Political Correctness is not an evil thing.

[logansrogue]

I just wanted to speak about something I saw floating around Facebook (an opinion) that deeply disturbed me and seems to be a pretty popular meme amongst some Australian folks in the wake of HeyHeyGate.

I think I could live my whole life without hearing the phrase "This is political correctness gone too far". Someone even evoked the phrase "Thought Police" in reference to people being offended by those that found the horrendous Blackface Jackson Jive act funny.

As I said in response, when you're having a discussion about "political correctness", replace those two words with "Treating Someone as an Equal" or "Not Discriminating Against" or "Not Being A Raging Arsehole".

I'm going to lay it out clear on the table, for now and for future discussions. If you're not for political correctness, if you're not for heightening the cultural tone of this country, for stamping out inequality, for ending social injustices... If you value a few white cis hetero temporarily-able-bodied folks right to have a laugh at other people's expenses over the right of those people they're laughing at to live a life where they don't have to fear the discourse of others, the presence of others, to fear living in society at all, then I'm sorry, I don't know if I'm quite the friend for you.

Because before too long, I will butt heads with you, and I'll call you out on your privilege. It might be uncomfortable. But shit - I expect people to do the same to me. None of us will get any better as people if we don't.

There'll be times where I'll grit my teeth cause I don't want to ruin a whole day. But there are also times when I will say, "Dude, that's not funny" or "That's not right". I figure I'll probably lose a few friends this way.

I get called oversensitive, humourless, goody-two-shoes. I can at least go to sleep at night knowing that I'm doing what I can to change the world for the better. Even if it's just starting with my own values and behaviour.

Comments

[shantari.livejournal.com]

For my part I have a problem with the term "politically correct". It implies policy and politics in a way I feel uncomfortable with.

That said, to me I think there can be "political correctness gone wrong" in the sense that the person think that they're being politically correct, but rather they're just overcompensating in a way that at times can be just as insulting as being politically incorrect.

The truth is that it should really just be called something along the line of "using your common sense in regards to the feelings of others".

I sometimes worry and have a lot of "brainghosts" over the subconscious racism that has been implanted in me from childhood cartoons. (For some reason they showed a lot of the really old and bad cartoons on Swedish television in the eighties. O_O) I am hopeful that future generations will have less and less stereotypes and wrong images implanted by the older generation, it's possible, isn't it?

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear!

Also, *hugs* for your previous entry.

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

I have ended friendships for (well, not solely, but it was certainly a factor) using that term seriously. To me it is an indicator that they have no idea what's really going on and refuse to understand what's going on.

Ataxi describes it like this, and I like this description: "Political correctness" is a framing term invented and propagated by people who like to issue themselves prejudice permits.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Abso-fuckin'-lutely, and it makes me sick. Maybe it's cause I was teased mercilessly as a kid, but I don't see the value in laughter or comfort or ease that comes at another person's expense. It's just pure selfishness and ignorance. Some people don't like being uncomfortable. We all fuck up if we have some sort of privilege, it's bound to happen.

The crowing of "too PC" seems a little cowardly to me, like a person isn't willing to put their Big Person boots on and own their fuck-ups.

At least this way, I know that the friends I *do* have aren't likely to say shit that'll grossly offend me or anyone else I might be concerned for.

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

I would suggest that the friends you have might say shit that'll offend you, because we all mess up, but they'll probably take your "hey cut that out" seriously. Which I can accept, if their learning is serious (well, most of the time).

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Well yeah. :) I'm not making sense today, it's been a rough week.

[lady-niav.livejournal.com]

Totally, and I like stephie's quote *files away for reference*

I hate the term PC because it's so ambiguous. It can mean a whole bunch of things. It seems strange to me that people would rather invent a monster looking over their shoulder with regulations than actually entertain the idea that some jokes are disrespectful (and that making fun of others is not necessary to have fun)

More insidiously it's one of those dismissing labels that get placed on people as a form of social disapproval & conditioning. As in you're either a spoil sport or you're fun like the rest of us; you're either one of those "butch crazy feminists" or you're over here being "reasonable" about things. Or when people rail about environmentalists that ruin it for everyone else - I've started rethinking people's notion of "extreme activity" and wonder if sometimes it's just a way to dismiss people or put them on the backfoot while they try and prove that they are really worth listening to.