do you think all this "political correctness" has gone too far?

Question

can you give an example? or do you think it is not enough?

couldn't choose a best answer as there were a lot! LOL sorry!

Answer 1

Political Correctness? Yes, Indeed it has.

Answer 2

In some ways I do think things have gone too far. I sometimes feel that I cannot use a basic adjective to describe a person for fear that I will offend someone. For example, if I was trying to point out which waiter in a restaurant was the one for our table, I would actually stumble over saying "The black gal with short hair," even if that was the fastest way to describe the woman. I am not racist at all, and if I was somewhere where it was easier to say "the white guy," I would.

Another example: A couple months ago I was in the check-out line at one of those grocery stores where they thank you by name if your name comes up on the receipt. My last name is a bit tricky to pronounce that the clerk got it correct, which surprised me. Without really giving it a second thought I said "Wow, you're in the minority! Most people don't get that right." What was the problem with this? I'm white and the guy was black. And yes, he seemed to take it the wrong way. I was embarassed that he thought I meant anything else by it, but at the same time, I was a bit frustrated that it was assumed that I did mean something by it.

I think the "PC" movement has taught us to be aware of the words we choose, how things can be interpretted differently by different people, and to just be sensitive that we can very easily categorize and stereotype people by what we say, but I don't think it has to be the endall and be all of what we say.

Answer 3

OH MY GOD HAS IT EVER

Perfect example of these over-bearing individuals brainwashed by political correctness on this site: I have seen questions that may point out a difference in a different culture just to differentiate and make a question clearer, and people will JUMP on the racist wagon. I mean, what is racist about mentioning an activity or behavior that is primarily or more-commonly exhibited by a certain group of people? How do you think stereo-types are born? Also, what is wrong with embracing eachothers differences, even if pointing out the negative? How would people learn what is generally acceptable in an amorphous working society if people who keep doing ignorant things aren't told about it? Why has the label of "ignorance" switched to someone who recognizes and points out how silly someone else is behaving?

Ultimately, these individuals who jump so quickly to defend the victims that seem to be the target of someone's "racist" comment are really the most racist individuals of all. Having to snap back and defend something is an indication that you may actually see what a person is talking about, but don't want to believe it.

Wake up, folks. the Baby-Boomers made a lot of mistakes, and we keep realizing more and more of them as time goes on. Political Correctness is one of them.

Answer 4

The term "political correctness" used to refer mainly to the strangulation of language that occured in the mid 90s. For a while there, jokes at the expense of gender, race or even weight were socially unacceptable, as was criticizing or being unsupportive of the downtrodden in any way. People completely rebelled against this in the late 90s and we have had years and years of many people no longer feeling confined by this pressure. In fact, "political correctness" did a 180 after 9/11, where there was tremendous societal pressure to agree with conservative viewpoints. Just like someone might have been called 'racist' in the mid-90s, after 9/11 people who were not "politically correct" were called commies, un-American, or terrorists. So, yes, I think any time you reach the point where namecalling becomes the knee-jerk reaction to people who genuinely have opposing viewpoints, I think it represents 'political correctness' having gone too far. Thanks for the question!

Answer 5

I most definitely think things have gone too 'PC'. Half the time it is some bureaucrat who comes up with these things ie banning Hampshire Fire Brigade from flying the George Cross for fear of upsetting other nationals of these fair isles!!!! What about the distress it causes me? I am a native and want to be able to see the George Cross or the United Flag flown. After all, whilst we accept other nationals into this country and they can follow their chosen religion/culture, I can no longer follow my culture for fear of upsetting somebody.

All I can say is for them to get a life. Sometimes you will upset somebody with your view, but at the end of the day, you have to give a little in order for harmony to exist.

Answer 6

Depends what you mean by the phrase, i.e. what context it's used in.

Some people use the phrase as an insult to those who are threatening their conventional way of life. For example Christians don't like to accept there are other monotheistic religions, religions with more than 1 central god, or athiests.

I think there has to be a balance between respecting other cultures/religions/races and just plain common sense.

Answer 7

I think everyone responding here is on the same wavelength. It would be a terible thing to have an organisation with the word 'white' in the title, yet nobody objects to the 'Society of Black Lawyers' or the similar organisation for black police officers. PC is fine if it works both ways, but really it's just crap, so let's all go back to common sense and common courtesy.

Answer 8

One example is when the PC Brigade started saying we can't sing Ba Ba Black Sheep, because it apparently offended black people. As it turned out, black people didn't really give a sh*t about it, it's a sheep, that happens to be the colour black. Get over it. And that crap about how we shouldn't say Merry Christmas because it offends other religions, and most of the other religions say they don't even care!

Then there are people who say they are for victims' rights, yet they go around saying that peadophiles shouldn't be exposed, and murderers/rapists/peadophiles are let out for a day, without supervision! Where is the sense in that?!

Answer 9

I agree. Suspects are now called "persons of interest" and the mental people are mentally challenged. To me the world "challenge" means that you go up against something that is hard for you to do and you do everything to meet it and accomplish it (for example overcoming poverty, climbing a high mountain, learning to walk again after an injury. I don't feel that when a person just sits there all day and is mentally insufficient and they are that way for the rest of their life, there is a challenge. Those people aren;'t trying to overcome their mental problems.

Answer 10

pls why can't we say thing the way they are?
i appreciate politeness but at the same i don't have to watch what i say all the time. Also can't we just call ppl off mixed races mixed races? Do we have to specify which on?
Do you feel me? Also how do i describe sum1 with brain damage? or sum1 who is a drag? i don't mean the trans, i mean does cross dressers. Pls too many grammar for one word. Sum1 help pls