The preoccupation over political correctness is somewhat of a recent development in today’s time. Less than a century ago, political correctness (or lack thereof) would not have been able to generate as much controversy as it can now; however, for political correctness to become an issue of interest nowadays is a testament to the progress minority justice has been making.
With that being said, I often encounter questions of why political correctness is “such a big deal.” Former Yale Professor, Erika Christakis, sent out a university-wide email in response to students donning offensive Halloween costumes, writing, “Have we lost faith in young people’s capacity – in your capacity – to exercise self-censure, through social norming, and also in your capacity to ignore or reject things that trouble you? Talk to each other. Free speech and the ability to tolerate offense are the hallmarks of a free and open society.”
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Shortly after the email’s largely publicized circulation, student protests erupted in response, eventually leading to Ms. Christakis’ resignation from her lecturer’s post. However, her words left many others wondering if she really were right: are people of younger generations becoming overreactive to instances of cultural insensitivity? What if these instances stem from non-malignant or ignorant intentions?
For skeptics, I can understand why the controversies that flare up over someone wearing an Indian headdress for Halloween or a celebrity donning ethnic attire for a music video can seem jading and intolerant of those that cry foul. Certainly, as someone who believes that political correctness is important in conversations especially in the light of an increasingly diversifying but historically eurocentric society, I find occasions that are more questionable than others in terms of its measure of offense and inappropriateness.
However, it is important to understand why political correctness exists and should remain in place. When making judgement calls over whether something is politically incorrect, it is imperative that one examines the situation in its macrocosmic context. For example, if we take the instance of someone donning the Native American headdress, a more historical standpoint reveals why such an action, although done all for harmless, good fun, is symbolically offensive. Such purposeful ignorance does not justify the action, especially when considering the history in which Native Americans were oppressed and literally wiped out to the side beginning from when settlers started to colonize America. To display the lack of cultural awareness and respect is simply another step of continuation of the kind of disregard towards a group historically discriminated against.
Of course, there are extreme forms of political correctness that become deconstructive to the overall cause of racial and cultural equality. Political correctness should never be the reason for immediately dismissing another point of view. We can also become so attuned to the subtlest implications of language that we forget what we are trying to say in our hyper concern over how we are trying to say it. It is important to remember that cultural insensitivity or ignorance is symptomatic of the overall, broader issues of inequality, and the reactions towards such moments can become polarized to the degree that people forget to remind themselves of the very core of the issue. In the midst of such divide and debate, keep in mind the advice any medical professional will share: treating the symptoms can only tackle so much of the illness itself.
At the end of it all, political correctness should not be viewed as an inhibition of a freedom or the familiar gripe of an entitled millenialist, but rather, as a form of active empathy while interacting with others. Never before have we been so interconnected to different cultures and heritages, so of course, navigating through it all will be a little awkward and difficult. Yet, no one can debate the power of language and its effects on others. In the usage of political correctness, we signal our own attempt to trying to understand another being coming from a different background… which is all political correctness boils down to: Respect.
