Has being political correct taken the place of being polite?

Question

Are we as a society more focused on being PC than polite? Are we more focused on not upsetting others than we are on helping others? Used to you held you tongue because it was polite, not you hold your tongue forfear of a law suit....is this the start of a slippery slope for America? Who's to blame?

sorry...politically correct...

Answer 1

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Our society has no sense of politeness and etiquette any more - but we do have PC, taboos, "hate speech" and such. I think it's very sad because a lot of the problems that PC originally wanted to stop (racism, sexism, etc) could've been addressed with etiquette.

A person who knows what etiquette is won't make racist remarks or engage in sexual harrassment. Even if you hold sexist or racist views, a polite person knows that his views are offensive and does not air them publicly. Likewise a polite person knows that it's also bad form to yack on your cell phone in restaurants, cut in line, allow your children to run wild in a store, be rude to waiters and cashiers just because you can, engage in road rage, wear nightclub clothing to work, wear nightclub clothing to church and synagogue, leave shopping carts in the middle of the parking lot, get falling down drunk in public, etc.

PC brings in so much uneccessary politics and ideology and it's very polarizing. It doesn't make people less racist or less sexist - it just makes them divided and disgruntled. Whereas etiquette says, basically if you want to be seen as a respectable, good lady or gentleman, you need to keep certain behavior in check. There's no politics or ideology - just the basic principle that every person deserves to be treated with respect and every person must treat others with respect.

Unfortunately etiquette is falsely associated with being stodgy, elitist, puritanical, and such. This is why it's hard to get people interested in the lost art of being a lady or gentelman. If you call someone out for, say, wearing a tube top to a funeral, you'll get screamed down as "judgmental." That is the result of our PC mentality. And it's ironic, because etiquette is much more effective than PC at stopping not only tube tops at funerals but also sexual harrassment at the office and racist remarks in the classroom.

Answer 2

Being politically correct is supposed to be the new way of being polite. Instead it has made people unsure of what they should/should not say. It's already way past "the start of a slippery slope". There are numerous reason why this has come about; if I stated my thoughts on why/how or the events that has changed America, it would not be pretty. I will say that I, as well as many others are not happy with the way this country has changed.

Answer 3

Absolutely. But there isnt an easy scapegoat to place the blame on.

But if youre looking for groups who contributed to it, the feminists are a big one. Theyve made us into a society where you cant even touch a womans shoulder at work without the risk of her suing you for sexual harrassment.

By no means is it entirely the feminists fault, nor am I saying that they didnt do anything good or worthwhile. Theyre just one example of the mentality that creates a PC culture. The lawyers and such who actually profit from all these lawsuits are another one. They encourage people to sue for any kind of "harrassment" and make the the biggest fuss possible out of it.

Answer 4

People are much more lax in manors then 30 or 40 years ago. It seems that parents are not as strict about teaching them and kids just don't care about manors. We can not completely blame parents, some people were taught manors and do not feel they are relevant today. My 22 year old sons tell me times have changed and manors have changed. I believe good manors should not ever be out dated
How do we get people to see the importance of treating others politely and good manors, I do not know! I can practice them myself, I can encourage others and that is all I know to do.
Is being PC taking the place of politeness? Sadly it sometimes is, but some people are not polite anyway.
Let us all try to be polite and teach others to do the same!
Thank you!

Answer 5

a complicated difficulty. the considerable be conscious is political. that's the "visual attraction" of correctness as judged via others (liberals). you are able to no longer do or say something which would be offensive to the different guy or woman at any time decrease than any situation. many times it relatively is at your rate. The ACLU has sued many forcing "political correctness". This includes punishing American traditions that we used to take with none attention (christmas, marriage, unfastened speech) etc. it relatively is resembling the severe madness we see from "animal rights" communities that use severe measures to tension their evaluations on others. Political correctness isn't approximately respecting others. it relatively is approximately dividing human beings and controlling them.

Answer 6

Id have to say that being p/c is taking the place of being polite, to a point where it is become impeding, I dont want to say what I am thinking even if its not rude, or crass, or harmful, but controversial and may question someone else's thinking. The question of who to blame is impossible to pinpoint as the traits of me first at all cost being adopted by the society creates p/c. Political correctness is born out of fear, Politeness born out of kindness and love.

Answer 7

I guess you haven't been to McDonald's drive thru or middle or high schools or on the job factory workers have you lately?

Answer 8

You are correct---PC has become more prevalent than simple good manners and that's a true shame.