Why We Can't Afford Not To Be Politically Correct | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why We Can't Afford Not To Be Politically Correct

Perhaps we should replace "politically correct" with "personally correct."

445
Why We Can't Afford Not To Be Politically Correct
Creative Commons

There has been a lot of talk in this election cycle about “political correctness” and its damage to society. Mr. Trump claimed in his response to the mass shooting in Orlando that “we can’t afford to have political correctness anymore.” I don’t want this to be another one of my political pieces, but I think this is something much bigger than the election, something that affects our lives day-to-day. Political correctness isn’t a just a practice for pandering to constituents; it’s an important choice in our vocabulary that helps to shape our world.

Oxford Dictionaries define “political correctness” as “the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against”. It is this connotation of “often considered as taken to extremes” that causes problems for many Americans. They see certain language as fake, a way to avoid taking real positions, a ploy to avoid alienating voters. But if we ignore that connotation and look at the rest of the definition, we see something we should all be able to get behind, avoiding terms that “exclude, marginalize, or insult” people.

Communication scholars W.B. Pearce and V. Cronen theorize that communication is fundamentally the “coordinated management of meaning”. John Stewart describes in his communication textbook "Together" the “worlds of meaning” each person forms from their communication. The Pygmalion Effect is a communication scholar’s name for a “self-fulfilling prophesy”: ascribing an identity or a characteristic of a person may cause them to assume that identity. Even casual words and actions have this effect. Clearly, communication is much more powerful than you may think in forming the world we live in.

An advertisement from 1953 helps illustrate this ideal. Featured on Purple Clover’s “13 Stunningly Sexist Ads from the Fifties”, the advertisement for Del Monte Ketchup shows a woman with a surprised look on her face holding a bottle of ketchup and looking as if she’s about to open the bottle. The caption reads “You mean a woman can open it? Easily- without a knife blade, a bottle opener, or even a husband!” This language functions to support the idea in society that women are weak and dependent on their husbands all from the language.

The same thing is true of communication today. When Donald Trump said in the second presidential debate that “African Americans and Hispanics are living in hell,” “you walk down the street and you get shot,” and “African American communities are being decimated by crime,” he is perpetuating stereotypes that African American people and communities are dangerous. These generalizations prove to support stereotypes that may lead to the Pygmalion Effect, and at the very least support judgment across our nation. This judgment may lead to fewer options for African Americans. It also encourages practices like “Stop and Frisk” implicitly, although Trump made sure to make that point explicitly as well. The same thing is to be said by demonizing refugees, Arabs, and Mexicans.

The problem is also true when we are talking to one another about LGBTQ individuals or people with disabilities or any race or gender. We can’t afford not to have political correctness because we can’t afford to have a world of hate, discrimination, and fear.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196070
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18373
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460495
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28105
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments