What is political correctness?

[the other bob wilson]

It was well worth the time to read that. A very well written and researched article, and I completely agree with the author.

I remember the term 'politically correct' being used by the left in Britain in the late 70s and 80s - and always ironically. I never made the connection with Mao, but it was always a term to deflate someone who was getting too pompous and 'ideological'.

Then came the 90s when the tabloid press (and Mail) started inventing EU 'politically correct' regulations (the equivalent of oblong bananas and sausages renamed 'offal tubes'), claiming that schools could no longer use the term 'black board' and making false claims that some district council had abolished Christmas in order not to offend local muslims. I didn't pick up on the stuff from american universities, but it was all part of the same wave. In the UK and USA 'political correctness' was appropriated by the right and used as a stick to beat political opponents.

In recent years (culminating with Trump) this has gone a big step further and opposition to 'political correctness' (often not real and, if real, usually misrepresented) has become the dog whistle that unleashes prejudice and hate and gives people permission to do so under the flag of 'freedom of speech' or 'liberty'. And all of it is orchestrated by powerful people in politics, media and business who have never been constrained or prevented from preaching their views by any 'liberal elite'. They are the elite, and they have not changed for generations.

Well said Jon. To my mind, what you say, particularly your final paragraph, is right on the button - I know who I'd back to win any power struggle between the "liberal elite", that some would have us think are at the root of all of the world's evils, and the elite you refer to.

[LordKenwyne]

The right wing are claimed to be the root cause of all evil.

The liberal elite are only now getting criticism. As they've had free reign to mouth off in the media for decades. Living off the idea they are morally righteous.

Slightly right leaning people get lampooned left, right and centre by liberals.

[Wales-Bales]

The right wing are claimed to be the root cause of all evil.

The liberal elite are only now getting criticism. As they've had free reign to mouth off in the media for decades. Living off the idea they are morally righteous.

Slightly right leaning people get lampooned left, right and centre by liberals.

The so called liberal elite are quite possibly wolves in sheep's clothing. They have certainly done a good job of destroying a lot of things. But you could also say that the main players in two party politics follow the same agendas.

[jon1959]

Another recently popular attack from the right and far right is to claim 'anti fascists are the new fascists!'

I've lost count of the number of times that has been trotted out by the EDL wing of ****.

It's like 1984 newspeak. It blames the victims. It claims the opponents of discrimination and hate are complicit in that discrimination and hate (or the architects of it). It has neo-Nazis thugs claiming the moral high ground against liberal protestors and commentators. It is a deliberate tactic to maintain the ability of the real elite (not this imaginary liberal elite) to carry on exploiting, controlling and lying without challenge.

There is a legitimate debate to be had about 'no platform' and whether the legal protections from hate speech are in the right place. I think sometimes the gagging of offensive rather than threatening and intimidatory views by student organisations (and much more rarely by public service or state broadcasters) is wrong and self-defeating. But 'anti fascists are the new fascists!'? No, the new fascists are still the old fascists.

[Mrs Steve R]

I thought that having read about political correctness from one viewpoint, I should do so from another and so read the piece in the link you posted.

I read the first third or so of it and thought it was just the sort on agenda driven rant I expected it to be, but then the writer started to make arguments that was backed up by research and I began to find myself agreeing with some of what was being said.

I cannot believe anyone would have too many arguments with the writer when they say "If you are concerned about hurting people’s feelings unnecessarily, you can always find ways to express something in the right way. In those kind of situations, what really matters is the way you say words, not what you say." - that's what I have always tried to do.

However, I've done that not because I was afraid of upsetting these bastions of political correctness that the writer would have us believe are looking over our shoulders at everything we say, type or write, but because it's the right and proper thing to do.

Gluey has it that this liberal elite is some left of centre mafia (to use his word) ranging from Obama and the Clintons through to those who we were supposed to have fought the cold war against. I just don't see that I'm afraid and find it amusing that it is this coalition of what seems to be anyone he doesn't like who is responsible for "political correctness" - presumably those in the Tory party who campaigned on the remain side were in with these communists as well?

Yes, I accept that there are examples around (some of which appear in the article) where the term "political correctness gone mad" can be applied and, yes, I mentioned before on here that the labeling of people who voted to leave the EU as racist was something that was applied far too freely (occasionally by myself), but, sorry, I just don't see political correctness as being the sort of threat it's made out to be in that article.

No, it seems to me that it's just as likely to be a shield used by the likes of Donald Trump to hide behind as he puts any challenging of untruths he has told (e.g. remarks about the character of Mexicans and his claim about millions of illegal votes) down to "political correctness", so we see the term being used by those who say that they are fighting against it as a way in which they try to stifle debate and dissent - whose trying to "reduce the scope of free thought" there?

I agree that it's the right and proper thing to do, I don't need political correctness to tell me how to treat people either but I will admit that it has stopped me talking about certain things through fear of being taken the wrong way, Brexit is a fine example like you said, I can't count how many replies to people I deleted over that time, not because I thought they sounded bad or racist in any way but because I thought ahead at how people could twist my words, I went to in to my reasons for wanting to leave over and over and people still implied that I was a racist, I'm sure I'm not the first person to not bother saying something just because it's easier that way so it does modify behaviour in that sense.

Trump and Farage are there to create a bigger divide imo, people seem to have adopted the view that if you don't hate them you must agree with them, this is where it becomes damaging, I don't hate anyone and I refuse to hate people and be pushed towards a side that I'm not even on just because other people think I should, it's getting that way for more and more topics, it's a constant source of divide and conflict.

The so called liberal elite are quite possibly wolves in sheep's clothing. They have certainly done a good job of destroying a lot of things. But you could also say that the main players in two party politics follow the same agendas.

Like their logo.

What is the significance of the Fabian Society for this discussion on 'political correctness' and the evil 'liberal elite' that are out to destroy the ancient British pleasures of watching the Black And White Minstrels and queer bashing?

There is nothing me and Gluey like better than getting together to do a bit of queer bashing while we watch the Black And White Minstrels box set Come on Jon, when have I ever said that's acceptable? this is what I'm talking about, twisting it around to suggest anyone who does not go along with the pc brigade must be racist, homophobic or whatever, I'm not any of those things, I just mind my own business when it comes to what other people say, people need to be able to express what they really think or there is a danger of those opinions going underground and festering imo.

I went out with an Asian lad who moved down from Birmingham when I was at school, I used to have to meet him on the corner of his street, he was not allowed to go out with me because I'm White (just thought I'd throw that in there as I find it amusing when people say I'm a racist)

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I have always thought that the term is so ill-defined as to be meaningless.

[the other bob wilson]

As someone who is now sixty, I'm in a demographic that is most likely to reflect the typical views of someone who voted leave, while it's also widely said that you move more to the right politically as you get older - I must be the exception that proves the rule .

I've heard Jeremy Corbyn described as a natural dissenter and I think that is probably a description that could be applied to me. I've spent the last forty five years or so hoping to see the overthrow of a despised ruling elite by a population that has decided enough is enough and now, in the autumn of my life, it may, finally, be happening.

The revolution might be coming and, representing the common man and woman that this hated elite have manipulated and exploited are those champions of the underdog, Mr Donald Trump, Mr Boris Johnson, Mr Rupert Murdoch, those two related slugs that own the Daily Mail and far right, ultra nationalistic, political parties in Europe which target some of humanity's baser instincts. Not sure things were really supposed to work out this way, but, then, that's just me being politically correct again I suppose.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

As someone who is now sixty, I'm in a demographic that is most likely to reflect the typical views of someone who voted leave, while it's also widely said that you move more to the right politically as you get older - I must be the exception that proves the rule .

I've heard Jeremy Corbyn described as a natural dissenter and I think that is probably a description that could be applied to me. I've spent the last forty five years or so hoping to see the overthrow of a despised ruling elite by a population that has decided enough is enough and now, in the autumn of my life, it may, finally, be happening.

The revolution might be coming and, representing the common man and woman that this hated elite have manipulated and exploited are those champions of the underdog, Mr Donald Trump, Mr Boris Johnson, Mr Rupert Murdoch, those two related slugs that own the Daily Mail and far right, ultra nationalistic, political parties in Europe which target some of humanity's baser instincts. Not sure things were really supposed to work out this way, but, then, that's just me being politically correct again I suppose.

A few political rants on Facebook and then everyone is back to posting pictures of kittens.

[Heathblue]

"The avoidance of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against."

[the other bob wilson]

"The avoidance of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against."

I don't see anything wrong with that at all, except it's the word "perceived" that causes the problems, because it becomes a jobsworth's charter.

[Heathblue]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...-lady-12322491


Political Correctness

[Wales-Bales]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...-lady-12322491


Political Correctness

It's just another rule, there will be thousands more of these new rules coming from all directions. People like to justify their job positions by inventing new rules as a form of validation.

[Mrs Steve R]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...-lady-12322491


Political Correctness

Christ can't have our baby drones having any friendly contact with any adults can we it truly bugs the shit out of me that my son has to put his thumb print in a machine to get his dinner at school, I know it's nothing to do with this but I just wanted to moan about.

[Wales-Bales]

Christ can't have our baby drones having any friendly contact with any adults can we it truly bugs the shit out of me that my son has to put his thumb print in a machine to get his dinner at school, I know it's nothing to do with this but I just wanted to moan about.

This time next year it will be a thumb and 4 fingers, followed by both hands, and then an added iris scan. After that they will suggest inserting a microchip to simplify things

[Mrs Steve R]

This time next year it will be a thumb and 4 fingers, followed by both hands, and then an added iris scan. After that they will suggest inserting a microchip to simplify things

Well they can **** themselves the only chips going in my kids are potato

[life on mars]

Gosh what a lot of opinions, excuse me if I just go straight to the question, in my view political correctness is just an excuse for liberal minded people to hide behind emotion.

[Mrs Steve R]

Gosh what a lot of opinions, excuse me if I just go straight to the question, in my view political correctness is just an excuse for liberal minded people to hide behind emotion.

Hide in what way?

[the other bob wilson]

http://www.roadsafetygb.org.uk/online-shop/92.html

Now that is political correctness gone mad and it also strikes me as something of a rip off.

[Heathblue]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...rs-having-dip/

More of it.

[Wales-Bales]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...rs-having-dip/

More of it.

"tape off the sea"

"Bosses also fear bathers will think the water is warmer than it is" - It's the middle of winter FFS! They know it's going to be a bit cold!!

[Heathblue]

"tape off the sea"

"Bosses also fear bathers will think the water is warmer than it is" - It's the middle of winter FFS! They know it's going to be a bit cold!!

The agenda of this is quite plain to see.

[Wales-Bales]

The agenda of this is quite plain to see.

I can think of a thousand pastimes that are more dangerous! Are the council going to save us from everything?

[Mrs Steve R]

"tape off the sea"

"Bosses also fear bathers will think the water is warmer than it is" - It's the middle of winter FFS! They know it's going to be a bit cold!!

That has made my day, they are going to ban cheese next to stop idiots rolling it down hills.

[Heathblue]

That has made my day, they are going to ban cheese next to stop idiots rolling it down hills.

Right wing council leaders are currently in a 7 star hotel, working out how they can tax people for going into the sea, Liberal left council leaders are congratulating themselves on their agenda.

[Mrs Steve R]

Right wing council leaders are currently in a 7 star hotel, working out how they can tax people for going into the sea, Liberal left council leaders are congratulating themselves on their agenda.

What about that guy who got done in the US for collecting rain water on his land? rain meters are next, going to be costly in Barry