Just what does PC mean?

[GTurck]

For almost 30 years now I have been hearing the term "politically correct/PC" and still don't know exactly what it means. Does anyone? I do know that it is often used as a conversation stopper and hurled as an epithet but other than that not a clue. It is flung from the right against the left - that is easy to understand but lately I think I am hearing it from the left against the right. HUH? My take on life is that you should never use terms of which you have only a vague idea of what the words mean.
I am reminded of people who have told me tales of using words in languages they learned in school that have very different real life meanings which has caused them great public embarrassment
So if anyone has a definitive definition of PC could they please pass it along and allay my ignorance?

[Coexist]

1. .

Political correctness is a term generally used to disparage efforts to raise awareness about and eliminate social and political biases in language and other forms of representation. The term also appears in the adjectival form politically correct (often abbreviated PC). While it frequently refers to a linguistic phenomenon, it is also extended to cover political ideology and behavior.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politically_correct

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. According to the Wikipedia

Political correctness (PC or politically correct) is a term used to describe language, ideas, policies, or behavior intended to provide a minimum of offense to racial, cultural, or other identity groups. Political correctness in a critical usage also suggests adherence to political or cultural orthodoxy, and particularly leftwing orthodoxy. Conversely, the term politically incorrect is used to refer to language or ideas that may cause offense to some identity groups, or, in a broader sense, that are unconstrained by orthodoxy.

The full article can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness

[underpants]

3. Examples of "PC terms"

Transients became Hobos/Bums became Homeless
Old person became Elderly (became Senior Citizen)
Navy Dept./War Department became Department of Defense (this implies that the US does not intiate wars)
Alms became poor relief became Welfare
Terrorist became Militant became Insurgent
Dept. of Prisons became Department of Corrections
Family Values (who knows?)
Compassionate Conservative (who knows?)
Civilian Deaths became Collateral Damage
Fat person became heavy set became Large became Overweight
Cripple became Invalid became Disabled
Crazy became Mentally Ill
Bachelorette (from “The Dating Game” female version of bachelor)
Person with religious beliefs became Person of Faith

[Dr. Strange]

6. Other extreme examples

Terms like "niggardly" and "indian red" (the crayon color) became verboten (cause someone somewhere was offended).

Family Values (who knows?)
Compassionate Conservative (who knows?)

Oooh, I bet Ted Haggard and Bush know! :7

[LeftishBrit]

12. A few British examples...

(mostly used by governments):

Poll Tax became Community Charge

Refugee became Asylum Seeker

Unemployed became Job Seeker

Reformatory became Approved School became Community Home

Here too Secretary/Department of War became Secretary/Department of Defence

Poor countries became Third World became Developing Countries

[ieoeja]

28. Creationism became Intelligent Design

Nigger became Baggy Pants
Segregation became States Rights
Slavery became Heritage

[bryant69]

4. Political Correctness is a club used by Conservatives to hit Liberals

At it's basis Political Correctness, in the brief period between the coining of the term and the corruption of the term, meant not being an asshole. Conservatives didn't like that theory - partially because they really enjoy being assholes.

Now being politically correct means being liberal (particularly on issues or race, class or gender), whether or not it makes sense to be so.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[EST]

5. You have a very good grasp, by your OP.

Good topic, by the way.

[blondeatlast]

7. It means it's okay for the bigot to tell the racist/sexist joke, but NOT okay to object to it.

That, of course, is the Luntzian definition.

[Javaman]

8. Wow and all this time, I thought it stood for "personal computer" nt

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Me, too. LOL.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. not making bigoted comments.

[Az]

10. The problem

PC simply means trying to show respect and understanding to the diversity of conditions within our society. Thats well and good. It is nearly common sense that one should show respect to others. But the problem comes when some people react with extreme anger to someone using nonPC language. There are groups and individuals that take this to extremes. Trying to force changes in society that simply have not permeated all of society as yet.

Consider a post we had here in GD recently about why a man suggesting that a woman should ideally talk to her partner about getting an abortion. This minor suggestion that is rather sensible can set off a firestorm in some circles. Individuals take such a comment as a threat to a woman's personhood. And when they react with anger they present the face that causes many to reject the idea of PC language.

[KOBUK]

11. I think it means Pete Carroll !!

Some of you will know what I'm talking about.

[bunkerbuster1]

13. It means "I'm a lazy right-wing slob who allows idiots to think for me."

It's a stupid term; it is the frightened expression of poor, oppressed white males who believe that it's fascism to expect them to abide by the Golden Rule.

Shorter version: When you hear "PC", think "BS."

[LeftishBrit]

14. It has different meanings in different contexts...

It can mean (excessive) fondness for euphemism. More commonly, it's an insulting term for those who call others out on bigotry. Often it just means basic good manners applied to ALL, not just people in certain groups. 'Too much PC' in this context can occasionally mean preoccupation with form over substance, but far more often is a right-winger's expression of resentment at having to be courteous towards those in groups that bigots think don't deserve courtesy. I have occasionally been accused of being 'PC' by right-wingers who didn't like my calling them out on racist attitudes.

[Emit]

15. "Being politically correct means always having to say you’re sorry." Charles Osgood n/t

[Katherine Brengle]

16. It means don't. act. like. an. asshole.

And, they're off.

:popcorn:

[Bucky]

23. Ah'm tarred of all these P-C po-lice tellin' me I cain't make fun of cripples and Re-Tards"

Was that "off" enough for ya?

[JHB]

17. The lack of solid definition is the entire point of how Rethuggs use it.

Defining "PC" is like nailing jello to a wall, and that's the beauty of it.

The phrase "politically correct" has been around for decades, but its current usage in American politics comes from a flurry of spin in the eraly 1990's (the highest media profile of which was by a speech by former Reagan AG Ed Meese), warning of the dangers of a growing tide of "political correctness".

While you can find varying-sized grains of truth in many of the complaints, the most notable thing about all this was the timing. It occured at the precise moment in history when when even the most dinosaurian conservative could blame Communist propaganda and "on orders from Moscow" for the existence of liberals, leftists, and other people who held political views substantially different from their own. One didn't have to acknowledge that people may have sensible, well-considered reasons for being liberal if you could ascribe it all to a malevolent foreign influence with near-infinite resources. (that last part being all the more ironic, considering the reality...)

So the Mighty Wurlitzer coughs up "politicall correctness", a vauge collection of every grudge anyone may have against "the exesses" of liberalism. And how is "excess" defined? IT ISN'T! So it can mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean AND whatever the listener wants it to mean! And Voila! An all-purpose smear that even non-conservatives will agree with to some degree.

To skew a phrase: "If 'political correctness' didn't exist, they'd have to invent it." And they did.

[blondeatlast]

26. Exactly. nt

[porphyrian]

19. About 40 lectures for bringing it up again, and a bunch of people ignoring the thread. - n/t

[backscatter712]

20. A part of the euphemism treadmill.

Let me give you an example.

A century ago, people with Downs Syndrome or other mental disabilities were referred to as idiots, morons and imbeciles. Those were the scientific terms. People picked up those words, and started using them as insults. So new words were adopted. The term "mentally retarded" came into use. But then, the word "retarded" became an insult. Then came terms like "people with special needs." Note that even I've been known to respond to something completely idiotic by saying "That's really special."

Every time a euphemism is invented to make a non-insulting term for a group of people, it eventually becomes an insult.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Those weren't scientific terms.

They were pseudoscientific terms. And they were insults like we know them today long before early twentieth century quacks started using them.

[Bucky]

21. Progressive Conservative (old political party from Canada)

[Bucky]

22. Personal Computer

[Blue_Tires]

25. Providence College

[blondeatlast]

27. Well, posting and running isn't PC. Or maybe it is. Anyhoo, posting and running is not cool. nt

[walldude]

29. PC is a term created by people who were tired of

having to act like a human being in public. Created by people who were tired of being called on their racist/misogynist/bigoted bullshit. They created a term that they believed would embarrass people who would call them on their crap. It's a standard Republican tactic to attempt to embarrass or denigrate anyone who does not subscribe to their open policy of being racist/misogynist/bigoted/xenophobic. Politically Correct is not a left wing ideal, it's a right wing tactic. Kind of what they did with the term "liberal".

[blondeatlast]

31. "...it's a right wing tactic." BINGO! nt

[yurbud]

30. PC always a perjorative means over-sensitivity to minorities, like term "n****** lover" in 60s

and before.

Racism became unacceptable enough that the old insult for being too sensitive to minorities harmed the insulter more than insulted, so a new insult had to be made up.

On the other hand, some people take the PC stuff to ridiculous extremes. When you are insulted on other people's behalf when they wouldn't be themselves, like when someone says "Indian" instead of "Native American" or when women get indignant about being called girls or chicks in friendly situations, it usually backfires and simply makes you an object of ridicule yourself.

[GTurck]

32. Being PC

Thanks for all the feedback. I thought my definitions was correct but have not heard it used correctly in a long time except as neocons use it - an epithet for liberal. I used to teach my kids and now try to teach my grandkids that words have meanings and they can hurt and understood usage of PC in that context. To me a form of politeness. So maybe it is time to let the right have the term and find and new way to care about what we say. It has been a joy hearing from you.

[Beelzebud]

33. Personal Computer. n/t

[HamdenRice]

34. The ORIGINAL meaning as term of approval -- and how it became parody

The original meaning of "politically correct" was not an insult or a conversation stopper. It was actually a term of approval.

To understand this, you have to go back to an era when practitioners of Communism, Leninism, Maoism and certain strands of Marxism believed that their theory of politics was scientific. In fact, communism was sometimes called "scientific socialism."

Because political theory was thought to be a thoroughly rigorous science, it was possible to say that some theories were correct, and some theories were incorrect. Just as scientists don't say everyone is entitled to their opinion as to the geologic composition of moon rocks, scientific socialists tended not to believe that everyone was entitled to their opinion about politics.

It was the "scientism" in Communism, Leninism and Maoism that gave it its intolerant approach to dissent. For example, if you disagreed with the scientific conclusions of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union, you could be declared insane -- just as someone who insists that the moon is made of green cheese might be declared insane today. When Kruschev denounced Stalin after the latter's death, Kruschev claimed that his analysis was "politically correct" while Stalin's was not.

Here is an example of a modern day Maoist organization (supporters of Shining Path in Peru) using "politically correct" in an unironic manner: "Every Marxist-Leninist-Maoist party must be armed with a correct analysis of the world situation. This is crucial for developing correct strategy and tactics ..."

Some American radicals took on the veneer of scientism in their political rhetoric at the height of the 1960s and early 1970s radical political era. For example, in 1971, Angela Davis, in the context of some debate or another said, there could be no "opposing argument to an issue which has only one correct side."

Radical feminists tended to adopt the term more than other political groups. For example, in 1975, the then-president of the National Organization of Women said that the organization was moving in "the intellectually and politically correct direction."

When I was in college, the more radical students used "politically correct" without irony to describe their own arguments if they thought such arguments were unassailable. ("With all due respect, comrade, there is only one politically correct position on the liberation struggle in southern Africa...")

Because the term was used by certain elements of the hard left to basically shut down the idea of dissent, the right began using the term to smear all leftist analyses as doctrinaire, orthodox and close-minded -- especially those that stemmed from "identity politics" (politics rooted in gender, race or ethnicity). Hence it began to be an ironic insult against groups who previously had believed there were right and wrong answers to political questions but expanded to become a general insult against the left.

It's original meaning has now been lost to the contemporary mainstream, and it is used almost exclusively as a broad insult against any left, liberal or progressive statements, especially those that condemn the right for racist, sexist or zenophobic statements.