What is your opinion on politically correct ideas?
Do you think they can be used to manipulate us?
I look forward to your opinion.
Politically correct ideas
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If political correct ideas are ideals which seek to avoid/lessen discrimination or insult or pain to those that are a miniortiy or disadvantaged then I think they are to be considered a good thing.
My opinion of politically correct ideas is that they can be used to manipulate us of course. I think ideas can be manipulated. Regarding fundraisers etc… I think the ideal situation is that an individual research and think about what charities they think most deserving of their support and that includes researching into where money goes and what assurances/controls are in place to make sure that money goes where it is supposed to as far as is practically possible.
If you attend a fund raiser and give money away because it would be uncomfortable not to (you feel you’d look bad in the sense of being politically incorrect) without knowing where it is going… I feel you would be better off giving it to a beggar in the street. If you don’t know where the money is going… at least give it to someone you can see needs help.
i don’t have to look for examples of political correctness none other than in my own yard.yes i am talking about my country.in the political history,politicians,democrats and communist,both have used this manipulative device for power’sake.they promise every classes and ethnicities justice and equality.this sale pitch incredibly catapulted maoist camp to the pinnacle of power.however their promising the moon has been exposed with the surge of public awareness;and they are facing hard time reconciling the interest of various poles of life and society.
The price that good people pay for their indifference to social and political deeds is that they are governed by evil people and corrupted politicialns> Platon
But there is hope:)
I also find that it’s counterpart, political incorrectness can be just as bad. Because they think they’re being rebellious or edgy, they will spew out anything no matter how boorish, immature or obnoxious they end up being. Saying how “all niggers/apes should be sent back to Africa” or writing a story where most of the women are being raped or abused does not make you more profound or a badass, it’s just plain mean-spirited and can ignite just as much hatred. And this is coming from a Married with Children fan.
In a way, I’m reminded of an episode of Night Court where this comedian who’s jokes are meanly aimed at women (like how they deserved to be mugged), minorities and the disabled. So Harry (the judge) has him do a special performance where the audience is composed of all people he ridicules. When the audience gets back at him and complains to Harry (especially when a blind laughs because he “wonders if he looks as stupid as he sounds”), he replies that “this is your (the comedian) audience.” And when told “it’s satire”, Harry tells him “when you focus too much on the darkness, there’s no room for the light.”
Another side of the coin are those that scream about being “family friendly” or “morals” with things they find offensive. People are also scared of them, because those groups can be very vicious when they have the chance. Just look at the Janet Jackson fiasco, the real-life incidents that happened in the film, Heart of the the Beholder or the harassment of adult stores.
Do you its unproblematic as described? sorry for my english
The naivety is exploited
A herd is easier to steer and to manipulate
la naïveté est exploitée
un troupeau est plus facile à diriger et à manipuler
PAULO RULES!!!
An Obituary printed in the London Times…….
Interesting, and sadly rather true
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valu able lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when sch ools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights; I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
&n bsp;I’m A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
That is a Great item you have there, Catherine, on our truly Lost friend, ‘Common Sense’.
In fact if you attend university these days, you are told ‘common sense’ is no such character; and are immediately dismissed.
BTW, your address re Common sense truly fits, exactly, the nature of my own comment on this topic – right next to it.
But the Common sense comment is truly quite clever.
- Kindly
Denis
I NOTE THERE ARE A LOT OF ANSWERS ON THIS TOPIC.
It is one sure to draw attention and controversy – probably because it has been so polically maligned and its prime driver – feminism – has proven the greatest employer and stimulator of the litigation process, in order to get its own way.
As per Kristin, above, it is amazing that many of us beleive we have unique contributions to this topic.
I am no different.
Please read and enjoy the following that I share with you, despite its certain conroversiality.
But then, truth always did carry power and strong reaction from both sides.
Did it not??
The work I have been referring to was written by myself, Denis Towers, in 1992: “Australia Imploded!”
I believe the point I have been making here is that these 2 key problems for society – feminism and gayism – are being legalized and therefore given social legitimacy as well, and simultaneously also being given socially ‘engineered’ impetus from virtually all vantage points of ‘officialdom’, such as sufficient to turn what were against ‘the norms’ of society into “the new norms”! I believe society just does not really know or understand just what it is doing to itself by simply just lying down and letting these minorities walk all over them.
This is becoming what is now the Real problem.
Feminism in particular, has caused enormous increases in (costly to everyone) litigation over past decades, to the point, in fact, where people now FEAR to oppose detrimental [so-called] “social change”.
Change for change’s sake can be deadly when it is incorrect change – when it is not in the general public’s best interests.
Traditions have been set for 1000’s of years in advanced societies because the great bulk of these traditions have been in society’s best interests.
We have lost faith in our heritage … in our forefathers … in their faith.
Feminism has inadvertently unequalized society, economically – all in the name of a counterfeit “equality”.
This is the whole (unrecognized) paradox!
Dual incomes have caused that Limited jobs in the labour market have therefore left a large % of homes without employ at all! So that the reality/irony of a (counterfeit) ‘equality’ is that now we have significant incidence worldwide where economies bear the burden of having great percentages of homes which possess ‘Dual Incomes’ as opposed to the many now with ‘No Incomes’ as a result! … as I say, all in the name of “equality”!! This, in turn, has continued to become a greater and greater tax burden on all Western countries that have foolishly embraced these new norms.
Such economies have enough social burdens on tax as it is without deliberating for more.
Further, with married/partnered women now out there in the work force, they have been having MANY fewer children.
But it is children that supply the Bulk of work for adults!
Therefore this practice of pouring women into the workforce => even less jobs.
It is children who constantly outgrow clothing and footwear, not adults. I’ve had the same shoes for 9 years: my father for 11 years!
Between us, WE wouldn’t keep ANY economy functional!!
Gayism, of course, transmits exactly the same problems – but even far more pronounced.
Family break ups (largely promoted by gay ‘thinking’ and feminist idealism) have caused HUGE pressures on house prices also.
Where a family once all lived in one abode, once it splits, on the other hand, that same number of people now needs twice as many ‘homes’, or more, to live in.
Imagine just what that state can only begin to do to the costs and demands on housing and accommodation in that economy!
The effects must have been enormous!
Then consider the response in banking policy to the feminist advent of the ‘dual income’.
Prior to feminism, the policy here for banks was that the bread-winner had to save 25% to 33% of the total cost of the home as deposit, before he could purchase.
When dual incomes entered, banks dropped quickly to only 10% required.
It has since reached 0%! … but with high interest rates – which, by the way, were only about 2.5% back in the 1950’s and early ’60’s.
Further, as economic principle acts according to demand and supply mechanisms, the enormous over-supply of labour (caused by investing both men and women into the labour market) in the labour market has meant a cheapening of that labour over the past 4 decades now. This means that wages will no longer purchase what they could 40 years ago in terms of central basic family provision.
The purchasing power of the average wage earner has therefore greatly decreased.
Economies and government leaders have all tried to disguise the loss of jobs and the resultant anomalies of the labour market by introducing policies of “casual” part-time labour … so that only the smaller percentage now has a firm full-time job!
But it hasn’t fooled all of us.
There are those who understand precisely what is going on.
Extra Considerations
Feminism beat them all, when it came to ‘riskier’ lends by banks.
The charge on home finance and of the consumer-borrowing mentality largely also began with feminism, And therefore, the beginning of marked increases in interest rates from what were previously always more stably positioned at only 2.5%.
Also, when single income was the norm – pre-fems, the downpayment required was over 25% by anyone wishing to purchase a home. Once Dual incomes set in, it became 10%. Now it’s 0%!! but with high interest rates.
Further, as fems have instigated and promoted family separation and individualism, families have divided willy-nilly. Thus, market-wise, where many people were all living in only one house, suddenly those same people need 2 or more houses.
This, of course, has placed ENORMOUS strains and pressures on house prices and costs and availability of accommodation.
I believe I have a unique perspective on this question. I am living currently in Europe; however, my original home is the Southern States.
I spent most of my years growing up in a place that was still divided by race although the Civil Rights Movement occurred a decade before I was born. I believe that the driving force of being “politically correct” brought an awareness to white America to think about how we speak about and refer to our African-American brothers and sisters, who historically and currently undergo injustices. By placing a collective pressure on each other to be politically correct, we eradicated certain vocabulary from our language that were used to divide us from each other and perpetuate the oppression of the black minority. Many programs were created to force equality among the people, most with good intentions but poor in practice, and much money was spent. Much of the money ended up creating an awareness rather than actually going to the people who suffered. So, rather than people getting money directly, an equality was slowly accepted so that the opportunity for black Americans to have better economic standing and equality in civil rights came later. Sometimes, much money needs to be spent to change collectively the way people think. My argument is evidenced best by our soon to be inaugurated president’s successful bid for the White House. Although not everyone’s mind (especially in the South) converted to an equality of all view, but enough of the population were converted to be able to accept a black man as president…our leader and a symbol of our country. (By the way, accepting a woman as president is even harder for Americans because the unequal views of women stems from historically religious points of view probably due to our biological differences–whether or not this societal pressure actually helps women in general live their lives, I am still debating. As a successful woman, finding a balance between career and family is difficult and having a career that is important to me does seem to impact the family.)
So, although this money is not a direct help to the people involved, hopefully a better circumstance can be created for those people. Of course, direct aid is also necessary for immediate needs, while “politically correct” money is more of a long-term fix of societal views.
At least, these thoughts are what I have so far. Finding new ways of accomplishing these tasks would be great.
O “Politically correct ideas” é somente uma industria.
La politica tendra que dejar de ser lo que entendamos por correcto.
Nosotros no somos numeros y letras, somos seres humanos.
Es importante saber y luchar por un mundo mejor, no podemos seguir con la creencia en gobiernos corruptos y hechos para minorias (clases favorecidas)
Es la hora de ver mas de lo que se nos muestra, no podemos perder la batalla si no la libramos, estamos solos en el mundo y nadie realmente lucha por nosotros, mas que nosotros mismos.
tenemos la fuerza de ser mayoria y como tal tendremos que presionar para cambiar el mundo.
la historia nos muestra quienes son los politicos y si seguimos pensando que esto es viable, pues nos estamos engañando, esto no hay quien se lo crea, todo lo que esta pasando es una sarta de mentiras, y parece que nos gusta que nos mientan.
Somos esclavos de un mundo capitalista que se muere por demostrar que la democracia existe, pero no es verdad , la injusticia vive con nosotros dia a dia y no sabemos que tenemos el poder real de cambiarlo.
Tenemos el mundo que nos merecemos, mientras sigamos pensando como borregos y solo mirandonos el ombligo, somos victimas de nosotros mismos.
TODOS PODEMOS PLANTARNOS Y RESISTIR…SE LIBRE DE VERDAD Y MIRA A TU ALREDEDOR.
Esto que ves, es el cuento de siempre…esclavos trabajando por un gran señor…EL SEÑOR DE LA GUERRA.
Political correct ideas stand for hypocrisy meant to blunt a person’s senses, thus, transforming him/her in a puppet whose strings are masterly handled by a manipulative mind. I read here in one of the comments that initially politically correct speech was thought as something good. This reminded me of: ‘Hell is paved with good intentios’
There are two aspects to this question. One is the charitible giving and the potential for thievery. I don’t think we should stop giving because some funds and aid do reach their source. More regulation and oversight never hurts, but this concerns me less than the second aspect . . .
Politically correctness in the arts and in our everyday life is of concern to me. I see it as limiting creativity and thought. Humans are very subject to group thought; they don’t want to be different, or to be shunned, or to be outcasts from their chosen society.
If a political machine uses political correctness to finesse group think, perhaps by implying that criticizing a nation’s warlike behavior is unpatriotic and the non-patriot should be shut away, then it, pc’ness is a danger to everyone. It will lead to fear and blandness.
I deplore p.c. behavior and try to associate with p.c. violators at all times.
Dear Mr Coelho,
I believe we are conditioned to a “control Gestapo type” throughout all of our life.
Our family, the way we are being taught – it is deliberate – our government and the establishment.
The scenario is always the same:
when you reach the age of 18, we will manufacture a war, you’ll come back so traumatised by it that you won’t be able to function for the rest of your life.Don’t worry, we’ll give you a”medal” for it.That will keep you happy for a while.We’ll remind you over and over of the good you have done for your country by educating you and the future generation with a panoply of movies.Making sure it sinks in and that you believe it.
When you realise you have been taken for a ride it will be too late anyway.
Another way of keeping you as a vegetable is to introduce the drugs, we’ll start at an earlier age 12/13 – your brain will be cooked – and this will add more pressure for your family.
Now to make things easier we have satellite surveillance above your heads, monitering every breath you take. Cameras in each city are mandatory, you never know a “sneeze can” alert them to a terrorist act.Then enter the neigbour :to report anything suspicious. and it goes on an on.
You are not allow to criticise anything or they’ll put you in jail as Paul Maurice Martin says “any criticism of the Israeli government actions is represented as anti-semetic, does not matter if you know that they are holding the “keys” for what goes on the world around.”
Amazing what they can do with our money.
Mind you the Palestinians are as bad – just think of all the traumatised children all over the world – Palestine, Darfur, Burma, South America, etc, etc.
I don’t want live in this world anymore.I want change.
Yes… Recently there was a ‘paper call’ for a conference to be held in Boston (I won’t mention the organization by name). One of the panel discussions was on new media and it’s effect on children’s literature. However it was overshadowed by the papers on ‘war and destruction’ and its effect on literature. I believe this was partially done out of political correctness. It is not that war and its effects is not an important discussion it’s just that a bunch of intellectuals sitting around a room discussing war is akin to mental ‘stimulation’ let’s say. It doesn’t get at the root of the problem which includes: poverty, lack of food-shelter-medicine and a poor education system. (When you’re told constantly that the ‘other’ is the enemy you believe it)
My point is perhaps the panels ought to discuss SOLUTIONS to such problems, not just have a ‘touchy-feely’ session to feel negative about the situation (which makes one feel good that they’re feeling bad thus superior), puff up one’s own ego- feeling this self-aggrandizement while accomplishing nothing.
It reminds me of a story of a little girl who learned about malaria when she mustered enough information on how to get nets for people in malaria prone areas and convinced her class to give funds ($10 per net I believe) She literally saved lives. This girl was all of 7 years old. It is sad that someone so young has the common sense that people many times her age do not.
Sad state of affairs indeed.
-C
PS- I thought you were going to speak of the use of ‘language’ and political correctness. For my thoughts on this please see the late George Carlin’s rant entitled “Euphemisms”
Seems to me political correctness has its up and down sides. On the upside, ugly, bigoted, chauvinistic remarks aren’t publicly acceptable anymore. On the minus side, they can keep people from speaking truth, as when any criticism of the Israeli government’s actions is represented as anti-Semitic.
-Paul Maurice Martin
Responsibility and “HUMAN correctness should be the highest goal to everyone.” Mik said (Thank you!) and I agree, may be it remains a dream, but we should fight for it.
Not to be manipulated: you have to know about the mechanism and strategies of communication,then may be you have a better chance to take a deeper look behind the facade. But it is not so easy and you can´t never be sure, there remains always a risk.
But I think there are organisations, which can be trusted, like “Greenpeace”.
Eva from Utopia
I have to agree with you Paolo.’Politically correct’ ideas and opinions always and only manipulate us and the worst is that we know that and we do not do nothing to stop it.There are many examples which prove this opinion.We use them in our job,our every day communication with our friends and finally in our entire life because we don’t want to incline from thoughts which are imperative a long time ago.I think that now it’s time to carve our way of living without expressing only politically correct ideas.Thank you…
I think Elvira’s probably hit the nail on the head. I grew up in the north of Ireland and it was instilled from a young age that we should never talk about ‘sex, religion and politics’. Ironically these were the things that plagued our country in various shapes and forms. Even today in bars in Belfast, if a conversation about politics or religion is overheard by a member of staff then a polite word is had in your ear to talk about something else. It all seems to be ‘lip service’ to the idea of not rocking the boat, even if the boat is still sinking.
Paulo, I read one page of your ‘Manual of the Warrior of Light’ everyday, and I have yet to read anything that was not in a different direction than what the day would have ordinarily presented. The idea of a ‘Spirit of the Age’ is not a new one but I feel must be acknowledged as a label, to debate and discuss a topic like ‘political correctness’. It’s hiding truth in general and beneficial truths frequently. A Muslim friend of mine met me on Christmas Day, Happy Christmas he said. I looked at him and said “Christmas?, but you’re a ….”. He stopped me and said, “what did you expect me to say? Happy Thursday….?” We had a wonderful conversation that day and as usual could only agree on the fact that there was one God. If words are forbidden today, then thoughts may be forbidden tomorrow. Heaven preserve us.
I have heard it time and time again and read it through the media as well, that there are two things we are not supposed to be discussing with friends or people you meet : politics and religions. Why not?
If you don’t discuss them, what are you going to talk about then? After all, these are quite important issues where our welfare and ways of thinking can depend on.
I can’t help thinking that sometimes a robust exchange is good and a healthy way that could even make us change our minds….Danger!Danger!
Look at our “climat threat”. I don´t know how big it is outside Sweden, but here,it´s big. And it gives the politicians a reason to make higher taxes on CO2, and the companies who provide electricity can rise the price for it. And the companies can also invent new things that we have to buy to minimize our climate influence.
For hundred years ago, when there were storms, earthquake´s and dry periods it was the people´s fault because they didn´t sacrifice enough to the god´s, and the god´s were angry. Now the climat is our fault because of driving cars and turning up the heat in our homes.
Thanks for the thought provocative question.
It made me search the work origin of political correctness online, and here’s what I found.
From Accuracy in Academia http://www.academia.org/lectures/lind1.html
I qoute ”
Where does all this stuff that you’ve heard about this morning – the victim feminism, the gay rights movement, the invented statistics, the rewritten history, the lies, the demands, all the rest of it – where does it come from? For the first time in our history, Americans have to be fearful of what they say, of what they write, and of what they think. They have to be afraid of using the wrong word, a word denounced as offensive or insensitive, or racist, sexist, or homophobic.”
The fact is the PC is an instrument of fear. And it contradicts Paulo’s answer to Leila, “Not to be paralysed by fear in the path of our dreams.” on 16th Jan.
I think the Charity Organisations have been invented by good people, which have been replaced more or less by “politicians” that just found another undercovered way of making money.
Common, if you really want to help Africa people, for ex., you go there and help its economy, bring technology, accept students of medicine to your own universities free of charge, build libraries, bring discounted supermarkets chains, and ..don’t wait for money back…If we really want to do charity. Teach them how to fish and not giving fish everytime they need it.
But, it’s an easy way of making money and the problem is that there are so many good volunteree people getting involved in this “industry” of charity. And good people that donate. I think we better involve personally in helping someone and not trust others to do our “charity” comfortable job.
While I used to live in Ireland, I was surprised by the fact that weekly somebody come and puts in my mailbox a bag with a note saying that the following week they will come and pick up from my frontdoor the bag with used clothes and shoes I would like to donate. Also, in the town I used to live, there was a second hand clothes and stuff shop which I visited. And I asked the salesperson: were do you get these stuff from? And she answered: “from people’s donations”. And I just bit my lips to not dare and ask: “were do the money go?”, as all town would find out I put such a question.
Back in my country, Romania, if I really want to help and donate, I just take the bag with donations and pay a visit to the church or to the places I know people ask for food and money. Believe me: they are so happy. Perhaps they would like to get only money, but I don’t always have enough for myself.
Last year in October I went in holliday in Egipt. Nice hotel, nice service, perfect sea, perfect exotic trees and plants. But, poor country. So poor, man…So poor. A schoolteacher in Cairo earns 30$ a month. All young Egiptian are looking for emigrating as life is hard there. Believe me, this was the first and the last holliday I spent in an African country. I felt I have NO right to feel so comfortable in my holliday for which I have worked hard to pay it, while the guy that smiles nicely to me and serves my tea in the morning has no food on the tableat his own home and family. I spoke to many of them, even though it is a musulman country and if you are a woman, you are looked as a sinner speaking and waching in the eyes of a man you are not married with. And especially when you stay almost naked on the beach and talk about the meaning of the life with some guys that perhaps didn’t have their dinner on the table at home.
But I still want to travel, as this is my call. I want to meet you, guys, I want to talk to everybody on this planet. Even if I am a mother and my child limits many of my previous actions and dreams…He will grow. He firstly traveled while in my wounds, then at 4 months year old.(also my night dreams usually include “the travelling” theme, since a little girl).
So, if you want to do charity, don’t mix it with politics and just do it with your own hands. Just to be sure! :)
I’ve read through this whole thread and found it interesting to see how long it took for the essence of the question to become apparent.
Ian Hemmings and Michael Pokocky would be the closest page to mine in the hymn book. There are nomenclatures I use in the presence of my friends that would be considered very non ‘pc’. My Australian friends would greet me in a way that others may think questioned the legitimacy of my birth, I’m Irish and they usually prefix it with ‘Paddy’. That is considered ‘politically incorrect’. To me it’s a term of acceptance and friendship.
Of course the same labels can be used in a deliberately offensive way, but I’d rather know the truth about where someone was ‘coming from’ than have it be hidden by the sanctions of the Zeitgeist. Herein I think lies the point I’m trying to make. “Nothing is unclean by itself”. The governments and politicians may manipulate culture and society but at the same time they are also being manipulated. The ‘Spirit of this age’ is manufacturing ways of hiding truth. Political Correctness would appear to be one of them.
I agree – in the last years I got a really bad feeling about what is called “politically correct ideas”. I think it is often a system for manipulation. But thinking further: the information, the news totally…they are more simplified every year. Often they are only icons for the meaning… perhaps no one shall think different about some world or ecomomic problems. And I thing the “political correct ideas” are another step in this direction: some kind of manipulation, that people should not think about “this” oder should not think in the direction of “this”. So I am very disturbed.
I think political correctness is exploited by the media, to install right-thinking by proxy. That may sound extreme, but who benefits from all the liberal content broadcast today?
The “gun lobby” is also a definition of manipulation Liv.
The present Philippine politics is the “new definition” of manipulation.
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