I am a serious proponent of political correctness. And if one is against political correctness, I think that they have lost their way. I know that folks might see this as a radical stance, but I will argue that to the contrary. I have even heard politicians and commentators say that being politically correct is corrupting our society. I refuse to believe that.
The term “political correctness” (defined as the avoidance of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against) has evolved during my adult years. The action of “being PC” (politically correct) has become part of the culture. And I think that the practice is absolutely to our benefit.1
Back in 1999, after the Columbine shootings, I called out hate as a significant component leading to the underpinning of the actions of the shooters.2 Social discourse and our democracy demands that we carefully consider our remarks and not defame people or inflame situations. Valid and constructive criticism is always appropriate and necessary but should be measured. Terms that degrade others have no place in our discussions.
Those that argue against political correctness usually cite the need to call “a spade a spade,” to be forthright, and to be honest. There are ways to do those things without name-calling or demeaning others. I have no problem with criticism. Criticism delivered in a civil manner is valid, helpful and can even be life changing. Purposefully being anti-PC, more often than not, quickly leads to inciting hate, a toxin in our society.3,4
Our current atmosphere to use the guise of not being politically correct tends to lead to the following –
- Spread lies.5,6 Too many people see the cloak of being anti-PC to spew misinformation and disinformation. Lies erode trust, and trust is the currency of social interaction.7
- Perpetrate incivility.8 Our society is built on the premise of being civil, engaging in rational discourse and using a system of laws to maintain balance. Civility provides the interweaving fabric that keeps us together and its lack leads to a deterioration in social discourse. Numerous politicians, commentators and fellow citizens are now rude, crude and disrespectful. It is as if by stating that their comments are anti-PC that they get a free pass to be uncivil, to be crude, rude and lewd. Calling people “losers” implies that our fellow citizens are either winners or losers. Really? We are all in this together and deserving of respect. Life circumstances can alter at any time and today’s “winner” could be tomorrow’s “loser” if one accepts that people are either winners or losers. I choose not to believe that.
- Provide a false sense of superiority. We often hear “I am right, and you are wrong. And not only that, you are stupid!” Those judgmental words set the stage for asserting a moral stance that says that “I am better than you” and “you need to just be quiet.” Even worse, sometimes people assert that others are subhuman or not worthy of humane treatment.
- Accepting violence (threat or actual) as an expression of various grievances. Often when facts are twisted or lies confronted, the offending party yells and even threatens offensive actions or physical violence. How can this be seen as acceptable? Yet by inaction or silence, those that do not speak out and condemn such actions are complicit in their acceptance and growth. The acceptance and growth of violence in our society perpetuates the political rift in our society. Violence only serves to allow hate and selfishness to fester.
I could go on and I would refer the interested reader to some of the references provided below. Let me briefly note why political correctness is healthy.
- Maintaining civility
- Establishing trust
- Demonstrating proper behavior
- Truth-telling (more often than not)
- Accepting our common humanity
- Aligning with doctrines of faith
- Exhibiting grace and mercy
Let me cite several examples. We have historically glamorized the Wild West and all of its ruggedness. When people have countered with the realistic narrative about the confiscation of Native American lands and systemic destruction of their cultures, there was an outcry of too much political correctness. Similar outcries have been heard recently as an honest reckoning of racism in America has been greeted with denial and refusal to understanding the importance of such a reckoning. Such a response whitewashes our history and denies so many past incidents that still resonate today—Rosa Parks on the bus, John Lewis at the Selma march, the Birmingham church bombing and death of 4 young girls, Emmett Till’s murder in Mississippi, the death of freedom riders promoting voter registration, the AME Emmanuel Church massacre in Charleston SC, and so many, many more. The denial of history is a tragic consequence of the lack of grace and lack of acceptance of our common humanity. It only leads to further schism in our society at a time we are trying to heal, and it is antithetical to the teachings of faith-based living.
So, political correctness is ok and necessary in my view. It serves to adjust our moral compass on an episodic basis. We can be truthful and respectful at the same time, without name-calling. If one’s criticisms and/or remarks about our fellow citizens are respectful, being PC is still a good thing. Not only is it a good thing, it is a necessary component of a civil society and democracy such as ours. After all, civility is the hallmark of citizens of faith. Citizens of faith care about how they treat each other. It is the correct thing to do.
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/the-correctness-of-political-correctnesss/
- Saul R. My Children’s Children: Raising Young Citizens in the Age of Columbine. Create Space; 2013. 225 pp.
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/the-toxicity-of-hate/
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/hate-negates-kindness/
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/lies-and-myths-affecting-childrens-lives/
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/the-cost-of-lies-2/
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/trust-is-the-currency-of-social-interaction-2/
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/civility-matters-2/