Luke's Views on Political Correctness

YE4A Luke Li 1094100038

Political correctness was an idea originally used in political language to be bias-free and non-offensive on different ethnicities, races and genders. The term, PC is from America. America is a melting pot for people who come from many countries with various ethnicities. Equity and fairness to different races and genders are certainly required in such a huge nation. That is why political correctness becomes popular in the U.S. People who support this idea try to solve the issue by changing lots of bias words. The idea was well-meaning, but it turned out to be a taboo that forbids anybody to be biased on anyone, even in a humorous way.

There is one thing to notice, that is, political correctness is a concept that encourages people to be friendly to others with different ethnicities and genders. It should be free-will, not forced. And it should work step by step. Political correctness supporters tend to change everything that is against the idea, but what they really change is the lifestyle and culture of the U.S. Changing the ways of living and culture that has grown firm is impossible. One can only suppress it and that is what the political correctness supporter doing now. Political correctness makes people timid of making mistakes or doing what they like.

Being politically incorrect is not a crime, and that is why there is no law to restrict it. People who support the idea of political correctness can only judge it by criticism and consensus. The effect of political correctness can be considered as an action of threat and it is against the freedom of speech. Changing or replacing the spelling of certain words to achieve political correctness does not change the real feeling that is deeply inside our mind. A real successful and respectful male or a female is not determined by simple word “man” or “woman”, “black” or “white”. It is determined by what they have done to the society. The use of words represents our cultures and it is part of us. It will never be apart in our lives. Political correctness through force will somehow turn into a certain protection to a certain group, and that is exactly the other way around, against its own purpose.

Political correctness is not equal to justice and fairness. The real justice and fairness do not only matter by a few words and pictures. It is the self-reflection we practice that affects our behaviors and our thoughts about neutrality in ethnicities, races and genders.