Being Politically Correct. Good or Bad?

[Liliara]

I firgured I would post this question under the War Forum, since it kind of goes hand in hand recently. I am not talking about here on the board, but in everyday life.

What I want to know s everyone's views on being 'Politically Correct'

I personally think that it hurts more than it helps. Basically you force people to hide their belifs behind a veil of words. Everyone is too afraid to say anything out of line, so they say it behind closed doors. Usually minorities are allowed to voice their opinions about the majority anyway, while the majority is forced to be sensitive and look out for the feelings of the minority.

This doesn't seem right. When you aren't allowed to say what you really think, will anything really get accomplished? Can you really expect to change things when you can't even put the offer on the table because your words are restricted by rules? If you DO have to be politically correct, shouldn't the rules be the same for the minorities as well?

In other words, should the minority be allowed to hack at the majority just because they are fewer, while the majority must hold their tongue simply because they have greater numbers?

I'm not speaking of tolerence here, just about the way that we hide from our true thinking.

Again, this doesn't have to do with the board or the war. Just speaking generally.

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Captain of Bouncers, Boogre Bar

LH Member


"I've had it up to here, listening to a small segment of people try to put down America! America's the greatest land on Earth, and we oughta be proud of what we have! I'm proud of America, I'm proud of our people, and I'm gonna prove it. We're American and DAMN proud of it! Frankly I'm getting a little ticked off...go ta ****"... Dink (if anyone knows who originally said this, please let me know!)

[Memnoch]

This doesn't really belong in this forum, more in GD, but I'll reply in the spirit in which you posted it. Don't be surprised it it migrates to GD eventually though.

I think people get confused between being polite and respectful and being politically correct. Courtesy goes both ways. Just as minorities feel they shouldn't have to be picked on, majorities should feel that they can be honest in their communication - as long as there is mutual respect. People who are anti-war, anti-US policy should have the freedom to express their opinion without the fear of being slammed for it, as long as they do so in a manner that shows respect for those on the other sides of the fence. Likewise, people who are pro-war and proud of their country (the US) should be allowed to show their patriotism without being labelled warmongers, as long as they can do so in a matter that does not disrespect or belittle the views of the anti-war lobby.

We should all be able to try and live harmoniously here, free to put our opinions forward and free to accept other people's viewpoints, as long as we do it with mutual respect.

The removal of pride is the first step on the path to happiness.

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[Moiraine]

The problem may not be with what one says but how he/she frames it so that other people are in a receptive state of mind to listen to it.

You see, my family is the "I think that way and people who don't agree are morons" kind of people. This doesn't work ! If you start bashing people, how can you think they will be receptive to what you have to tell them ?

Thus, a minority should all the more wary about how it shapes what it has to say !

I don't think you can change someone's way of thinking with one big stroke. I do think, though, that you can bent people's thinking like a painter, by putting small color touches here and there, when you get an opening. Not a total change of perspective, but a little switching of the angle from which an issue is viewed, a little mind broadening.

It's not a matter of hiding thoughts, more a matter of thinking : "I believe this way. Now, how can I say it so that people will listen to what I have to say ?"

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The world is my oyster !

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Moiraine: The problem may not be with what one says but how he/she frames it so that other people are in a receptive state of mind to listen to it. You see, my family is the "I think that way and people who don't agree are morons" kind of people. This doesn't work ! If you start bashing people, how can you think they will be receptive to what you have to tell them ? Thus, a minority should all the more wary about how it shapes what it has to say ! I don't think you can change someone's way of thinking with one big stroke. I do think, though, that you can bent people's thinking like a painter, by putting small color touches here and there, when you get an opening. Not a total change of perspective, but a little switching of the angle from which an issue is viewed, a little mind broadening. It's not a matter of hiding thoughts, more a matter of thinking : "I believe this way. Now, how can I say it so that people will listen to what I have to say ?"

Exactly right.

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[Fljotsdale]

Like you, Liliara, I just hate 'politically correct'! An open expression of varied viewpoints should be encouraged, not discouraged, because that way we all know where the other person is coming from and cam move from there to find points of agreement and, eventually, a degree of (at least) understanding and (at best) harmony and tolerance.
Rather like our opposite viewpoints, Liliara! I have always admired your frankness and honesty even when strongly disagreeing with you, and though we will probably never agree on some things, we have no need to fight, right?

But Memnoch and Moiraine have made excellent posts on the need for tact in our expression of viewpoint. That is not exactly being 'pc', though it is allied to it. We DO need to take others sensitivities into account, both majority and minority views, without weighting the matter heavily on one side or the other.

*Gets up on soapbox and tries to straighten halo but it WILL keep slipping!*

When we come right down to it, it is a matter of love. If you care about a person, you try to avoid saying things that may hurt then unnecessarily, and you try not to take offence at anything they might say to you. This can be difficult in the heat of the moment! I am no good example myself, lol! But if we strive for that in all our dealings, on and off the forums, we will all get on better, imo.

*steps down from soapbox and adjusts slipped halo - AGAIN!*

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Here be Dragons!
Proud to be Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

"If I say something to you and it can be taken two ways, and one of those ways upsets you...I meant the other one."

[skywalker]

Sort of like GM vs. PC!

GM= Good Manners
PC= Political Correctness

It's never a bad idea to temper what you think with good judgement when it spouts forth from your mouth or through your fingers to the keyboard!



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Still The Most Humbly Prideful (?) Member Of The Illuminati!

Mark

[Pangur Ban]

Originally posted by Liliara: What I want to know s everyone's views on being 'Politically Correct' I personally think that it hurts more than it helps. Basically you force people to hide their belifs behind a veil of words. Everyone is too afraid to say anything out of line, so they say it behind closed doors. Usually minorities are allowed to voice their opinions about the majority anyway, while the majority is forced to be sensitive and look out for the feelings of the minority. This doesn't seem right. When you aren't allowed to say what you really think, will anything really get accomplished? Can you really expect to change things when you can't even put the offer on the table because your words are restricted by rules? If you DO have to be politically correct, shouldn't the rules be the same for the minorities as well?

I believe that at least the concept of PC'ness is a step in the right direction, and a good thing in itself, even if PC itself isn't.

If you want to define PC behaviour as an attempt to walk the middle ground, where nothing you say or do is ever going to offend any body, then it is a waste of time. Don't we all know people who take deliberately claim to "be offended" simply so that can wield a power over others, by rubbing their nose in their mistakes? I only have to read the letters page in our local newspaper to see this sort of behaviour.

It is as a form of more subtle education that PC starts making an impact. While poking fun at some of the more unlikely examples of "correct speech", people often realize that there are more fundamental issues to consider, such as mutual respect and tolerance, that they might have not have thought of before.


Pangur Ban

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( Insert picture of hissing cat with arched back and bristling tail here .... )

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"Sad is the society where people may walk their dogs in public without wearing a helmet and protective kneepads ...."

[This message has been edited by Pangur Ban (edited 10-28-2001).]

[Ladyzekke]

Well, I think maybe if we all looked at things in this perspective, if possible, it would help make things better:

K, just say you are in traffic, and some guy cuts you off and almost causes an accident, you slam your brakes on, and are completely pissed at this "idiot". Well, just say this guy was a friend of yours, say you were both driving in separate cars to the same location. If that were the case, things would be different no? Instead of getting pissed, you would think "woah, get a grip friend, shite, you almost bashed me!" feeling more relief that nothing happened rather than seething at said "idiot" as it sometimes may be if it were a stranger. You may even laugh later at the whole incident. Again, not the case if it was a stranger. So being politically correct really depends on who is saying what to whom. I think that getting to know eachother first before entering "debates" would make a big difference in how we all react to eachother's differences. Many of us still do not know eachother very well, and may take statements the wrong way, and reply in a heated fashion, which of course sometimes intensifies bad relations, and the debate unfortunately "escalates" from there in a non-productive manner. Just my Current outlook on things, of course I could be wrong, just tossing my thoughts out.

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Short and top a point...Political "Correctness" actually offends a lot of people it is intended not to.
I think we should be aware of who we are talking to before we expect them to accept such forms of "politeness" since to many, it is considered phony and rude.
(I have become an "Anglo-American" since I moved to Texas. I think it is pretty stupid since my heritage includes Native American and Negro. Classifying people by their predominant skin color is as ignorant as making assumptions about them based on the clothes they wear and I am not the only person who has this opinion. I know plenty of people across this nation of differing racial backgrounds who would back me up on this if they knew to post here)

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The best thing about karma is that you create your own.

Pets Need Love Too

[Liliara]

Excellent posts all! Thank you for your replies! (Sorry Memnoch, I didn't know where this thread should go really!) Just a question I wanted to put out there. Like I said. I don't mean this to pertain to the board and what happens here, but in real life.

Thanks Guys!!!

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Captain of Bouncers, Boogre Bar

LH Member


"I've had it up to here, listening to a small segment of people try to put down America! America's the greatest land on Earth, and we oughta be proud of what we have! I'm proud of America, I'm proud of our people, and I'm gonna prove it. We're American and DAMN proud of it! Frankly I'm getting a little ticked off...go ta ****"... Dink (if anyone knows who originally said this, please let me know!)