Here's where I stand on "political correctness": It's just another broad category term that makes it easy to address an incredibly diverse enormous group of things as good or bad without having to go through the task of actually evaluating individual speech.
When people talk about political correctness, I still don't know what the fuck it means.
Is it ok to say "I believe muslims/christians/atheists are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? It sure as hell should be.
Is it ok to say "I believe blacks/whites/mexicans are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? It sure as hell should be.
Is it ok to say "I believe niggers/wetbacks/chinks are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? Fuck no, and I'd be totally fine with a student or professor who says that being disciplined to the extreme.
Is it ok to say "Is it ok to say 'I believe niggers/wetbacks/chinks are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet' in a classroom? Fuck no, and whoever says it should be disciplined" in a forum post discussing political correctness is and the need for evaluation of individual statements? I sure hope so, because if it's not, what hope at all do we have of making any kind of progress in trying to maximize both free speech and individual respect?
What I mean to say is this: When speech is meant to hurt, when it is designed to hurt someone, when speech is fashioned in a lazy way that is certain to hurt someone even though there are far more precise, non-hurtful ways to convey the same point, I don't like that speech. I don't like that speech not because it is "politically incorrect" but because it hurts people for no or bad reasons and that makes me sad.
When speech is meant to discuss or analyze or contribute an opinion or talk about a problem or accomplish an intellectual goal and someone is hurt by it, I like that speech inasmuch as it is not wasted words. I would try to avoid hurting people but not at the expense of quashing thought, of avoiding topics altogether.
I don't know if this makes any sense, or is appropriate, or is stupid, or is obvious, or anything. But I don't think "political correctness" is a thing. I think it's a term that lets us use less nuance and make discourse more divisive and promotes both intellectual dishonesty (by people who say "be politically correct!") and needless bigotry (by people who say "don't be politically correct!"), both of which are bad but easy.
When people talk about political correctness, I still don't know what the fuck it means.
Is it ok to say "I believe muslims/christians/atheists are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? It sure as hell should be.
Is it ok to say "I believe blacks/whites/mexicans are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? It sure as hell should be.
Is it ok to say "I believe niggers/wetbacks/chinks are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet" in a classroom? Fuck no, and I'd be totally fine with a student or professor who says that being disciplined to the extreme.
Is it ok to say "Is it ok to say 'I believe niggers/wetbacks/chinks are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet' in a classroom? Fuck no, and whoever says it should be disciplined" in a forum post discussing political correctness is and the need for evaluation of individual statements? I sure hope so, because if it's not, what hope at all do we have of making any kind of progress in trying to maximize both free speech and individual respect?
What I mean to say is this: When speech is meant to hurt, when it is designed to hurt someone, when speech is fashioned in a lazy way that is certain to hurt someone even though there are far more precise, non-hurtful ways to convey the same point, I don't like that speech. I don't like that speech not because it is "politically incorrect" but because it hurts people for no or bad reasons and that makes me sad.
When speech is meant to discuss or analyze or contribute an opinion or talk about a problem or accomplish an intellectual goal and someone is hurt by it, I like that speech inasmuch as it is not wasted words. I would try to avoid hurting people but not at the expense of quashing thought, of avoiding topics altogether.
I don't know if this makes any sense, or is appropriate, or is stupid, or is obvious, or anything. But I don't think "political correctness" is a thing. I think it's a term that lets us use less nuance and make discourse more divisive and promotes both intellectual dishonesty (by people who say "be politically correct!") and needless bigotry (by people who say "don't be politically correct!"), both of which are bad but easy.
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
