Food for thought

Political correctness is mental slavery. It creates the very bigotry it means to suppress. But when you break the shackles of political correctness you have to replace it with something of value; you must take care. Otherwise you utterly fail.

This was said by one of my favorite authors. It took me a while to wrap my head around the many aspects that are covered in this simple statement.

I just thought I would share it with everyone and see if maybe one of you have any ideas, opinions or just wanted to break it down and share your understanding of it.

Political correctness is a hope that we can speak to one another like Jedi. I speak politically correct as often as I can, it's possible. It takes some learning and un learning . When I use my words I try to build . My conversation is thought and given. My personal goal is to leave a drop of grace every where I've been. Rather than see politics this changes things for me and I see ... Not the liberal or the donkey but the heart . In my path to see past labels is easy it's my hearts cry but to be able to communicate it ... That's the adding one for one I have found more bennificial.
It takes a lot of work

Wescli Wardest wrote:

Political correctness is mental slavery. It creates the very bigotry it means to suppress. But when you break the shackles of political correctness you have to replace it with something of value; you must take care. Otherwise you utterly fail.

This was said by one of my favorite authors. It took me a while to wrap my head around the many aspects that are covered in this simple statement.

I just thought I would share it with everyone and see if maybe one of you have any ideas, opinions or just wanted to break it down and share your understanding of it.

I still would stress the importance of talking with care , which political correctness really is , but pc now is being used as a muzzle to shut up any critcs , and that we should be aware of.

Speak with care , with no intend to hurt , but dont be afraid to kick ass

If you can't express ideas or intent for fear of offending someone - then yea, the system has more or less failed.

On other hand - don't be a dick* for laughs.





*any males offended by my micro aggression that masculinity is inherently ignorant, offensive and inferior?
Suck it up princess.*

*any females offended by my micro aggression that femininity is inherently weak, over sensitive, and inferior?
build a bridge and get over it.*

*I don't know who would be offended by bridges? trolls I guess?

Nothing will ever simplify this to a point having any real meaning.

The best I can say is that you yourself know when you are intentionally trying to insult someone. That is it.

The problem I have with being politically correct is the "political" part. It implies that someone else gets to decide what correct speech is for me, and it can change based on the political climate or the political whims of those in power. This might work sometimes, like when children are learning manners and their parents instruct them to say "please and "thank you", but what happens when the people choosing what is "correct" are major a-holes who are politically motivated to use inflammatory or derogatory language and suddenly deem it to be "correct"?

I prefer to speak with compassion, but also honesty. I try to leave the politics out of it. If I offend someone or someone corrects me for using inappropriate language, I try to listen and understand if they have a fair concern. If they do, I will adjust accordingly. Despite what some people believe, it is possible to tell a brutal truth without being brutal about the way you deliver it. It is also possible to adjust your language for your audience without being a sheep.

I tend to think the term is synonymous with 'technically accurate'. So if someone tells me something is PC and it happens to be incorrect (ie having inaccuracies)... one of my eyebrows will automatically assume the attack/curious position.

one of my eyebrows will automatically assume the attack/curious position.

I'm definitely adding THAT to my phrase book.

I feel that like many terms like this, the term "politically correct" is a convenient idea used to paint the act of mature social consideration in a negative light, and with that painting, also be used by some who use PC as a selfish tool for their own political and social propaganda against the counterpart. This is why labels used like this tend to divide and cause conflict in a society.

I don't care about political correctness nor anti-pc. For me, its about effective communication, which means, if what you're going to say is said in a way that will ultimately turn your listener away from receiving your message clearly, then you've failed your part of the process. And effective communication deals in both what people call PC and non-PC. The thing to consider is who you are talking to and how they understand something being communicated to them the best. Some can take a blunt statement and get the message clearest. Others simply cannot. I feel that a Jedi may learn how to accommodate both ends of this spectrum for flexibility, versatility, and all around ability for different styles of social interaction. Don't just take one stance and reject the others. That makes you no different from the ones you disagree with.

I have no desire to tell people what to think or even how to think. But I do not mind sharing what I have discovered and/or what my views are.

For the consideration of others, since I made the original post, I will explain why I find this to be so interesting and how I see it to be applicable.

Let’s start with an understanding of certain concepts…
Objective, (of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.
Subjective, based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
Political correctness, the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

Making rules, laws or guidelines based in objective reasoning should be all inclusive and universal. And example of this could be committing a murder is illegal. This is universally bad for all people. And Jedi should have no contention with this as we believe. “in the inherent worth of all life” and “a society governed by laws grounded in reason and compassion, not in fear or prejudice.” I can agree with that.

Feelings on the other hand are subjective by their very nature. Things that are subjective are perceived, taken as or insults as insults are subjective and not objective. So making rules to govern the thought or actions of others based on the feelings or subjective input is oppressive to others. This is how political correctness “creates the very bigotry it means to suppress.”

Like Emperor Palpatine, Political correctness looks good on the onset, on the outside; but, is the very evil that is eroding the social structure from the inside.

“But when you break the shackles of political correctness you have to replace it with something of value; you must take care. Otherwise you utterly fail.” Exactly! Political correctness was started, I like to believe, with good intentions. To protect those that can not protect themselves. And if we remove political correctness then we have to replace it with something else, something of value. Guess what, we already have that mysterious thing. Compassion. Compassion is one of the things that is central to the path of Jedi.

It is also how we are able to govern by the spirit of the law and not by the letter of the law. This allows us great personal freedoms and liberties. And a lot of people have benefited from this liberty whether they realize it or not.

These are just my thoughts on the original topic.