Political correct language plays an important factor in our daily conversations. Depending on ones intentions, “political correctness” can either benefit or become just another way of discrimination.. First of all, what is political correctness?
Political correctness: is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, religious belief, disability, and age-related contexts, and doing so to an excessive extent.
Depending on your intentions, the effects of politically correct language in the daily conversations can either be good or bad. First, lets look at political correctness when it is from an individual with good intentions.
Using politically correct language with good intentions can establish a level of respect and harmlessness in the conversation. Using phrases and words that are politically correct can prevent any unwanted friction, and deliver each others' thoughts and ideas through healthy communication. For example, avoid phrases like “black sheep” to describe “outcast”. The words “oriental” can offend Asian people, my brother for example. Call my brother “oriental” and it may rub him the wrong way and eventually have his fist in your face. That's just how my brother is. And that's the importance of communication, understanding the words that are acceptable versus the unacceptable.
To get around the semantics of “political correctness”, you must really understand people's intentions when using this “language”. Using politically correct language with BAD intentions creates friction. Users of political correctness in the hands of the wrong people have the ability to mislead, offend, and mock by means of disguising their discriminatory phrases and words. Anyone with bad intentions can turn something that is good to bad. Examples would be, criminals using guns, internet, or religion. Guns are supposed to be for protection, internet as a source, and religion for good morals and intentions. Political correctness obviously, can also be used for evil intentions. Just because it is reworded differently does not mean it is not offensive.
To look at the significance of political correctness; Rewind to the 1970's, where there was little political correctness, it was a time when the words “nigger” was a norm and it was okay to say. It is a myth that words cannot hurt people - I believe that wholeheartedly. The fact that certain racial slurs many decades ago were acceptable constructed two classes that split up human equality. The world is a better place now with our evolution of political correctness.
In summary:
Bad intentions: Attempt to blanket or disguise prejudicial remarks. This
Good intentions: A way of healthy communication without any misunderstandings between social, racial, sexual, class, etc.
Today in our society, people that are “assholes” are looked down upon for being politically incorrect. Some argue that it's a form of restrain to our right of freedom of speech. I don't understand that, and I need to do further thinking about that and maybe I'm not familiar with their concept of “political correctness”. However I believe that with good intentions, practicing political correctness in everyday conversations can establish a common ground by understanding each others' differences.
Bad intentions: Attempt to blanket or disguise prejudicial remarks. This
Good intentions: A way of healthy communication without any misunderstandings between social, racial, sexual, class, etc.
Today in our society, people that are “assholes” are looked down upon for being politically incorrect. Some argue that it's a form of restrain to our right of freedom of speech. I don't understand that, and I need to do further thinking about that and maybe I'm not familiar with their concept of “political correctness”. However I believe that with good intentions, practicing political correctness in everyday conversations can establish a common ground by understanding each others' differences.
People can use Political Correct language to be nice and respectful, but they can also use it in a derogatory sense in order to be cruel and disrespectful. I believe this to be a common misconception, people believe Political Correctness is a tool used to please people and not offend anyone, but others use it to mock people as well as degrade them. Like anything else it is up to the person using it to determine which avenue they want to take. I too believe that words’ being harmless is a myth. If you beat someone up and scar them physically that pain will go away, but if you dig deep to say something truly hateful and evil to someone you can scar them emotionally, a scar they might not recover from. If you degrade and humiliate someone, that memory and fear can stick with them for a life time. Political Correctness can be a useful tool to soften the blow and be truly respectful. This can create good report with colleagues or new friends. I think when used correctly, this can be very powerful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that being respectful to the audience that you are addressing ("politically correct") can be helpful to "deliver each others' thoughts and ideas through healthy communication". It is hard to get points across successfully to others, or to understand the thoughts and opinions of others, when either side is using negatively charged language. I also like that you honestly stated that you may “need to do further thinking about” “the concept of ‘political correctness’”, and we all need to be more honest about admitting where we may have areas where there is room for personal improvement. As for the word “nigger”, I consider this word to have a somewhat special set of circumstances in America from a social perspective. Like you stated, there was a time when it was “a norm and it was okay to say”, but only for the ruling class, and it was never universally agreed upon or considered to be “politically correct” by all people in this country. This was painfully true, to the extent of as Malcolm X put it, “I was called nigger so much I thought it was my name”. As a result, when Blacks use the word today amongst each other, I see it as fitting your description of good intentions; we took lemons and made linguistic lemonade, so to speak. In recent years, maybe over last decade or so, the word has taken on a different meaning and is now casually used by some people who are not Black towards each other as somewhat of a term of endearment. Many non-Blacks use the word today in a similar way that Blacks use it, mostly due to its exposure through hip-hop and other cultural media. However, in my opinion, when non-Blacks use the word, it is extremely offensive and is not (and never was) politically correct, even though many people may not necessarily have bad intentions when they use it. Just my thoughts…
ReplyDelete