If you live in the United States, or even if you don’t…if you have internet connection, or probably even if you don’t…if you can read, well I guess that doesn’t really cover it either…
Pretty much everyone in the industrialized world has developed a fascination for an abstract concept now deemed ‘political correctness.’ Somewhere along the line someone should have trademarked the phrase because it’s quite possibly the most over used term I’ve heard this “election year.” And here is the thing… political correctness isn’t even real.
Google defines the phrase as;
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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.
The perception of political correctness as some civic obstacle is an illusion. As of late, so many people consider it a contributing factor to actual social and political issues. And it’s just…no, just no. I don’t even understand where this imaginary land of politically correct people exists? In what world are people afraid of “offending” one another these days? Watch 5 minutes of campaign coverage and you will see… there is no fear of offending anybody anymore, and certainly not in the political realm.
I will tell you though, if political correctness was an actual issue, and avoiding it was actually a thing, it still wouldn’t be okay to use it as a vehicle for discrimination. It wouldn’t be any more appropriate to dodge factual societal issues in its name, it wouldn’t be okay to write off the legitimate woes of minority populations or women because ya know… political correctness.
If the “PC culture” does nothing but give you pause before discriminating against someone, then I really do hope it does become a thing…but I highly doubt it. If it makes you question the traditional ‘values’ ingrained in our institutions and culture then I think that would be a good thing too. If it truly is ripples of a revolution leading to a world where everyone actually does take into account another’s perception of the same issue before acting or speaking, I hope it comes about in full force. But this new Facebook status staple is referring to none of these things, it is instead blaming a lack of discrimination for societal adversity or even outbreaks of violence. And let’s be real here, there is no lack of discrimination or violence happening anywhere.
It is neither an excuse nor a reason, for anything. I don’t believe it to be a contributing factor in any situation. In fact, it represents a lack thereof. The globe and nation may be overwhelmed with issues all across the board, but I urge you to look deeper into the world of causation before rambling on about some made up abstraction. The issues surely do exist, but none of them have anything to do with the imaginary concept of political correctness.
If you would like to walk around spouting off every typically offensive stereotype or (fill in the blank with behavior of your choice) that is your right, especially as an American. Please DO carry on exercising your invaluable rights (also please register to vote.) But you are likely an asshole, and this cool new trend of avoiding ‘political correctness’ doesn’t change that.
What do you think? Feel free to disagree.
