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gobears10

(310 posts)
Thu Sep 17, 2015, 09:17 PM Sep 2015

South Park shits on political correctness in latest episode

Did anyone watch the latest South Park episode? It was fucking fantastic, and it completely shat over the PC police. I think making the PC police a frat is one of the most fucking genius things South Park has done in recent years. Matt Stone and Trey Parker never fail to crank out top notch satire. The ending was a little weird, but I think they're trying out a cliffhanger and continuing the storyline over the next couple episodes. I'm pretty hyped for the new season.

The PC police on twitter, tumblr, and other social media outlets can be absolute bullies. Look at their tactics objectively. Moreover, the tumblr keyboard warriors who make people's lives miserable over minor transgressions are often extremely privileged themselves, and care more about appearing "progressive" to peers and bullying others than actually fighting for social justice. What better way could you depict the PC warriors than as a bunch of privileged, white fratbro jock bullies? The irony is palpable. People in both groups can be aggressive, irate, and foaming at mouth, and extremely intimidating and vindictive if you go against what they say.

Moreover, South Park is nuanced as usual. The message was that part of being "politically correct," such as showing respect for others and treating them with dignity, is not a problem, and should be lauded and encouraged. In no way was South Park encouraging people to go around and be much of a bigot as they want, because "it's worse to be P.C." South Park is making fun of PC keyboard warriors, a group ripe for South Park's brand of satire because of their self-righteousness, while condemning the injustices that the PC police purports to be fighting against.

The message of the episode was that social justice is good, but the problem is when people take social justice to the extreme, and bully and shame other people into adhering to arbitrary PC standards, creating an environment where people are constantly walking on eggshells, always at risk for being shamed for engaging in "problematic" speech or behavior. It's mocking people who don't take into account whether people intended to be marginalizing or not, and invariably engage in word policing, joke outrage, and humor policing. The episode was also a critique about the default mood for a lot things these days is just outrage, and we're not allowed to have a sense of humor about anything. Satire can be an extremely effective way to further the dialogue about this topic. In South Park, the real assholes have always been the ones who go around thinking they are 100% right about everything, no matter what side they're on.

Also great satire on how the PC police are ganging up on Kyle, who is usually the most liberal/progressive and socially aware person in the group. Accusations of racism, of sexism, of any -ism really are freely tossed out by the PC Police. Tossed out against people on the same side of the political isle, mind you. They almost only attack people close to them in terms of political affiliation. They almost never venture outside of that bubble because they instinctively feel there is no fertile ground beyond that point for their tactics. Instead they turn on their natural allies.

Here's the episode: http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s19e01-stunning-and-brave

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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South Park shits on political correctness in latest episode (Original Post) gobears10 Sep 2015 OP
I'm a HUGE South Park fan. Dr Hobbitstein Sep 2015 #1
Well GummyBearz Sep 2015 #4
So true! nt Dr Hobbitstein Sep 2015 #7
I pretty much feel the same way you do about the show and smirkymonkey Sep 2015 #18
Thanks. Must check it out. I get annoyed to no end with the faux PC police. nt valerief Sep 2015 #2
Many of us do. 840high Sep 2015 #3
Same here leftynyc Sep 2015 #17
Our resident DU PC Police have been hifiguy Sep 2015 #19
It was probably one of the most clever episodes on South Park ever. romanic Sep 2015 #5
Good for SP. bigwillq Sep 2015 #6
To be honest, I haven't watched it regularly since the movie came out in the early 2000s. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2015 #8
Was greatness LOL- "I don't think Caitlyn Jenner is a hero" snooper2 Sep 2015 #9
It's a tough old world when we can't call people anything we want to LanternWaste Sep 2015 #10
Racists and misogynists and LGBT-haters and bigots in general should be kept walking on eggshells. hunter Sep 2015 #11
Agree. marmar Sep 2015 #12
^^^ Word. n/t OneGrassRoot Sep 2015 #15
Burn the witches! Burn them! Throd Sep 2015 #13
They deaniac21 Sep 2015 #14
<dubious stare from Eric Idle> hifiguy Sep 2015 #21
I didn't watch... OneGrassRoot Sep 2015 #16
I feel the term "politically correct" is something of a catch-all strawman. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2015 #20
 

Dr Hobbitstein

(6,568 posts)
1. I'm a HUGE South Park fan.
Thu Sep 17, 2015, 09:43 PM
Sep 2015

I've watched it since the "Spirit Of Christmas" video (before the first episode aired on Comedy Central). They get humor, and how to insult anyone and everyone in a comedic manor, that while offensive, still makes one chuckle. No one, and NOTHING is safe. However, Matt and Trey are pretty much Libertarian douche bags. One of them said something to the effect of "we don't like conservatives, but we REALLY fucking hate liberals".

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
18. I pretty much feel the same way you do about the show and
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 12:56 PM
Sep 2015

about Matt and Trey. I love their humor, don't really care for their politics.

 

leftynyc

(26,060 posts)
17. Same here
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 12:53 PM
Sep 2015

It's like people are looking and praying for a reason to clutch their pearls and pretend to be outraged.

 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
19. Our resident DU PC Police have been
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 01:02 PM
Sep 2015

a burr in the rear for ages. These days they seem to be spending most of their time in semi-permanent serial time outs. Which is a small godsend for the rest of DU.

romanic

(2,841 posts)
5. It was probably one of the most clever episodes on South Park ever.
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 07:12 AM
Sep 2015

Some people definitely need to see this episode to realize how zealous they look in an attempt to be "p.c"; here included. js

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,181 posts)
8. To be honest, I haven't watched it regularly since the movie came out in the early 2000s.
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 09:15 AM
Sep 2015

I remember it being a huge deal my first year in college....entire dorms would have viewing parties when new episodes came out.

Then the movie came, and it was okay, but honestly I don't think Parker and Stone really didn't know what more to do with that, so I think they just continuously tried to find ways to be "edgy" without really delivering a whole lot in terms of solid content.

It had its day, but much like other animated shows geared towards adults (Simpsons, Family Guy), that day has long passed.

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
10. It's a tough old world when we can't call people anything we want to
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 10:24 AM
Sep 2015

It's a tough old world when we can't call people anything we want to and avoid the consequences of it.

hunter

(38,311 posts)
11. Racists and misogynists and LGBT-haters and bigots in general should be kept walking on eggshells.
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 10:54 AM
Sep 2015

Hell, they should be kept barefoot in fields of broken glass, fearful that whenever they open their mouths the bees will fly out, exposing their own conformity in this unjust society, and their own intellectual laziness.

"Poltitical Correctness" is a fucking bullshit term invented by controlling assholes.

Fuck South Park.

South Park is "edgy" propaganda spewed by the patriarchal oligarchy; more childish pablum for those who believe they are too cool to be the slaves and tools they are. South Park is no more than a crasser version of Dilbert.

marmar

(77,078 posts)
12. Agree.
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 11:02 AM
Sep 2015

The term "political correctness" was created by those upset that people of color, women, gays and lesbians were gaining rights and defining their communities themselves. In my observations, the term is used more often than not by those who are insecure and feel "threatened" by THOSE people.

OneGrassRoot

(22,920 posts)
16. I didn't watch...
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 12:51 PM
Sep 2015

I normally bristle at criticisms of "political correctness" precisely because of what Marmar said above: "The term 'political correctness' was created by those upset that people of color, women, gays and lesbians were gaining rights and defining their communities themselves. In my observations, the term is used more often than not by those who are insecure and feel "threatened" by THOSE people."

HOWEVER, if this is true of the episode, I support this and feel it is an important message:

The message of the episode was that social justice is good, but the problem is when people take social justice to the extreme, and bully and shame other people into adhering to arbitrary PC standards, creating an environment where people are constantly walking on eggshells, always at risk for being shamed for engaging in "problematic" speech or behavior. It's mocking people who don't take into account whether people intended to be marginalizing or not, and invariably engage in word policing, joke outrage, and humor policing. The episode was also a critique about the default mood for a lot things these days is just outrage, and we're not allowed to have a sense of humor about anything. Satire can be an extremely effective way to further the dialogue about this topic. In South Park, the real assholes have always been the ones who go around thinking they are 100% right about everything, no matter what side they're on.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,181 posts)
20. I feel the term "politically correct" is something of a catch-all strawman.
Fri Sep 18, 2015, 01:08 PM
Sep 2015

As I mentioned on another thread, there's a happy medium to be had in terms of practical self-restraint.

We shouldn't be so scared that whatever we might say could be construed as offensive, no matter how innocuous it might be.

However, we should always be cognizant that there are boundaries and "I don't want to be PC" should be designed as a free pass to say whatever objectively offensive thoughts that might come to mind and that you can deflect all criticism because you are supposedly "just speaking my mind."

The biggest problem in this country today, in my opinion, is that people are so caught up in the notion that they can do something that they don't stop and think whether or not they actually should do something. You see that with free speech issues. You see that with guns--"Well, the 2nd Amendment guarantees my right to bear arms, so even though I'm not a hunter or Olympic sharpshooter, and I don't live in a high crime area, I'm going to go out and buy 3 AR-15s and 5 Glocks just because it's my right!" You see that with other things.

A lack of nuanced, critical, practical thinking is causing a lot of undue and unnecessary pain in this country. That's far more of a problem than "political correctness" will ever be.

And honestly, the OP's long-winded 5 paragraphs trying to explain the worthiness or humor in that particular South Park episode pretty much epitomizes why I no longer bother to watch the show on a regular basis. It's gotten too preachy in trying to explain why we shouldn't be too preachy.

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