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Summary

The article discusses the impact of political correctness (PC) on society, weighing its positive effects against the problems it creates, including the suppression of free speech and the potential for totalitarianism.

Abstract

The piece delves into the concept of political correctness, defining it as an effort to foster inclusivity by avoiding language or actions that could offend certain groups. It traces the rise of PC culture to the empowerment of historically marginalized communities and the influence of the internet. While acknowledging the positive impact of increased sensitivity towards oppressed groups, the article also critiques the misuse of PC principles to silence dissenting opinions. It cites examples of individuals and companies facing backlash for perceived offenses and highlights the potential dehumanizing effects of excessive political correctness, which can lead to a society devoid of diversity in thought and expression. The author argues for a balance where free speech is preserved, and differing opinions are respected.

Opinions

  • Political correctness, while initially intended to promote inclusivity, has been weaponized by some to stifle free speech and enforce conformity.
  • The author suggests that the extreme application of political correctness could lead to a loss of cultural diversity and individuality, creating a society of 'robots' with uniform opinions.
  • Jonathan Kay is referenced to illustrate how political correctness can be misused, resulting in a culture of fear where individuals are hesitant to express their true opinions.
  • The article points out that the power of words has grown significantly, making people more cautious about their speech, which can be both positive and negative.
  • George Carlin's perspective is included to emphasize that words themselves are not inherently bad; it is the context that determines their impact.
  • The author expresses concern that political correctness, in its most extreme form, could lead to a totalitarian society where independent thought is suppressed.
  • The article advocates for a society where diverse opinions are not only allowed but also encouraged, suggesting that learning to coexist with differing viewpoints is crucial for humanity.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

POLITICS AND OPINION

Political Correctness And The Power To Destroy Humanity

Excessive control over opinions is nothing short of totalitarianism.

There has been a recent surge in the trend of brands, people (generally celebrities) facing the brunt of the Political Correctness wave or the Cancel Culture. Whenever a company or a celebrity makes any statement that is considered offensive or demeaning to a particular community or a minority group they have been ‘cancelled’.

But where is the line which separates inclusiveness from control?

What is Political Correctness?

The Wikipedia definition of the term political correctness or PC states that,

“Political Correctness is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society…”

The intention behind such behavior is to progress towards an inclusive society where no single race, religion, or community is made to feel excluded.

Why has PC become popular now?

There have been many reasons theorized for the surge in political correctness over the past few decades. In fact, until the 1970s this wasn’t even an actual term used until it was first used in the anthology The Black Woman by Toni Cade Bambara, an African American author.

One of the more prevalent reasons for its popularity is due to the ‘waking up’ of previously oppressed groups like racial minorities, LGBTQIA community, and their supporters. Sometimes they are also referred to as the Woke Crowd.

In 2020 and beyond, the Woke have gained power through the internet. Any celebrity who makes offensive tweets, statements in the present, or the past gets caught by the Woke.

Many people(both celebrities and common citizens)and companies have had to bear the wrath of PC culture.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Positive Effects of PC Culture

Society in general has become sensitive towards previously oppressed communities. Those that had to face decades of oppression in all forms now have a voice. Their voice hasn’t gone unheard.

The growing power of political correctness has been made clear to those who have gotten away with being bigots and those who have undermined particular communities until now. People have become careful about the things they say. The power of words has gained unprecedented strength.

People have become careful about the things they say.

The Problems PC Culture has been causing

Though the PC Culture has noble intentions, there are always some people who misuse the power it gives.

Jonathan Kay, a Canadian Journalist has spoken about the ill effects that PC culture has caused in his TED Talk.

He mentions that though PC always starts with good intentions, we have weaponized the pain of not agreeing with someone. It’s always the smallest fish that get called out. Kay talks about an employee who had to delete a tweet and attend diversity training due to the same reason. People have become scared to give their opinions and have become scared to speak out as they risk getting fired.

As a result, most people stay quiet when they are actually supposed to speak up.

And sometimes people try to say certain things in a differently to not offend anyone. A person who was called a cripple is now called differently-abled or in care of special needs. While such euphemisms aim towards empathy, many times all they do is mask the reality of whatever is being politically corrected.

In a show, popular comedian George Carlin said that words aren’t bad. It’s the context that makes them good or bad.

“… Psychologists have actually started calling ugly people those with severe appearance deficits. It’s getting so bad that any day now I expect to hear a rape victim referred to as an unwilling sperm recipient” — George Carlin

There have been a few instances where people or organizations had to suffer the wrath of PC Culture.

The Case of Sarvajeet Singh:

  • During the years 2012–2016, the amount of rapes taking place in India skyrocketed to an ugly peak. It was during this time that India started getting negative attention for rape culture.
  • In 2016, a woman(Jasleen Kaur) in New Delhi had accused a man(Sarvajeet Singh) of perverse misconduct at a traffic signal and took to Facebook to express her false accusations.
  • Immediately, Sarvajeet Singh was met with a mass hysteria of character assassination by the Indian media. No one dared to speak up against a woman accusing another man of sexual misconduct in India during that time. This was due to the PC culture which had rooted in India with regards to this aspect.
  • It took 4 years of tolerating public humiliation and shame for Sarvajeet Singh before he was lawfully acquitted of all the false accusations made against him.

Darlie/Darkie Toothpaste:

  • This brand was pulled by Colgate-Palmolive due to its insensitive nature towards the Black community.
  • In the same manner, many brands had to stop selling their flagship products due to newfound public outrage.

The Dehumanizing Aspect of Political Correctness

Until now you’ve read about Jonathan Kay, George Carlin, and those cancelled by the Woke. But now, you have to read my opinion. Why my opinion? Because I have a right to give my opinion and speak freely.

Let’s assume that the utopia of a politically correct society is established. In such a society where every person is politically correct, all anthropologists would lose their jobs. But such a society will have a few aspects that are different from what we are today.

In a Utopian politically correct society, everyone will have the same opinion. This means they all like the same food, wear the same clothes, look the same, speak the same language, and never get into conflicts with each other due to a disagreement over something. But is that really an ideal society?

A society like that will become just a bunch of robots all saying the same thing. The main objective of political correctness is to create an environment of cultural diversity. But in a completely politically correct society, there will be absolutely no form of diversity whatsoever as there is no disagreement.

Of course, such an extreme case may not be possible. But with the amount of power that some of the politically correct have in their hands to suppress another person’s opinion, we may not be that far off.

Political correctness aims to be sensitive but by restricting free speech there is no sensitivity. This issue has come up due to the current generation of people not being able to accept conflicting opinions. But as long as we are humans, we will always find an opinion to disagree with. That’s what makes us human and removing that is nothing short of dehumanization.

The amount of excessive control and curbing of opinions that is being observed today both on a personal and professional level is nothing short of totalitarianism.

There is only one way for all of us to live harmoniously: Speak up and give your opinion but more importantly allow others to do the same. If you don’t agree with their opinion then you have two options, either try to change their opinion or simply walk away.

Speak up and give your opinion but more importantly allow others to do the same.

Politics
Opinion
Political Correctness
Culture
Society
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