Defiition of Political correctness

[Chessman]

I got this from a letter in todays 'Mail', and I'm afraid that I agree with it in its entirety.

'A fascist concept, which doesn't allow any deviation from a prescribed set of doctrines, laid down, by a political elite'.

I appreciate that different people will, on occasions, define the same thing differently. I was wondering how you might define it.

[bernardo]

I disagree. I would define it as

"A collection of conventions and guidelines relating to social behaviour and personal interaction, for the purpose of preventing gratuitous or unthinking offensive or inappropriate statements, attitudes, or behaviour (particularly of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature), and which is constantly evolving in response to the prevailing conditions and attitudes of the time"

It is not "laid down by a political elite" in the sense that it has evolved and grown naturally without being enacted by laws, and without being imposed by guidelines from the government or other authorities.

[Chessman]

Thats your view bernardo, and your entitled to it, but whatever happened to 'I may not like what you say, but i'll defend to the death your right to say it',

[kempie]

bernardo - the definition you have given is of 'correctness', however for it to be applicable to 'Political Correctness' you need to amend a few words;

gratuitous or unthinking... ⇒ misperceived...
in response to... ⇒ to pre-empt...

[Ding-Dong]

There was a post on here a few weeks ago that I really liked (unfortunately, can't remember who posted it) which went along the lines of (paraphrasing) Political correctness is people, who have no business getting involved, getting upset on behalf of a minority who couldn't care less.

Very clumsily paraphrased, so would like to see the correct wording again if possible, but it very neatly summed it up for me.

[jake-the-peg]

How about Political Correctness is a commonly held belief by Daily Mail readers of a mythical left wing conspiracy to control what they think and say?

[Octavius]

Political Correctness was a spontaneous declaration that particular ideas, expressions and behaviour, which were legal, should be forbidden by law, and people who transgressed should be punished. It started with a few voices but grew in popularity until it became unwritten and written law within the community. With those who were publicly declared as being not politically correct becoming the object of persecution by the mob, if not prosecution by the state.

It has been defined as: "the avoidance of forms of expression or action that exclude, marginalise, or insult certain racial or cultural groups"

Foreign students became international students. Civilian deaths became collateral damage. A fat person became obese. Juvenile delinquents became troubled youth or children at risk. Illegal alien became illegal immigrant. A Friday or Saturday night out is now known as binge drinking. And this year a government Think Tank suggested the term failure be replaced with the term Deferred Success to avoid offending those who did not achieve high marks in exams.

Also must not forget firefighters, chairperson, and headteacher, it is just part of evolution.

[Ding-Dong]

That is my favourite one of all time - deferred success - just brilliant.

[Octavius]

An edited version of a very good verse - This poem is copyright 1992 by Harvey Ehrlich

'Twas The (Politically Correct) Night Before Christmas:

Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck...
How to live in a world that's politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to "Elves".
"Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves.
And labour conditions at the north pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.
Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

No baseball, no football...someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.

So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
you've got to be careful with that word today.
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.

Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.
A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere...even you.
So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth...
"May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth."

[Chessman]

Thanks everyone, some interesting anwers, including the dig about 'Mail' readers, and Octavious, that poem is priceless.

[copippin]

Being small in stature I guess I fit into the "vertically challenge" category.It is an expression for which I have an intense dislike and I think it is political correctness gone mad! I prefer instead, to label myself "petite" and when I shop for clothes ,guess what,I go to the "petite" dept. I have yet to see a section for the petite person labelled "the vertically challenged dept."

[Octavius]

I think that would just confuse people who were scared of heights.

[copippin]

Let us stick to petite then Octavius!