Serious Political correctness is ruining America

[newtonja]

So this is a topic that i have been meaning to talk about for a long time, its political correctness. now before i start i want to show what the definition of political correctness is (according to the internet) "the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against."

Okay so what this means is trying not to offend minorities, which is great and all, but have we taken it to far? To illustrate what I mean I will share a story about what happened in English class. My English teacher has tons of posters are the wall of pictures Greek statues to pictures of paintings. One of his pictures was one of the last supper. And one day our councilor told him that he had to take the poster down because it was a depiction of a christian event. Now this is what I am talking about, often we are forced to suppress one culture just so that we avoid offending another. This destroys what part of the American idea was built upon, diversity. And we are doing ourselves a great disservice by trying to ignore that culture.

The second point I want to bring up is when it seems like people almost try to get offended when somebody says a comment with zero malice to it. I think in these situations if it is just ignorance we need to not flip out; we need to educate them. Or if it is just a joke, relax and laugh it off, nobody was killed, so we shouldn't act as if somebody did.

However despite what I have been saying i think there are a couple of times where we should be at least a bit politically correct, mostly when it comes to mental disabilities. Now like i said before we shouldn't go overboard but making fun of people who have things like autism isn't cool. Also when somebody is trying to suppress other cultures, races, religions through intimidation, violence or insulting. This is NOT okay in any way shape or form and we should take steps to prevent it. This is where it gets tricky where do we draw the line between okay and not okay. I think we do it on the level of malice involved, if no malice is involved then if the comment was in bad taste we just relax and in form them, if there is malice involved we still need to relax but handle it a bit differently.

So what do you think about political correctness, where do you draw the line, how has it affected you?

 

[Eo Ut Mortus]

Way to exclude the rest of the world. America isn't the only country, you know. Check your privilege.

 

[newtonja]

Way to exclude the rest of the world. America isn't the only country, you know. Check your privilege.

sorry, but this target of this article was primarily to america, the reason for this is that i do not know how other countries are about the issue of political correctness so i kept it in a realm of a place that I actually know and feel able to write about. if you live in another country and you feel that there is a similar issue, then this article is relevant to you, if not... then i cant help you.

 

[Brap]

Americans. As Selfish as ever. Woo I am proved correct once again. Shove that up your arse everyone who said I was wrong.

Oops, not fire robot.

On topic - You can't say you can do something for one area, but not for another area. As that in itself is dicriminating against something. Consistency is the key, really. But are any countries really ever go to get to that stage? No, not really. Actually I can think of one country... But then again that happens to be Saudi Arabia... Hm...

 

[UncleSam]

Rampant political correctness has been hindering expression unnecessarily in many countries (not just America) for a while now.

However, it is more of a vague annoyance than a real problem...it is not like political correctness is ruining people's lives. The opposite, however, does.

Is there a more perfect medium? Certainly. But it will have to come from a shift in society's mindset rather than some new law.

 

[newtonja]

Rampant political correctness has been hindering expression unnecessarily in many countries (not just America) for a while now.

However, it is more of a vague annoyance than a real problem...it is not like political correctness is ruining people's lives. The opposite, however, does.

Is there a more perfect medium? Certainly. But it will have to come from a shift in society's mindset rather than some new law.

Im more worried about the long term effects of political correctness, but i do admit the title was a bit sensationalized, but i feel like we are trying to suppress certain cultures which is really ridiculous, like not being able to pray at school.

 

[Brap]

Im more worried about the long term effects of political correctness, but i do admit the title was a bit sensationalized, but i feel like we are trying to suppress certain cultures which is really ridiculous, like not being able to pray at school.

An easy response to that is specific example is: This is a secular society. The church doesn't run either America nor where I am from (nor in many other developed countries). The church is not in control. If you want to pray at school, then go to a faith school. Not being able to pray at a non-religious school is something I see no problem with.

 

[Nyktos]

So, if the only religious imagery in the class was Christian, how exactly is taking it down destroying "diversity"?

It sounds like it was being presented simply as art rather than a religious symbol, and in that context I don't think there's really anything wrong with it being shown in a classroom, but I'd be pretty annoyed (though not exactly "offended") if I sat down in a classroom and the walls were covered in religious posters or things like that.

 

[newtonja]

So, if the only religious imagery in the class was Christian, how exactly is taking it down destroying "diversity"?

It sounds like it was being presented simply as art rather than a religious symbol, and in that context I don't think there's really anything wrong with it being shown in a classroom, but I'd be pretty annoyed (though not exactly "offended") if I sat down in a classroom and the walls were covered in religious posters or things like that.

well that i get. he also had posters of a bunch of other stuff. he had it up there to teach us about world literature something that. its the fact that the reason why he had to take it down was because it was christian. it was singled out that was my issue with it. I probably would have the same issue if there was a painting of a Jewish event and we had to take it down

 

[Firestorm]

The second point I want to bring up is when it seems like people almost try to get offended when somebody says a comment with zero malice to it. I think in these situations if it is just ignorance we need to not flip out; we need to educate them. Or if it is just a joke, relax and laugh it off, nobody was killed, so we shouldn't act as if somebody did.

Good example of how people can normalize and reinforce discrimination over time. If you are in the context of just your friends and fully understand each others views and ideals, that can be okay. However, making off-hand remarks about issues that affect minority groups (be it based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or whatever else) is a big part of why those groups are still having those issues.

 

[Audiosurfer]

An easy response to that is specific example is: This is a secular society. The church doesn't run either America nor where I am from (nor in many other developed countries). The church is not in control. If you want to pray at school, then go to a faith school. Not being able to pray at a non-religious school is something I see no problem with.

that doesn't really make sense to me. it's not like you're actively trying to convert someone or spread your belief in any way. you wouldn't even be forcing others to pray with you. if you were sitting in class and wanted to take time to pray on your own, I don't see how the fact that the church doesn't run the country should be a reason for you to be unable to do so. the fact that the government isn't run on religious values simply means that the government shouldn't be actively proselytizing, not that society should be completely secularized at the expense of individual religious freedom.

 

[newtonja]

Good example of how people can normalize and reinforce discrimination over time. If you are in the context of just your friends and fully understand each others views and ideals, that can be okay. However, making off-hand remarks about issues that affect minority groups (be it based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or whatever else) is a big part of why those groups are still having those issues.

like i said, we need to educate people who don't understand the magnitude of what they are saying. If they say things that are in bad taste we need to make them recognize why but it isn't the time to gather the pitch forks and torches and start a riot, that only causes anger and hatred. i think this actually continues the cause of discrimination and separation.

 

[GatoDelFuego]

Oh no one picture of a religious event was taken down in a public government institution

Damn liberals and their political correctness destroying this country, right!!??


I don't even 100% agree that this poster should have been taken down, but there's a lot of grey area there. Was this that one teacher's personal classroom/space? Is it used by other teachers that may disagree with it? If it's not that one teacher's personal area to put whatever they want up, then it's not exactly allowed. The government it not able to promote religion. You want to pray in school? That's fine. You want to mandate that the entire school takes a minute to pray? That's not cool.

But saying that one poster being taken down or one person being offended at a "harmless joke" (which could have been interpreted as anything) is ruining America? What?

 

[newtonja]

Oh no one picture of a religious event was taken down in a public government institution

Damn liberals and their political correctness destroying this country, right!!??


I don't even 100% agree that this poster should have been taken down, but there's a lot of grey area there. Was this that one teacher's personal classroom/space? Is it used by other teachers that may disagree with it? If it's not that one teacher's personal area to put whatever they want up, then it's not exactly allowed. The government it not able to promote religion. You want to pray in school? That's fine. You want to mandate that the entire school takes a minute to pray? That's not cool.

But saying that one poster being taken down or one person being offended at a "harmless joke" (which could have been interpreted as anything) is ruining America? What?

look i said before, is the title of the article sensationalized? yes very much so. but its more the idea behind it that i think is the problem. its the idea of, this is religious so it will offend somebody so it cant be shown. i am saying that we should accept everybody's culture and not be afraid that when showing my beliefs that it will anger people. and when other people are showing there beliefs that we don't flip out. that's all i want.

 

[GatoDelFuego]

its the idea of, this is religious so it will offend somebody so it cant be shown.

Yes but in many situations where "political correctness" is blamed, this is the law. Not in all situations--usually only in government buildings, which is why most occasions of this are schools. It's been this way for 250 years, just sometimes action hasn't been taken against it.

 

[newtonja]

Yes but in many situations where "political correctness" is blamed, this is the law. Not in all situations--usually only in government buildings, which is why most occasions of this are schools. It's been this way for 250 years, just sometimes action hasn't been taken against it.

that is part of the point, where political correctness influences law, that is the biggest issue, and i am pretty sure it has not been this way for 250 years. what the point of the poster was is to show that Christianity has heavily influenced western literature (yes i know its art but there is a long explination behind it). and the councilor decided to take it down because it displayed a christian event.

 

[atomicllamas]

Im more worried about the long term effects of political correctness, but i do admit the title was a bit sensationalized, but i feel like we are trying to suppress certain cultures which is really ridiculous, like not being able to pray at school.

Wait, did everyone just ignore how incorrect this post is? You do realize that you are allowed to pray in a public school (granted if you do it during class you'll probably get in trouble for not paying attention). The only thing that isn't allowed is someone like a teacher or councilor leading prayer in school, because public schools are secular, as they should be. I can kind of sympathize with you being upset that your teacher had his painting taking down cause that doesn't seem necessary, but implying that it is suppression is insane.

 

[GatoDelFuego]

and i am pretty sure it has not been this way for 250 years.

Would you like me to link you to the constitution?

 

[newtonja]

Would you like me to link you to the constitution?

seperation of curch and state, i know, its just what does that mean, that is the question

 

[GatoDelFuego]

seperation of curch and state, i know, its just what does that mean, that is the question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Establishment_Clause

Several examples there explain exactly what it means, or at least what the supreme court has determined it's meant for some time.

 

[Trax]

Political correctness is annoying as hell -- especially when people use it to try and stifle legitimate points (instead of having a decent counter argument), and yet still I find that half the people going "political correctness gone mad" seem to follow it with words that in my brain translate to "and I'm going to use this as my excuse to carry on being a bigoted cunt".

 

[newtonja]

Political correctness is annoying as hell -- especially when people use it to try and stifle legitimate points (instead of having a decent counter argument), and yet still I find that half the people going "political correctness gone mad" seem to follow it with words that in my brain translate to "and I'm going to use this as my excuse to carry on being a bigoted cunt".

Aman brother

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Honestly, I am not really bothered by this at all. Admittedly I kind of stand with the people benefiting from this. From my perspective, your average person only sees the downsides of political correctness, with either stupid bureaucratic actions like the mentioned take down of the Last Supper art in this thread, or by people seeing bigoted people "fight against it." Rarely will your average person actually benefit from any of this, so they see it as a simply an annoyance, not realizing how it may be improving otherwise disenfranchised people.

 

[Calm_Mind_Latias]

I read The Bell Curve, various books by Richard Lynn, and sometimes frequent HBD (human biodiversity, a euphemism for "race realism") blogs, so I do know about political incorrectness. I find it too depressing to talk about HBD though, particularly the hypothesis that certain ethnic groups have genetically below average intelligence (intelligence not merely low test scores, which some say are a proxy for intelligence) and this prevents them from obtaining prestigious educational credentials and high socioeconomic standing in a meritocratic society. The point is that those group lack the necessary aptitudes for social mobility, and their low social status reflect the lack of socially and economically valued human capital (such as intelligence and skills), not the consequence of pervasive and insidious discrimination. I am personally agnostic about this issue although it does arouse my interest from time to time. If this is too inflammatory, please tell me to desist.

I am just saying this because I am familiar with this topic.

 

[newtonja]

I read The Bell Curve, various books by Richard Lynn, and sometimes frequent HBD (human biodiversity, a euphemism for "race realism") blogs, so I do know about political incorrectness. I find it too depressing to talk about HBD though, particularly the hypothesis that certain ethnic groups have genetically below average intelligence (intelligence not merely low test scores, which some say are a proxy for intelligence) and this prevents them from obtaining prestigious educational credentials and high socioeconomic standing in a meritocratic society. The point is that those group lack the necessary aptitudes for social mobility, and their low social status reflect the lack of socially and economically valued human capital (such as intelligence and skills), not the consequence of pervasive and insidious discrimination. I am personally agnostic about this issue although it does arouse my interest from time to time. If this is too inflammatory, please tell me to desist.

I am just saying this because I am familiar with this topic.

Any inteligent comment is allowed, something interesting is that african americans if put in the same positions as a white person they preform almost identically as far as intelectually wise. so what races do they say? just wondering