tim@unisoft.UUCP (Tim Bessie) (07/18/85)
I've heard the term 'politically correct' from some friends (both
male and female) times, seen the buttons with this phrase on it, etc. many
times. In asking people what was meant by it, I got many wide-ranging
answers, none of which satisfied me. Maybe it means many things to many
people. Seeing it used on the net recently, I was reminded again about
wanting to know what it meant. So, I'd like to get an idea from people
out there what it means to THEM. I don't know if this term has been
discussed before, but I am interested in finding out what people mean when
they say "politically correct."
Taking it at face value, without any cultural or political nuances
I may be unaware of, the phrase seems nothing short of ludicrous. How
can anyone be "correct" when it comes to something so subjective as
politics? In the whole realm of human existance, I have yet to find
anything that is "correct" or "incorrect." The statement "You are
correct in saying that I feel [this or that way]" is the only one in my
mind in which the idea of "corectness" can mean anything. Any universal
standard of ANYTHING (good, evil, hot, cold, beautiful, ugly, sexy, or
correctness) is silly, as all of these ideas are only given meaning on
a highly person and individual basis.
Anyway, I'd appreciate hearing from people about this, or other
such words often taken for granted.
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It is, predominantly, fun. It wasn't always that way, but it is now.
There seems to be no limit to it, this delight. Vistas are constantly
opening up. Older generations would have a hard time understanding this,
because of various psychological hang-ups, such as the Protestant Work Ethic
and Freud. But we don't think about the past, not any more.
- Thomas Disch
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- Tim Bessie
{ucbvax,dual}!unisoft!timdmcanzi@watdcsu.UUCP (David Canzi) (07/22/85)
In article <504@unisoft.UUCP> tim@unisoft.UUCP (Tim Bessie) writes: > > I've heard the term 'politically correct' from some friends (both >male and female) times, seen the buttons with this phrase on it, etc. many >times. In asking people what was meant by it, I got many wide-ranging >answers, none of which satisfied me. ... > Taking it at face value, without any cultural or political nuances >I may be unaware of, the phrase seems nothing short of ludicrous. How >can anyone be "correct" when it comes to something so subjective as >politics? In the whole realm of human existance, I have yet to find >anything that is "correct" or "incorrect." ... A "politically correct" belief is one that you must claim to believe in order to win the approval of other members of your political peer group. For example, if you are a "conservative", you have to believe that the Star Wars defense is technically feasible, otherwise other "conservatives" will avoid you and stop inviting you to parties. "Political correctness" is a judgement of the morality of holding a given belief. It has no relation to truth value. -- David Canzi "Adequacy -- is it enough?"
tonyw@ubvax.UUCP (Tony Wuersch) (07/23/85)
In article <504@unisoft.UUCP> tim@unisoft.UUCP (Tim Bessie) writes: > >I don't know if this term has been >discussed before, but I am interested in finding out what people mean when >they say "politically correct." > Taking it at face value, without any cultural or political nuances >I may be unaware of, the phrase seems nothing short of ludicrous. How >can anyone be "correct" when it comes to something so subjective as >politics? I first heard it as "PC", which confused me to no end for a time. The "political" in "politically correct" is not a subjective kind of political. It refers to a context (for those whom I heard it from, the context was women organizing) in which a strategy has been laid out, and it's clear how people who want their politics to succeed ought to behave. That is, a politically correct move is one which furthers a political goal in an effective way. "Politically correct" also tends to refer to questions of immediate statements, or personal style, rather than to group strategy. That is, it refers to how individuals should act as representatives of a broader movement which has them as an active part of it. Some people associate it with being willing to "put your body on the line" and things like that. One subtlety: acting AS IF one is politically correct is often not BEING politically correct. Sometimes people bring resentment and anger down on themselves and the cause(s) they think they represent, by acting as if their politics are better than the politics of those they are supposed to be trying to convert or persuade. Contrary to some points of view, it is possible to be politically correct, shut up, and listen at the same time. According to books I read and people I know, many in white progressive movements, both on the left and among women, made this error in trying to incorporate women, gays, and nonwhites into their organizations or activities in the '70s. They talked about fellowship and solidarity, but they practiced elitism and interpersonal one-upsmanship. They didn't care to learn about historical, ethnic, class, or sexual differences. And so forth. That is, they gave political correctness a bad name and almost drove it into the mud. Around Berkeley, perhaps this didn't happen, since there are still many "politically correct" buttons around. The term hasn't become pejorative there as it has in New York City. In NYC and New England, "politically correct" is mostly used as a joke or with an albatross of qualifications surrounding it. If used seriously, it can imply political alignment with a specific feminist, solidarity, or left organization or party. Tony Wuersch {amd,amdcad}!cae780!ubvax!tonyw "And if you don't believe all the things I say, I'm certified prime by the USDA!"
barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry) (07/23/85)
>I don't know if this term has been >discussed before, but I am interested in finding out what people mean when >they say "politically correct." > Taking it at face value, without any cultural or political nuances >I may be unaware of, the phrase seems nothing short of ludicrous. How >can anyone be "correct" when it comes to something so subjective as >politics? I think you'll find there's often some intended irony in the use of the phrase. Consider: in a totalitarian state, "politically correct" makes perfect sense. It means you support the policies of the state. By extension, "politically correct", in a free society, implies having the political opinions you "ought" to have, according to the related affiliations you have. Thus, supporting price supports to farmers is politically correct for farmers; supporting the ERA is politically correct for feminists. The irony comes from the implication that one's "politically correct" opinions result from a desire to conform, rather than a well- reasoned appraisal. For example, if I said Ms. X was in favor of comparable worth legislation because it was "politically correct", I would be implying that she supported it because she thought it was the proper feminist position, and not because she had considered the issue on its own merits. The above is, of course, only one example, and is not meant to single out feminists. Any other opinions? - From the Crow's Nest - Kenn Barry NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USENET: {ihnp4,vortex,dual,nsc,hao,hplabs}!ames!barry
mmar@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (Mitchell Marks) (07/24/85)
For me, the expression "politically correct" has to carry sarcasm or heavy
irony. It suggests that someone is concerned with maintaining or even
enforcing a `party line' of some sort, at the expense of independent
thinking. If I wrote "A has attacked B's article as not being politically
correct" I would be attacking A as a dogmatist.
--
-- Mitch Marks @ UChicago
...ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!mmarsteiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) (07/25/85)
> > I've heard the term 'politically correct' from some friends (both > male and female) times, seen the buttons with this phrase on it, etc. many > times. Seeing it used on the net recently, I was reminded again about > wanting to know what it meant. So, I'd like to get an idea from people > out there what it means to THEM. Tim Bessie What is "politically correct" is what the person making the value judgement agrees with. Like all value judgements, it is useful not to forget that there are no concrete standards of correctness for politics. -- scc!steiny Don Steiny @ Don Steiny Software 109 Torrey Pine Terrace Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060
cs1@oddjob.UUCP (Cheryl Stewart) (07/25/85)
"Politically correct" is something that you feel pressure to be when you walk into the office where you do petroleum geology during the summer to find a petition which has been signed by all your supervisors, and which supports James D. Watt as Secretary of the Interior. "Politically correct" is what you hope to appear as being when your boss starts ranting about how great the Republican Party is, and how he's going to contribute to Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign, and all you can muster in reply is an hypocritical smile and the words "I can see how you might feel that way", or "Good for you, I'm glad you're doing something you believe in". "Politically correct" is something that everybody will assume that you already are if you wear your hair a certain way, and wear certain clothes-- and that everybody will assume that you are not if you wear your hair a certain other way, and wear certain other clothes. "Politically correct" is what you are when you're so smart you can actually figure out how to speak and think and act like everybody else you know. that Cheryl Stewart again --
srm@nsc.UUCP (Richard Mateosian) (07/25/85)
>I am interested in finding out what people mean by "politically correct."
Every time I hear/read that expression I take it as an ironic reference
to "in" ideas. It's used by people who agree with those ideas and by
people who don't--it's self-deprecating in the first case, sarcastic in the
second.
--
Richard Mateosian
{cbosgd,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!nsc!srm nsc!srm@decwrl.ARPA