What is political correctness?

[Mr. Piccolo]

You often hear people complain about "political correctness gone mad" but what exactly is "political correctness?"

The most common definition of "political correctness" that I have seen is that it is a form of informal censorship that forces people to not say things that might offend certain groups.

I find this odd. TV shows like South Park and Family Guy pretty much make fun of every target imaginable. If anything, the media is much less censored than it was in the past, which makes conservative use of the term even more bizarre. On the one hand the Right complains about being censored by PC "social justice warriors." but at the same time they idolize a past that was much more culturally restrictive. Much of the offensive humor that they like so much would never be on television in the "un-PC" era of the 1950s. For example, could you imagine South Park coming on after I Love Lucy?

So what gives? Why do so many people complain about "political correctness" when the media seems to allow more expression now than before?

[Rafiq]

Political correctness is, simply to regulate appearances insofar as they are in line with official ideologically sustained political narratives (i.e. "our democracy is against racism, discrimination"). There two oppositions to political correctness - one reactionary and one radical.

The point is very simple. The working people of western countries waged long and arduous struggles, and made bare the barbarism of the state apparatus. As a logical conclusion of the necessity of protecting itself from such ideological pressures, political correctness merely tries to conceal the inherent antagonisms, and barbaric predispositions of bourgeois ideology. Often times people see right thorough the hypocrisy, and instead of question why we need political correctness in the first place, they simply approximate this hypocrisy by further degrading universal ethical standards.

[Counterculturalist]

Political correctness was invented by Jewish Marxists at the Frankfurt School as a way to surreptitiously indoctrinate the public with cultural Marxism.
:rolleyes:

Seriously, though, the complaint of "political correctness" is the feeble excuse of a bigot who has no rational excuse to continue to perpetuate bigotry. It is because there is space to reject bigotry that the complaints about "political correctness" persist: it's not about protecting freedom of speech, it's about reactionary assholes trying to protect themselves from hearing things they don't want to hear, and ultimately protecting their elite status.

the louder our voices get, the more shrill the accusations of political correctness will get.

[Armchair Partisan]

It is a smear specifically designed for instances of being called out on bigotry. It is a way of deflecting the attention and the blame from the bigot back onto the other person.

[Comrade Njordr]

People don't like being wrong. "Let's complain that we're being censored for no good reason, it's not like we're bigots or anything".

[BIXX]

To expand on what Rafiq said (or maybe just clarify idk) the militant radical opposes political correctness because it is a defense mechanism of empire, trying to shield it from criticism.

[MethodMania]

To expand on what Rafiq said (or maybe just clarify idk) the militant radical opposes political correctness because it is a defense mechanism of empire, trying to shield it from criticism.

or not

more and less powerful groups often propose different versions of history, different accounts of social dynamics, etc. the version proposed by the powerful will more likely gain acceptance [the ruling ideas are those of the ruling class, etc]

political correctness is a deliberate effort to counter this by putting a spotlight on marginalized groups and their points of view

but, being an effort largely of academics and class conscious workers, it tends to be viewed with suspicion by the masses. political correctness, as an effort to counter systemic bias, is itself perceived as bias

and of course the ruling class and its claqueurs, who benefit from systemic bias, take advantage of this suspicion and foster it

[atheist]

Yes, and South Park and Family Guy have not gone without public outcry and controversy.

The media is allowing more expression because we are becoming more socially liberal, less likely to be offended than in years past. The conservatives are the ones who continue to offended, be it from not being able to take a joke (hell, South Park makes fun of everybody; you're not being targeted), or from not seeing their traditional beliefs of what's acceptable in society being promoted and reinforced anymore.

[Comrade Jacob]

It's just a reason to whine instead of analysing the situation. Kinda like me

[Pancakes Rühle]

Zizek is right in that Political Correctness doesn't solve what it's supposed to, but instead perpetuates and fuels it.

[Pauline888]

I guess being correct depends on what is we believed in. It may vary from one person to another.

[willowtooth]

You often hear people complain about "political correctness gone mad" but what exactly is "political correctness?"

The most common definition of "political correctness" that I have seen is that it is a form of informal censorship that forces people to not say things that might offend certain groups.

I find this odd. TV shows like South Park and Family Guy pretty much make fun of every target imaginable. If anything, the media is much less censored than it was in the past, which makes conservative use of the term even more bizarre. On the one hand the Right complains about being censored by PC "social justice warriors." but at the same time they idolize a past that was much more culturally restrictive. Much of the offensive humor that they like so much would never be on television in the "un-PC" era of the 1950s. For example, could you imagine South Park coming on after I Love Lucy?

So what gives? Why do so many people complain about "political correctness" when the media seems to allow more expression now than before?

the term political correctness was created as an insult/ propaganda tool invented by the right wing in order to allow various forms of bigotry, in fact the right wing believes in political correctness far more than the leftists they accuse. for example during the iraq war it was politically incorrect to criticize the war another example would be "support our troops" meaning it was politically incorrect too say anything about the troops participating in the war and in part the leaders as well

“the big threat to our discourse is right-wing political correctness, which – unlike the liberal version – has lots of power and money behind it. And the goal is very much the kind of thing Orwell tried to convey with his notion of Newspeak: to make it impossible to talk, and possibly even think, about ideas that challenge the established order”
-Paul Krugman

[Zoop]

It is usually a response used by bigots in order to silence those who call them out on their bigotry.

"You can't even say Paki these days. It's political correctness gone mad!"

[Comrade Jacob]

Not using terms and words deemed offensive by underprivileged groups. It is however sometimes taken over the top by some people on tumblr.