what does politically correct really mean?

Question

and is being "pc" a good or bad thing for our society?

Answer 1

Being PC is REALLY bad for society.......... more often than not, it creates more problems than it aims to solve + makes the people the people promoting PC (usually white, left-wing, middle class idiots) are trying to "protect" feel extremely patronised.
For examples, check out:
The Campaign Against Political Correctness
http://www.capc.co.uk
&
"Politically Incorrect"
http://www.politicallyincorrect.me.uk

Answer 2

That is one of those concepts that cuts both ways. Taken to extreme, political correctness is very, very bad. And I mean either extreme.

It merely means avoiding speech that somebody else might find offensive for some reason. The confederate Flag, Racist Jokes, Bigotry, and Indian Mascots are all examples of politically incorrect behavior. Keep in mind, I am not saying wrong, or should be banned, it just is politically incorrect.

The problem comes in with the first ammendment free speech rights vs peoples feelings.

Someone that is for regulating political correctness usually means they want laws or other means of coercion to stop people from sending messages they consider hurtful. The flip side is anything they say, by definition, is politically correct, which is where you get the "Burning the American Flag is OK but Flying the Confederate one is not" concept.

Setting the bar on speech is a really, really risky thing, and that is what the argument is about.

-Dio

Answer 3

Being "PC" is tailoring what you say or write to avoid adverse reactions from people whose beliefs differ from yours even when your beliefs are different. Being "PC" is a way of getting along with people. Getting along is a good thing so being "PC" is good for society in that way. However, when PCness results in real problems not being addressed it is bad for society. One place there should be no PC at all is science and, unfortunately, science is being turned into some kind of popularity contest with PCness being the basis for awarding research money. That's very bad for society.

Answer 4

There are a lot of people who would like to use derogatory words with impunity, and resent the though that they have been asked to behave with respect to all. Most of the complaints I see about being PC are lodged by those who wish to be rude and uncomplimentary or to exclude women from the job, things like firefighter, or postal worker can get some people all upset. Or they claim things like short people want to be called vertically challenged, that's kind of funny, but I've never heard that asked for. Just don't be rude and call a group what they have asked to be called, that's polite, an apparently lost art.

Answer 5

Politically correct means that if you say or do something that might possibly be offensive to some groups (say, American Indians or gays or African Americans, etc.) you will be condemned and outcast. Political correctness has gotten so bad that many things have been banned out of fear of reprisal. Common sense and politeness are good for our society, but not political correctness.

Answer 6

It means you can't say what everyone knows is true if it will insult any of a number of groups of "pc protected" people.I can't say who these groups are since it wouldn't be politically correct.
These groups do NOT include,however, Christians Southerners(especially southern men) pro life people,Conservatives,and Republicans in general.

Answer 7

I think its both ha. What we need to do is have political correctness when it is deserved, such as races within the world, but when we are sitting here getting blown up by people hiding in hospitals, thats the end of the line, thats when its OK to blow up hospitals. To gain peace it will take a lot of innocent deaths I think.

Answer 8

politically correct means just saying things the correct way that won't offend people in our society.

Answer 9

Politically correct: marked by or adhering to a typically progressive orthodoxy on issues involving esp. race, gender, sexual affinity, or ecology.

Being politically correct is neither a good or a bad thing, really. It makes things a bit boring, in my opinion. It's normally for when you don't want to hurt someone's feelings......

Answer 10

Being politically correct is giving an opinion that others will also accept.