Two Quotations

[browngirl]

Two things people said that I had to write down.

I've seen this process happen over and over all my life, and this is the most succinct explanation of it I've seen in a long time. From What Tami Said, 2010.

Disdain for "political correctness" is often positioned as a concern that some important truth is not being spoken for fear of offending someone. But that concern is nothing but smoke and mirrors. To invoke "political correctness" is really to be concerned about loss of power and privilege. It is about disappointment that some "ism" that was ingrained in our society, so much that citizens of privilege could express the bias through word and deed without fear of reprisal, has been shaken loose. Charging "political correctness" generally means this: "I am comfortable with my privilege. I don't want to have to question it. I don't want to have to think before I speak or act. I certainly don't wish to inconvenience myself for the comfort of lesser people (whoever those people may be--women, people of color, people with disabilities, etc.)"

I view this next one as a wider case of, among other situations, the above. And oh, I need it.

And when they tell you life is not like this, life is never like this,/life will never be like this, insist that the sun/has always found a time and a place, the moon too knows when and where to enter,/and you too have your stories,/and you too have your place. -- Shira Erlichman, from exceptindreams, after this funny poem

Comments

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Strongly disagree. (So strongly that I don't have enough words to express my vitriol toward the concept, and rely on words of calm and reason.)

Allowing expression in the name of "not being PC" defangs the entire structure of being able to confront the problem of -ism from its roots.

It puts the disprivileged in the position of swallowing the -ism "unless it's bad enough".

And "bad enough" tends to be a standard that becomes harder and harder to meet as one grasps for proof that it *is* -ism and not just some random ass being a random ass, such that the only thing one can complain about is if someone is dead and the body is marked in large clear letters with "I KILLED THIS PERSON BECAUSE THEY WERE $category".

I do not think this is what you intend.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

Hrm, I think browngirl put it better by saying she can tell who's being insincere and who isn't. In my experience, most people who use political correctness are insincere about it.

I've worked on this, and for me - I'm rarely in a situation where I need to use politically correct words. For example, if I'm trying to figure out if I should say "person of color", "African American" or "black", most of the time I realize I don't actually need to describe the color of their skin.

I'm privileged and lucky in that that's true for me. But it gets me every so often, like when I'm trying to describe how my mother-in-law ends up hearing racist things that apply to her (she's a self-described half-Italian, half-black, and she and one sister pass as white most of the time, and 2 other sisters pass as black most of the time).

Anyway, my point was that I find the PC language that *I* encounter to be [thinly] veiled -isms, but others around me may perceive it to be acceptable, and when I've tried to call out the speaker on that issue, I end up being wrong and not knowing what I'm talking about because they used PC language.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

An addendum - I wrote everything in the context of my experience, and I wasn't suggesting that politically correct language should be abolished. Just that it's not perfect. Perhaps I should have clarified with the fact that in those cases, I'd rather the insincere people be shown as insincere.

Can you (or others reading this) share tips on how to help combat -isms that are veiled within politically correct language? I would appreciate it.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

And of course, I realize how that sounds, I'm just doing the "can you teach me?" and it's not your job to teach me.

I'm just going to apologize. I'm sorry.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

See, my problem with political correctness is that I find it often is trying to hide an -ism. I'd rather have the -ism out there than shrouded by political correctness. I'd rather them be bold enough in their -ism to state it in plain terms instead of couching in different words.

Expression of the -ism in bold words is beyond even a microaggression. The expression *itself* is an assault.


Can you (or others reading this) share tips on how to help combat -isms that are veiled within politically correct language? I would appreciate it.

I am happy to workshop things, probably in my journalspaces rather than Ny's, unless she really wants to host that.

I *think* what you're asking is, "how does one address the issue that putting a pretty window dressing on ugly thoughts does not make the ugly basis any better?"

Does reframing the issue make it any easier?

[awfief.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think that would work well...."just because the window has a pretty dressing does not make the ugly thought behind it any better".

[trinker.livejournal.com]

It helps to express the actual problem, rather than throwing the PC baby out with the bathwater.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

Expressing the actual problem, like this?

"See, my problem with political correctness is that I find it often is trying to hide an -ism."

That was the first sentence of the first comment I made. I went on to explain my point poorly, but that actually was my point.

I am frustrated that even after all this, you and others think I was advocating "throwing out the PC baby out with the bathwater".

I will work on being more sensitive, and succinct, in the future, to try to avoid these kinds of misunderstandings.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

The assumptions contained in your phrasing...I find them problematic.

"The sort of political correctness I have a problem with..." is one thing.

"Political correctness is usually..." (which is what I think you expressed) is maddening, and elicits the response I gave. It's not a problem of succinctness; it's a problem of premises.

The -ism isn't in use or disuse of blatantly -ist words. But the -ist words add a level of hurtfulness, and advocating their use...*personally* I find that hostile and hateful.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

A little textual analysis often goes a long way, IME -- point out the meaning people are trying to cloak in seemingly-innocuous but coded language, and explain the code.