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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSouth 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
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)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".
GummyBearz
(2,931 posts)Would you rather they be turd sandwiches as opposed to giant douches? The difference is key.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)about Matt and Trey. I love their humor, don't really care for their politics.
valerief
(53,235 posts)840high
(17,196 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)It's like people are looking and praying for a reason to clutch their pearls and pretend to be outraged.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)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)Some people definitely need to see this episode to realize how zealous they look in an attempt to be "p.c"; here included. js
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)PC has gone too far, imo.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,181 posts)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.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)TWO WEEKS DETENTION!
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)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)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.
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)Throd
(7,208 posts)turned me into a newt!
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)"Well, I got better...."
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)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:
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,181 posts)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.