Political Correctness; Hurting or Helping?

[bradly1101]

Lord Trump criticized political correctness to explain his disparaging comments toward women, as if name calling is the opposite of being PC. Name calling is the opposite of being an adult. But his comment got a lot of applause, and I've seen some anti-PC stuff here. But if his recent "Megan Kelly blood remark" was really about women's issues, then he found true political incorrectness.

But I think the most hated form of political correctness is the phrase, "happy holidays," as if it's an intended insult toward Christians. But what do you say to someone who say isn't wearing a cross on their neck and could be celebrating Hanukkah, Mawlid an-Nabī, Uposatha, or...? Isn't "happy holidays" just easier and more inclusive? Why do people think it's anti-Christian?

And what is the alternative to political correctness? Do I start calling my partner "four eyes?" Does the n-word come back?

PC reflects adult respect in my eyes. Political incorrectness began in the schoolyard and that's where it should stay IMO.

 

[alcoholbob]

Political correctness was invented in the Soviet Union regarding how well comrades were towing the party line. It's useful in a Statist society when the appearance of propriety is more important than effective policies.

 

[cubby1223]

Political Correctness in context of needing to portray the use of the atomic bomb against Japan as a terrorist act because the Japanese were apparently following a much more honorable code of conduct throughout the war and yadda yadda yadda...

 

[bradly1101]

Political Correctness in context of feeling the urge to claim the use of the atomic bomb against Japan was a terrorist act because the Japanese were following a much more honorable code of conduct throughout the war and yadda yadda yadda...

That's my opinion and is shared by others (from a decade ago):

If PC is caring about the victims, then so be it. I get that we differ on the topic, so what? Show me where PC hurts and where not being PC helps.

[BTW: Do you see my opposition to using such weapons against a civilian population as being non-patriotic and therefore PC? Is that the problem? If so there are many other mistakes I believe our government has made. What does that make me? How exactly do you see my opposition when you say it's PC? That I was pro-Hirohito?]

 

[Annisman*]

That's my opinion and is shared by others (from a decade ago):

If PC is caring about the victims, then so be it. I get that we differ on the topic, so what? Show me where PC hurts and where not being PC helps.

[BTW: Do you see my opposition to using such weapons against a civilian population as being non-patriotic and therefore PC? Is that the problem? If so there are many other mistakes I believe our government has made. What does that make me? How exactly do you see my opposition when you say it's PC? That I was pro-Hirohito?]

Wow , I think my grandpa would have a few words for you.

 

[werepossum]

That's my opinion and is shared by others (from a decade ago):

If PC is caring about the victims, then so be it. I get that we differ on the topic, so what? Show me where PC hurts and where not being PC helps.

[BTW: Do you see my opposition to using such weapons against a civilian population as being non-patriotic and therefore PC? Is that the problem? If so there are many other mistakes I believe our government has made. What does that make me? How exactly do you see my opposition when you say it's PC? That I was pro-Hirohito?]

You really need to educate yourself on this issue. The Japanese military easily gave the Soviets and the Nazis a run for their money on civilian atrocities. Beyond that, making war on the civilians (I.e. The production base of the enemy's war machine) was a perfectly acceptable means of warfare at the time. There simply was no effective means of attacking war production without also attacking the civilians working that production. All the Japanese civilians we killed in our bombing would not equal the Chinese civilians alone who were killed by the Japanese military, usually intentially to terrorize the population into submission.

I could make a case even today for bombing population centers. Why is it ethical that a nation can press its young men into service to fight and die for national gain while the rest of the population remains safe? Seems to me the only way that is ethical is for an all volunteer army that is also self-controlling, so that the people who decide to make war are also those at risk.

 

[her209]

Is it political incorrectness to tell someone speaking a foreign language in public that this is America and they should speak English?

 

[Greenman]

Lord Trump criticized political correctness to explain his disparaging comments toward women, as if name calling is the opposite of being PC. Name calling is the opposite of being an adult. But his comment got a lot of applause, and I've seen some anti-PC stuff here. But if his recent "Megan Kelly blood remark" was really about women's issues, then he found true political incorrectness.

But I think the most hated form of political correctness is the phrase, "happy holidays," as if it's an intended insult toward Christians. But what do you say to someone who say isn't wearing a cross on their neck and could be celebrating Hanukkah, Mawlid an-Nabī, Uposatha, or...? Isn't "happy holidays" just easier and more inclusive? Why do people think it's anti-Christian?

And what is the alternative to political correctness? Do I start calling my partner "four eyes?" Does the n-word come back?

PC reflects adult respect in my eyes. Political incorrectness began in the schoolyard and that's where it should stay IMO.

Now you're confusing political correctness with manners. Much like the A-bomb thread, you simply don't understand what your talking about. We can't discuss anything when you state the topic is one thing but your comments are on a different subject.
So, are we discussing political correctness, or manners? Once you figure out the difference, the question you asked will answer itself.

 

[bradly1101]

Is it political incorrectness to tell someone speaking a foreign language in public that this is America and they should speak English?

I'm not the decider on this, but in my opinion yes if it offends. I've been to other countries and no one there told me to speak their language when I was talking to my mom and brother in english in public. That strictly seems like an American reaction, I didn't encounter foreigners who were so unkind. And I believe at the heart of political correctness is kindness.

So yes, very un-PC.

 

[bradly1101]

Now you're confusing political correctness with manners. Much like the A-bomb thread, you simply don't understand what your talking about. We can't discuss anything when you state the topic is one thing but your comments are on a different subject.
So, are we discussing political correctness, or manners? Once you figure out the difference, the question you asked will answer itself.

Whether called manners or kindness, what other motivation would cause someone to want to be PC?

 

[mizzou]

In traditional American fashion, we take a great idea and completely overdo it.

 

[mizzou]

Political Correctness in context of needing to portray the use of the atomic bomb against Japan as a terrorist act because the Japanese were apparently following a much more honorable code of conduct throughout the war and yadda yadda yadda...

I honestly don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, so I will just state that factually the Japanese were completely brutal in the way they waged war.

The Japanese fought to win and fought with honor, but they did not fight honorably.

 

[ivwshane]

Is it political incorrectness to tell someone speaking a foreign language in public that this is America and they should speak English?

Unless they are talking to you, it sounds like a personal issue

 

[ivwshane]

Whether called manners or kindness, what other motivation would cause someone to want to be PC?

I must be confused as well. Being PC seems like another way to show you are trying to be respectful of your audience. If that's not it then what would be the point?

 

[cubby1223]

I must be confused as well. Being PC seems like another way to show you are trying to be respectful of your audience. If that's not it then what would be the point?

Nothing to be confused about.

It all comes down to what you do if you feel someone used a word or phrase you believe is not politically correct. Do you make a quick remark about it and move on? Do you use it as an opening to go with "I feel you were disrespectful, therefore it is my right to be disrespectful in return"? Or is political correctness used as a tool to attack a person's ideas?


PC basically goes one of two ways:
-"I agree with your overall argument, therefore your choice language is acceptable (excusable in some instances)."
-"I disagree with your overall argument, therefore I find fault in your choice of words/phrases used."

That pattern seems to hold true for most people, whether you're right, left, conservative, liberal, shill, not shill, whatever. While political correctness may supped to be just a friendly show of respect towards others, that's not the way it is employed out in the world. And you absolutely know this, too.

 

[Venix]

I honestly don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, so I will just state that factually the Japanese were completely brutal in the way they waged war.

The Japanese fought to win and fought with honor, but they did not fight honorably.

He's referencing this train wreck of a thread, where village idiot bradly1101 insisted that Japan "only attacked our military" and "kept to a code of warfare."

 

[1prophet]

Political correctness is a tool used by those in power to suppress free speech, especially criticism, without running afoul of the law,

by blurring the lines of being respectful to your fellow human being or those in authority while at the same time not being afraid to point out the Emperor's invisible clothes are a farce and he is naked.

 

[cubby1223]

I'll just be perfectly honest with a recent example that gets the emotions running high: black lives matter.

When I was growing up, I was taught that "black" was disrespectful, "African-American" was the better term to show respect. Some people fully agree with that. Some want themselves to be described as "African-American". Obviously "Black Lives Matter" is taking the alternate approach, self-describing themselves as black. And, others take offense to "African-American" because either they consider themselves just "American" or their ancestors did not come from Africa, perhaps they'd been living in Europe for many prior generations.

"Political Correctness" pretty much dictates that you must use the best term, else someone will be offended and will voice their offense against you. In this situation, there is no best term that satisfies everyone. A percentage of the society will always be offended regardless of the words chosen to use. The only logical path if the goal is not to offend anyone, is to disengage from the topic. Focus on something else to spend your time on.

And what is one of the chief complaints of "Black Lives Matter"? White people aren't paying attention to blacks. Just follow the logic a little further, one of the motivations for not being engaged in the subject matter is Political Correctness. In this example, Political Correctness is a roadblock to progress.

 

[cubby1223]

He's referencing this train wreck of a thread, where village idiot bradly1101 insisted that Japan "only attacked our military" and "kept to a code of warfare."

Yup.

My example of a potential danger of political correctness.

 

[cubby1223]

Throw out another political correctness example:

I just booked a rental car today through Sixt. When I searched google for some specifics about their rental details, google returned a recent news item about social media backlash for using a reference to Caitlin Jenner and their fleet of available crossover vehicles to rent. And the backlash is about how horrible of a company they are, how disrespectful they are, and on.

Personally, I don't think the company meant any disrespect, I think the purpose was they wanted to show their support for him, and decided to also throw in a plug for their own business.

What's the end result going to be? Sixt likely disengages and never touches such topics in the future. You are never as offended by what was not said, as you are by what is said. Disengage from the topic and move on. The news article described Sixt as "transphobic". No, there was nothing against transgendered people in their tweet. Why are you describing them as such?

That is political correctness in action. Disengage from controversial topics. Either you are "in" with the group, or you are not. If you are not, disengage.

 

[bradly1101]

The Japanese fought to win and fought with honor, but they did not fight honorably.

Fight honorably. The words almost seem mutually exclusive when civilian deaths are considered. All sorts use the euphemism "collateral damage." It's unavoidable, which means by now it makes sense to me that we'd have found another way. I guess burgeoning populations against dwindling resources for a very territorial specie make that an impossible fantasy.

One trouble I see is that when we think we're doing the right thing we often wreak conflict as much as peace. The politically correct thing to do in Ukraine was to allow them to decide their own way, but we had to meddle and helped the pro-European candidate win over the pro-Moscow one. What hell was unleashed on innocent people? I don't blame that on U.S. policy, but we had a hand in pissing-off the bear and ending our "on paper" alliance with Russia.

 

[bradly1101]

He's referencing this train wreck of a thread, where village idiot bradly1101 insisted that Japan "only attacked our military" and "kept to a code of warfare."

Yes they kept to a code. They could have bombed Honolulu or possibly one of our west coast cities, but they didn't.

The "trainwreck of a thread" got tedious. I guess I really hit a nerve because the insults came flying (it's the Internet, eh?). When people have intelligent, adult things to say I can respond, otherwise isn't it just so much noise? I'm surprised I'm not on 'ignore' more often if I can affect someone's mood so. Or do people like "trainwrecks?" Or is it that some people are as thin-skinned as Trump?

 

[bradly1101]

Political correctness is a tool used by those in power to suppress free speech, especially criticism, without running afoul of the law,

What is an example of free speech that was or would be suppressed by those in power. By criticism, do you mean the way Trump handles criticism, and is therefore hypocritical?

 

[her209]

What is an example of free speech that was or would be suppressed by those in power. By criticism, do you mean the way Trump handles criticism, and is therefore hypocritical?

Being accused of being anti-cop because you don't agree with the way an officer dealt with a citizen.

 

[Venix]

Yes they kept to a code. They could have bombed Honolulu or possibly one of our west coast cities, but they didn't.

You truly are a special kind of stupid. Technological and logistical constraints--not "a code of warfare"--limited Japanese attacks on the United States mainland and Hawaii. Japan still routinely targeted civilians in the United States and its territories:

• Thousands of balloons carrying anti-personnel and incendiary bombs were launched into the jet stream to indiscriminately bombard the US mainland.
• Firebombs were dropped in Oregon in an attempt to spark uncontrolled forest fires.
• Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night planned to spread plague in San Diego. Similar biological attacks in China killed half a million people.
• Hundreds of thousands of civilians were brutally and intentionally murdered during the Manila Massacre (since you're hopelessly ignorant, I'll point out that the Philippines--like Hawaii--was a US territory during the war).

And those are minor offenses compared to the atrocities committed in China, where Japan's "code of warfare" included the Three Alls Policy: kill all, burn all, loot all. Do you not feel ashamed about defending the intentional murder of millions of civilians?

The "trainwreck of a thread" got tedious. I guess I really hit a nerve because the insults came flying (it's the Internet, eh?). When people have intelligent, adult things to say I can respond, otherwise isn't it just so much noise? I'm surprised I'm not on 'ignore' more often if I can affect someone's mood so. Or do people like "trainwrecks?" Or is it that some people are as thin-skinned as Trump?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I enjoy your posts. Every time I think you've reached the pinnacle of idiocy, you exceed my expectations and say something even dumber. I'll be interested to see what mindnumbingly stupid statement tops your ardent defense of one of the most brutal, genocidal regimes in history.

Or you could actually act like an intelligent adult and say, "I was wrong. I learned something new today. In the future, I won't form strong opinions about topics I don't understand." But then you couldn't pretend to be superior to everyone else because of your totally deep and edgy opinions that contradict mainstream thought, so I'm not holding my breath.