So, Who Started Political Correctness?

Posted by khalling 7 years, 9 months ago to Politics
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"At first glance, political correctness seems like a good thing. Do we really want to go back to a world where terms like nigger, faggot, darkie, chink, and slut were bandied about, as if language had no consequences? And don’t we want a world where silly stereotypes (“blondes make good secretaries,” “nurses cannot be male”) no longer restrict our choices?

But political correctness is not really about politeness, the giving or taking of offence, or freeing us from stereotypes. That’s the cover. Political correctness is part of a culture war, the roots of which go back to the 1920s. The culture war’s full-blown manifestation is what we are witnessing today; it has been ninety years in the making."

All Comments

  • Posted by $ puzzlelady 7 years, 8 months ago
    I first heard the term in connection with "Women's Lib", and its original use was sarcastic. Great article, Vinay. Thanks!
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  • Posted by $ sekeres 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Similarly, the elimination of the singular in the vocabulary of the society in Rand's "Anthem."
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  • Posted by Maritimus 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The sad part is that he apparently "read" it without any trace of understanding left as the result.
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  • Posted by Maritimus 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Dear Kaila,

    I cannot thank you enough for posting this great article.

    I have experienced "on my own skin" the burning impact of "if you are not with us, you are against us", or demands to toe the party line even the moment after it makes a U turn.

    With the disappearance of monarchic societies and the gradual, especially economical, liberation of the individual with the industrial revolution and the ever faster technological evolution, the power-greedy have no other choice. The one of ideological manipulation of those less inclined (or less able) to think carefully in order to conquer them and force them into a Utopia of their design. The Utopia that is contrary to all the basic elements of human nature and of life itself, most fundamentally because it entails the absolute power and supremacy of the "chosen" elite.

    That the "masses", in whose name they pretend to act, have been conditioned for millennia to obey a divinity, as voiced by "infallible" mouthpieces, does not help.

    I have no doubt that. in the long run, the manipulators will fail. They fake reality. How long? Perhaps even centuries. Depends on how many people like Mr. Kolhatkar get nursed to maturity, so that, despite the threats, they can keep the flame of liberty lit. How bloody? That, I think, depends on for how long the manipulators of truth are in power and how highly they build the resentment pressure in those who see through the horrendous, evil scheme.

    By now you are familiar with my verbosity. I still apologize for not taking the time to make my writing better.

    All the best. Sincerely, Maritimus
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  • Posted by $ Radio_Randy 7 years, 9 months ago
    None of the vulgar, slang, names you mentioned have been eliminated...only taken away from the vocabulary of the "white privileged". Minorities still, widely, use these terms for one another.

    Other than trampling the rights and free speech of whites, what purpose has political correctness served?
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  • Posted by lrshultis 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Don't leave out all the other groups that try to keep you from using certain words or phrases though most of the time it is for the children's sake. Religions have words that may only be spoken by the priest. Schools have all kinds of political standards of behavior. Conservatives are good at being sure nothing is bothersome on television, radio, movies, and art. If there had been a Garden of Eden, it would have had all kinds of political correct speech and behavior, why should one blame those dumb heads in the article for the contemporary political correctness cultural war.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Excellent and it's true purpose is induce a form of slavery. Using left wing definitions in ipolitics is another hundred year in the making incremental and often the use is condoned by 'it's what everyone undersands' but they really don't or they wouldn't have to ask why do Rinos always cave to the left. Properly stated there is no need to ask such a question.

    Left is those who believe in government control of citizens.

    Center of a Consitutional Republic is the Constitution

    Right formerly the seating area for the Kings representatives lost it's population to Madame Guillotine and remained empty when the Left added a ruling class to their classless vision.

    But if you define it as the description of those those who believe citizens control government the citizens become the ultimate source of power and replace the divine right of kings.,

    The rest follows. Right wing exgtremist is Anarchist

    Left wing extremist are National and International Socialists or Nazis and Communists. Add to that socialist progressives

    So if Republicans or RInos cave to the left it follwos they are not right of center which the left says is the center of the left but the right wing OF the left.

    Use their definitions you lose. Use definitions that work and are useful you win. Give into PC as Riftsrunner points out you learn to sayYes Massa and tug your forelock.

    You can make up your own system it's got to be better than that Political Crap garbage.
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  • Posted by NalaniTex 7 years, 9 months ago
    The first known use of this term can be found in the Truman Library.

    What is meant by the modern term referred to as ‘POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’..
    The definition is found in 4 telegrams at the Truman Library and Museum
    in Independence, Missouri. The following are copies of four telegrams between
    President Harry Truman and Gen Douglas MacArthur on the day before the actual
    signing of the WWII Surrender Agreement in September 1945.. The contents of
    those four telegrams below are exactly as received at the end of the war - not a
    word has been added or deleted!


    (1) Tokyo, Japan
    0800-September 1,1945
    To: President Harry S Truman
    From: General D A MacArthur
    Tomorrow we meet with those yellow-bellied bastards and sign the Surrender
    Documents, any last minute instructions?

    (2) Washington, D C
    1300-September 1, 1945
    To: D A MacArthur
    From: H S Truman
    Congratulations, job well done, but you must tone down your obvious dislike
    of the Japanese when discussing the terms of the surrender with the press, because
    some of your remarks are fundamentally not politically correct!

    (3) Tokyo, Japan
    1630-September 1, 1945
    To: H S Truman
    From: D A MacArthur and C H Nimitz
    Wilco Sir, but both Chester and I are somewhat confused, exactly what does
    the term politically correct mean?

    (4) Washington, D C
    2120-September 1, 1945
    To: D A MacArthur/C H Nimitz
    From: H S Truman
    Political Correctness is a doctrine, recently fostered by a delusional, illogical
    minority and promoted by a sick mainstream media, which holds forth the
    proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of shit by the clean end!
    Now, with special thanks to the Truman Museum and Harry himself, you and I finally have a full
    understanding of what ‘POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’ really means.....
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 7 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Just call it what it is Political Crap. Somewhere I put the degeneration of the process as a comment with the link to the Princeton University approved speech list. Man is not banned. yet in their approved list it was listed three or four times as part of human and son was listed as part of person. The whole thing is ridiculous when you when your replace The Helm meaning whose steering with Direction Selection Person
    or waiter and waitress with wait person. Who wants to wait and is their a per daughter? The way to combat it is a don't use it. I don't have a four person boat I have as six occupant or a two crew boat. This made up stuff when there is an entire million plus word dictionary for those not to lazy and intellectually dishonest to open it's pages. I've yet to not find a gender neutral desciption but the worst so far is pilot person or City Council President Person. What's wrong with Pilot or Council Member or Council chair

    Nothing and that is the one word which describves the value of PC.
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