Amswer152

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Amswer152

Question152

Do you think political correctness has influenced the amount of freedom people have to speak their mind?

Yes, I believe so. I think we need to learn to control our impulses and allow people to speak their mind, but analyze carefully what is being said against our ethical standards. (Ashwin Patil)

No way - if someone telles me that a certain word or term will hurt of offend someone, then I simply don't use it (if given a reasonable explanation, that is...) and if someone knows this, but uses the word anyway - then I think he's an asshole and I might even tell him so - I can't see where on earth that limits anyone... He has the right to be an asshole and I have the right to tell him that he is - you can say pretty much the same things as before, just use a different wording, that's all - how hard can it be??? But then again, I've heard that they're much more extreme about it in America, than here - but I suppose that some people will allways want to feel percecuted, for me using my right to tell them, when they're being assholes... (Nikitta Ribber #1759)

In the world of Academia, yes. In fact, PC has infested the world of higher education to the point of idiocy, where Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the greatest musical achievement of the Romantic period can be dismissed as "a rape fantasy" by a looney Andrea Dworkin type in a musicological journal, and have such an accusation taken so seriously that a Dartmouth (the Qiblah of PC) music professor was overheard a few years later saying that he hoped DNA testing would prove that Beethoven was at least partially of African origin (another PC hypothesis in favor at the time, with no evidence to support or even suggest such a hypothesis) so he would be able to repurchase the 9 symphonies which he had been obliged to discard when the initial accusation was published. (raven1 #1096)

Absolutely. I can't figure out which is worse: The Religious Reich, who wants political candidates to be saints, or the politically correct left, which wants them to speak like 'em.

But truth be told, 'political correctness' has always been around. Atheists, gays, and other disfavored minorities have always had to stay 'in the closet', or so to speak ... because speaking out would result in public retaliation. Franklin, Jefferson, and others learned to camouflage their deism in code words, and Honest Abe's lack of religious belief may itself have been hidden behind his flowery public pronouncements.

Speak out, and you will be persecuted -- whether your name is Galileo, Martin Luther, Roger Williams, or Sinead O'Connor. (Ken Smith)

With no shred of doubt whatsoever. In some circles it's nearly impossible to make rightful and just criticism without having it thrown in your face, thus ending the discussion with some people not having to answer for themselves. (Rune Borsjo #1295)

I think political correctness has both helped and hurt freedom of speech. The original point of political correctness was understanding. It increases freedom for those seeking understanding to be more aware of anothers feelings when choosing words. For example, the use of "gay" as opposed to "fag" shows a better understanding to the differences in sexual preference. Changes in use of the word can make it easier for a gay person to speak about their own sexual identity. It brings the issue out in a way that is less demonizing to either side.

However, political correctness gone crazy hurts freedom of speech and expression because sometimes you MEAN what those non-pc words are connotating. Being PC is good, but should not be forced. Choice of words say a lot about us and changing the words doesn't express what someone is really trying to say. You cannot tell someone what to think and having a different opinion on something, no matter how repulsive it can sometimes be to us, is another person's right. (ClayeSkye #4)

Yes but, as is demonstrated on Usenet daily, the freedom to speak one's mind is not always exercised wisely.

It's important to remember that the underlying principle of PC speech is empathy; a basic respect for and attempted understanding of those different from you. One cannot hold meaningful conversations about or with those whom one calls derogatory names. The names themselves -- nigger, kike, cunt, etc. -- betray an existing bias that makes understanding impossible.

Certainly, PC speech has been carried too far in some areas, which I won't belabor. But, on the whole and where it promotes equality, I think PC speech is a good thing. (chibiabos)

have to say that I have problems with and take exception to the phrase, "political correctness". While it is true that there are people who make great, whopping deals out of absolutely nothing and insist on seeing offense and intolerance where none actually exist, "political correctness" as it has been conceived; as a monolithic cultural movement come psycho-social dementia, is nothing more than pop propaganda. It's an easy label for the bigoted and the ignorant to slap onto any complaint against a show of prejudice, real or perceived.

Like "feminazi" or "tree hugger", the phrase works as an all-purpose put-down of an opposing view and the person(s) who hold it. Short, catchy and cynically cool-sounding, the wielder of the title gets an automatic out from having to devote even a single brain cell's worth of attention to the matter in dispute. With two magic words, the issue is dismissed, the argument is rendered moot, and the labeler gets to feel all smug and superior for "rising above" that most dreaded new social faux pas.

I detest, then, the phrase, "political correctness" for the same reason I detest most buzz words; for their amazing ability to deaden real communication and completely and utterly atrophy the brains of those who've been bedazzled into thinking it actually means something.

There have always been rules for civilized conversation. This is *not* a modern phenomenon. Those rules have changed through the ages and they continue to change, as they must in any dynamic society. Ours is a culture in wild transition with a level of inclusiveness unprecedented on the one hand and fear and resentment of change on the other. The rules that applied ten, twenty years ago do not necessarily apply today. That we have misunderstandings and lapses in civility should be no great surprise under the circumstances. But, I don't believe that retreating into pop sound bytes does anything to solve the problem.

People have always argued, insulted, offended, debated and otherwise clashed with other people. Open your mouth to express an opinion and you're probably going to piss off someone somewhere. But, negating every objection with a numbing knee-jerked squall of "PC" is every bit as useless and idiotic as labeling every casual comment as bigotry. (Alma Geddon #757)

Yes. People have become far too thin skinned IMO. There are a lot of worse things that can happen to a person then being offended or insulted. It speaks to me of a deeply set sense of insecurity when a person allows the words of another individual, no matter how insulting, to drive them to acts of violence or the kind of mass unreason that goes into attempts to actively seek to censor speech of any kind.

If you don't like what someone says, say so. If you think someone is spreading lies, say so and disseminate what you think is the truth.

When it comes to 'hate speech' take such speech as a warning that the speaker may *act* like a ravenous unthinking animal and be warry of them as you would a barking dog. The more such people talk the more obvious their idiocy shows through, silence them and you might not know what they have on their minds and in their hearts. (Dr. Necrophage)

Oh I don't think there's much doubt about it. The real issue is whether that's a bad thing. Here's what I mean. When *political correctness* inhibits the freedom to do research or publish material that asserts controversial conclusions, when it inhibits the ability of speakers to speak and groups to listen, when it causes journalists to be timid, when it causes any of us to be afraid to speak our minds because we fear the negative consequences, then it has a detrimental effect on human freedom that should not be tolerated.
However, it isn't a bad thing to be sensitive to those around you, and it isn't necessarily a good thing to blurt out every stupid thing that pops into your mind (as we all do from time to time). Oftentimes those who condemn *political correctness* are really laying claim to the right to say anything they please without being held accountable for it. No such right exists.
For example, we recently had a councilwoman here in my part of Florida who made some very negative comments about black people in general and about Martin Luther KIng Jr. in particular. The city was considering renaming a street "Martin Luther King Boulevard." The councilwoman asserted, among other things, that she didn't see why we should be naming a street after someone who hadn't done anything but go around the country causing riots (I paraphrase).
Needless to say these remarks provoked considerable controversy. There were those who called for her resignation, others who applauded her for her "candor" in stating publicly what "everyone" knew privately and so on. Much of the debate centered on the idea of freedom of speech and "political correctness." Those who supported the councilwoman invoked her freedom of speech and the words of Voltaire who said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your write to say it." They insisted that she was a victim of "political correctness." Those who opposed her insisted that the issue was not her right to speak her mind, but their right to condemn such comments as bigoted and insensitive.
This is an important distinction. It is "political correctness" to inhibit speech because it may be unpopular or controversial. It is not "political correctness" to criticize the content of that speech and to take issue with the opinions offered in it. Those who make racist or homophobic remarks clearly have the right to do so. Those of us who find such speech offensive have every right to say so. Unfortunately, the argument over "political correctness" all too often has been used to promote the former and inhibit the latter.
I think everyone has a right to speak his or her mind on any subject. But I also think that everyone else has a right to take issue with the opinions expressed and to criticize them - or even condemn them - if they are so inclined.
As I've said before in a slightly different context, people have the right to believe and to offer up any sort of nonsense they choose. They do not, however, have the right to demand that the rest of us treat it as anything other than nonsense and refrain from commenting on it if we choose to do so. (George Ricker #146)

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