct”.
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| alex_makh | Date: Friday, 15.10.2010, 02:38 | Message # 11 |
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| Quote (Rina) "A negro", "a black", "a black man"' - choose the wrong variant and you will be considered as a racist! "afro-americans" is the only right variant)) but have you BTW ever heard these "afro-americans" talking to each other? "Hey nigga!" and so on) they dont even think 'bout that political correctness) it's the same if one who's for example fat says to the other fat man: "oi fattey!") for them it's all right and they dont care about it, but the others do! we invented these differences, discriminations, correctesses and discorrecnesses and now are thinking - how must we call these people or those people! pardon me, but we are nothing but bullshiters - we must not think about the correct variants of calling pople who do not seem like us, we must understand that WE ARE ALL EQUAL!
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| Nekavaen | Date: Sunday, 24.10.2010, 17:29 | Message # 12 |
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Head teacher
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| Alex_makh, your words are simple and genious at the same time. You are certainly right.
By the way, more and more people each year start to protest against the usage of political correctness in mass media and everyday life. They open sites devoted to this problem on the Internet, organize demonstrations and protest actions in real life and so on. Should we follow their example?
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Sunday, 24.10.2010, 20:25 | Message # 13 |
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Dean
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| How do they explain their protest?
Well, we've arrived at the idea of equality....Actually, political correctness exists not to blow the fire as far as this subject is concerned. So, maybe correctness isn't so useless?
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| Ayayulia | Date: Thursday, 28.10.2010, 15:49 | Message # 14 |
 Union organizer
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| But the word "Afro-americans" doesn't always suit. "Afro-americans", who live in Paris say that they should be called "Afro-frenchmen". And what is next? Blackpeople, who live in Kanishevo, will demand to be called "Afro-Kanishevo-inhabitants"?!
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| Nekavaen | Date: Saturday, 30.10.2010, 00:04 | Message # 15 |
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| "Afro-Kanishevo-inhabitants"!  I agree with you completely, it sounds strange indeed!
And talking about people of another race, I remembered one more example of "useful" political correctness: once there was a suggestion in the Usa to ban the usage of the word "blackboard" completely. The variant "chalkboard" was offered instead. Guess whY? Of course, in order not to offend children who are "differently coloured"!
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
Message edited by Nekavaen - Saturday, 30.10.2010, 00:04 |
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