I'm generally not one to start simple musing threads but this is a topic I'd like to casually discuss. It involves the exasperating behavior and expectations of the politically correct movement. There are two major points of frustration, IMO, concerning the PC movement.

1). The tyrannical nature of the beast. Concerning the politically correct ideology, it feels there is no room for 'agreement to disagree.' It's either you submit to our way of thinking or you and your opinion will be hammered into the ground. There is no room for freedom of thought or coming to a level of mutual agreement and understanding.

2). The downright hypocrisy of it all. You can trash *this* religion but cannot even point out a valid criticism of *this* religion. You can discriminate against *this* race or gender, but leave *this* race or gender alone. It just seems so fake and 'programmed.' It's becoming more and more difficult to even try to see where PC drones are coming from or to have a fair debate that doesn't become personal or to not feel alienated if you have an opinion that doesn't support the PC-approved perspective.

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Basically, the PC movement appears to not respect the right of those who disagree with it's causes to have a differing belief. Sometimes it feels we can't even say 'I don't agree with you but I will still respect your choice' because that's not good enough. It's as if the demand is there that you're not only expected to tolerate the causes, but to be absolutely in love and supportive of whatever the PC issue is.

I might be seeing things from a biased perspective but it's just the way I feel and it has been a bit frustrating lately when keeping up with the media and hot social issues in the news.

You've managed to hit on a topic that frustrates me immensely. I see it so often on the threads and it's impossible to try to get through to some people. Just today I ran across this:[edited for anonymity]

"No more weapons and no more killing,killing is just another word for silencing someones voice in humanities future so you can influence the
future of humanity in the direction your violence allows you. There is no place for killing in a global democracy."


He then goes on to advocate killing of millions who don't agree with his POV. He threatens to silence someone's voice in religions so he can influence the future of humanity in the direction HIS violence allows him. Astonishing that he doesn't even see the hypocrisy or double standard.

These type of people frighten me more than armed thugs in dark alleys. Zealots. They are a truly scary lot. You can't reason with a zealot because their capacity for reason is all wrapped up in their entitlement-minded, pampered thought processes.

Also, I'd like to know how this "convert or die" philosophy differs from the "violent and intolerant" organized religions they professes to detest.

All those starving, disenfranchised people they claims will be helped by their humanitarian efforts? If they're starving, weakened, in poor health then I don't imagine they can contribute much. At least not at first, until they receive a healthy portion of someone else's labors and resources. In fact, according to this poster, those are the very people who don't contribute that would be selected for "martyrdom" in order to usher in this glorious Utopian society where we all share at gunpoint, except the guns are owned only by the ruling class.

This is not to rag on any particular poster but to point out the hypocrisy and double standard evident in such a mind-set. What I find totally astonishing is that such people truly do not see that they have become the thing they profess to despise. They advocate using the same methods of force and mass murder to usher in a society they claim was flawed for using such methods.

And call others ignorant for not agreeing with them! Astonishing!

Group think, collectivism on steroids.

PC is just another control parameter. It is propaganda wrapped in bigotry.

If someone cannot see the complete hypocrisy of the PC they espouse, they cannot and will not be reasoned with.

I find the collectivist attitude to be one of the most dangerous things facing mankind. The PC is the tool they use. Oh, do not believe in saving society by donating half your labor to the collective, you are an evil capitalist that does not care about the poor__________. Things such as this drive me MAD!

I have had lawyer's and members here, argue that if it is in the best interests of the government or the citizenry in general, it is fine to take away the rights of the individual. See where that is leading us? I myself am completely politically incorrect. I think it has to do with being from such a large family. If one did not speak up or fight for the right to voice an opinion, one would be this way forever. I was the youngest of four brothers. It did not take long for me to realize where the right to voice an opinion came from, it came from the ability to fight for that right.

Politically correct, is a misnomer. No such thing.

Don't like my opinion, well then shoot me. Because there is no way in God's green Earth that I am going to keep my mouth shut!

And I will fight for the right of that DAMN collectivist totalitarian to do the same. I doubt very much that they would do the same for me.

Now THAT, is the difference between someone that believes in Freedom compared to one that uses Political Correctness to espouse their rhetoric.

the PC movement is as close to fascist as you can get it says you MUST be nice to who the PC crowed decree worthy and if you don`t agree then thay have a label to stick on you and you WILL be attacked for that label. sadly most don`t question why the PCC is allowed to attack certain groups or views and basically want you to think what you are told to.
personally i like to think for myself so hate the PC movement. if i don`t like something i should be allowed to say so in a civil manor without discrimination or repercusions

Originally posted by endisnighe

Politically correct, is a misnomer. No such thing.

So true! Politically "CORRECT"? What makes it correct in the first place? Nothing! This is the exact same attitude that fundamentalist christians take, we are right and you are WRONG. They claim it's because God's book tells them their position. What leg are the PC standing on? An imaginary and self-created one I would suppose.
Now AshleyD, when you speak of PC do you mean social Democrats? The ones who think we MUST have universal healthcare, get rid of guns etc. That is the crowd I identify as being PC.
They say we all must care for our fellow man, give our share blah blah blah. While I agree wholeheartedly with those sentiments, when you propose to remake society into a moralistic society by passing laws you are changing behavior at the point of a gun. Government only works because there is violence implied if you do not live by their decrees. Therefore we must love our fellow man or go to jail. Doesn't sound like love or caring to me. Love is from God, not government and the more they try to force morality onto people the harder they will reject it.
The PC crowd revels in their moral superiority just like the Fundamentalists do. Facts do not faze them and the truth will only make them silent for a while. Perhaps that's the best possible outcome we can expect until these people grow up and realize that the world is not black and white, good and evil.
I wish I could AFFORD to help everyone out but I have few resources and can barely pay the bills. I don't have a stock portfolio, no retirement account but they want me to pay more to help those less able. When I can breathe again I would gladly help. With the economy going down the drain at it;s current rate I don;t expect I will see that anytime soon.
Why don;t the PC crowd turn their venom on the war mongers who spend our nation silly on death and destruction? Stop spending all that money and you'd be amazed at how many doctors visits, groceries, rent and utility bills it would pay!

Exaggerated PCness that feels overwhelmed, victimized, indignant by even the slightest disagreement or disharmony is rooted feelings of inadequacy that stem from childhood.

The mental disorder is connected to fear of loss, fear of abuse, neediness for approval and confirmation. The abandoned inner child psychologically projects that its "a mean world out there" (see mean-world-syndrome) and seeks a strong daddy-government.

This person unwittingly projects onto various minority groups that they are pathetic loosers just like him. He then feels the need to impose the will of 1% upon the 99% rather than finding a fair and balanced compromise.

Back in school, before he becomes PC later in life, this is your tattletale, your good-boy-who-never-rebells, never speaks up and runs around pouting all the time.

He is only "anti" the Religions and Groups that happen to be majority in his country.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by Skyfloating]

sooo not one person is willing to stand up for the PC crowed and say why its so great that it should be forced on to every liveing soul of the majority?

Let's be very clear,

& NOT fall prey to the majority of objectors to 'political correctness',

What they REALLY want are the OLD political correctnesses instead of the NEW political correctness which is the ONLY one they actually label as such.

They want to lounge back into good old fashioned bigotry, which itself is simply the previous version of Political correctness.

Now if you really want to challenge the notion of reflexive, simplistic knee jerk attitudes & responses then one almost certainly has to have a high, cerebral, intellectual discussion of ideas, & their likely ramifications, consquences & effects.
And almost without saying we have to start talking about what ideas, future visions of & for ourselves, everyone else & everything else.

There may even be legitimate logical reasons for some traditional behaviors [attitudes?], but i guarantee you they are not all the superstitious or other nonsense reasons for them.

It IS a LOT to bite off, but that is, i believe pretty close to the starting point of social organization & social agendas, such as we choose to have or not have them.

I will also tell you, that many of our/your most cherished notions have no quality of evidence, or even plausible theory to back them up.

1. Who are we?
2. Why are we here?
3. What if anything do we plan on doing?

My answers/thoughts:
1. Ourselves, nothings with possibly a lot of potential.
2. No obvious reason i can see. Likely guess is dumb luck.
3. I like personal survival, personal prosperity is nice. Human survival with some technological & some evolutionary progress would be nice. Doing all of the previous without destroying every other species on the planet would be a real prize.
There is a very good possibility that humanity is taking itself down & in the process most other advanced life forms.

Considering the amount of raicst threads that sprung up in recent weaks, I believe we need the PC dudes.

Originally posted by Aceofclubs
sooo not one person is willing to stand up for the PC crowed and say why its so great that it should be forced on to every liveing soul of the majority?

Nope, I think its a great idea to do what you said in a previous thread and ban all mosques.

America was built on hatred and xenophobic bigotry, why stop now?

All joking aside.. Of course you should have the right to voice your opinion. But others who don't agree also have the right to call you out on it!

Freedom of speech doesn't only apply to those who you agree with.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by FalselyFlagged]

Originally posted by MrXYZ
Considering the amount of raicst threads that sprung up in recent weaks, I believe we need the PC dudes.

Trying to force people to act as if they are not racist is no solution to racism - by any means. The lessening of racism has been a natural side-effect of the Evolution of Human Intelligence and increased Intercultural contact. Forcing racists to be non-racists is a silly idea that could only be born in the mind of a PC.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by Skyfloating]

Gosh.

Because complaining about people being offended by one being offensive isn't hypocritical AT ALL.

[edit on 2010/5/5 by Aeons]

Hey, Guys. GREAT thoughts from everyone- both who agree and disagree.

Concerning the issue about the 'new PC' vs. the 'old PC.' That's an excellent observation. But even then I believe this would be applicable both then and now. As in, to be alienated back then for not being the approved segment of society is no better than being alienated today for not being in the approved segment of social classifications.

In other words, let's say it is just as wrong today to not hire a more qualified candidate for a job because of their social classifications as it is wrong today for the same reason. Just because what is 'PC protected' has changed since the past does not mean the core wrongness of it all has not. It's still wrong.

Along the lines of the expression of the pendulum swinging too far in the opposite direction. It doesn't make it right- it just means it's still wrong but on a different place in the spectrum.

Originally posted by Aeons
being offensive

The type of person being referred to is offended by anything, he even goes looking for things to be offended by. Even the slightest remark not in line with his ideology will cause him to break down and cry or go on a protest rampage.

As such he becomes a useful tool of various political movements.

I am not offended by this person. I wish him well and that he may gain more strength and purpose in life, maybe through counseling instead of appearing on talkshows as the "poor me".

I do struggle with the whole concept of being PC since it varies so much from town to town, let alone from nation to nation... I know I consider myself a Liberal Progressive, which I am proud of.. But I am also aware that label means something completly different elsewhere..

But the central theme "I know best" and will jam my opinion down your throat is an age old one and that theme lies behind the creation of my counties moto.. "We Wunt Be Druv" or we are not sheep to be led.. that moto is as valid now as it was when it was created.