The Problem Of Political Correctness In America

Political correctness is a problem in America. Everyday we hear the term PC on the news or on social media, and everyday new words gets turned into ‘’not acceptable‘’. Many people are having trouble keeping up with the rules of political correctness since they switch with each day. PC are words that most people interpret differently, what I find to be politically correct you may not necessarily agree with. The concept of PC was good, but has been ruined by different factors over the years and it’s time to abolish the words but keep the concept with a new and improved phrase.    

Political correctness has limited our ability to speak and debate freely without judgement. Due to it’s policing nature and constant overuse PC should be cancelled in order for a new word to rise and recreate the original meaning of political correctness. Donald Trump may be an incompetant person but he is correct when he says that we worry too much about political correctness instead of stating the obvious facts. People are afraid of saying how they really feel. Eight months ago he wrote in a USA today 's op-ed: “The enemy is cutting off the heads of Christians and drowning them in cages, and yet we are too politically correct to respond in kind” (Amanda Hess). He also claimed ‘’They have put political correctness above common sense, above your safety and above all else” (Amanda Hess), they meaning anyone besides himself. According to Donald Trump, being able to say whatever the heck you want is greatness.    

Political correctness does not know when to stop. PC’s intention from the start was good, it was about protecting people's feelings against disciminating slurs such as, race, religion, ethnicity etc, but it’s not like that anymore. The PC movement has caused people to avoid these subjects generally. Pc is now a bigger issue to a lot of people than the issue it was supposed to solve. It is preventing people from feeling relaxed being around people that are ‘’different’’. It is preventing us in the way that we always have to be careful with what we say, and with that we can’t get to communicate with each other in order to learn each other's differences and viewpoints. PC is creating a wall bigger than the one it was created to defeat.   

Political correctness is a word without a definitive meaning, everyone sees it from a different angle and a word that powerful should mean the same to everyone. ​For example, why is it ok for celebrities to speak immoral things about Donald Trump during their speeches at events, when it would be considered unacceptable if they spoke like that about Barack Obama? I am not defending Donald Trump, he deserves the criticism he receives, but where do we cross the line? I have asked my friends and acquaintances: what is political correctness? six out of ten didn’t know how to explain the definition in a proper way, I feel the same. The other four had somewhat the same definitions but there was definitely some errors and differences.    

Political correctness has always been about how to talk to people in a decent manner and with respect, but now it has evolved into actions in the film industry too. Scarlett Johansson was roasted for taking on an acting job that involved her to play a transgender japanese character. People thought this was wrong and Scarlett had to step down from the job. She later quoted ‘’I personally feel that, in an ideal world, any actor should be able to play anybody, and art, in all forms, should be immune to political correctness’’ (​Mary Papenfuss​). PC is overused and actors should be able to play whatever role they want just as Scarlett stated. We all interpret political correctness differently and that’s a problem.   

A 57- year-old woman in Mississippi expressed her feelings regarding PC by saying - ‘’If you don’t term things correctly you discriminate people, and it’s hard to keep up with what people call themselves now days and some of us don’t know and apparently if you’re not in the known then there is something wrong with you’’. Another person, an American indian male from oklahma stated that ‘’Every time you wake up it feels like something has changed, are you allowed to say jew, black guy etc? You are on your toes because you never know what is allowed to say, In that sense Political correctness is scary’’ (Yasha Mounk). What these two individuals are saying is correct, the rules of Political correctness changes with every minute that passes by and it’s too hard to keep up. If society keeps adding new words that are not tolerated anymore people are sooner or later gonna give up on political correctness. More in common conducted a study about political correctness and it showed that 80 percent of people think that the phenomenon is a complication for America. It also showed that 74 percent of youths in the ages 24 to 29 are uncomfortable with it and 79 percent under the age of 24. Pew conducted a Research poll and the results said that 59% of those in the poll thought that Political correctness is overplayed and that people are too easily insulted. Comedians such as Chris Rock also thinks that the audience is too emotional and gets offended easily. Political correctness has gone way too far, you get affected by something you said in your past or things you said in the heat of the moment. For example, the popular TV host Paula Deen admitted to have used the N-word in her past and for that she was fired from her job. To me this is not what Political correctness is supposed to be about.    

We are constantly being judged based on what we say and how we act because of Political correctness. The term is overused to an extent where it should be abolished. The concept from its origin should however stay but with a new term.    

Words mean a lot and should be considered, but there is also the depth behind words which should be thought-about just as much. We cannot restrict people from speaking their truth, you can easily be disrespectful while using politically correct words. Political correctness has not and will not solve insensitivity or obliviousness. Political correctness was created for a solid reason but can be used to damage what is meant to protect just like a pillow can be used to kill. 

Works Cited 

• Gallagher, BJ. “The Problem With Political Correctness.” ​HuffPost​, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, ​www.huffpost.com/entry/the-problem-political-correctness_b_2746663​.
• Hess, Amanda. “How 'Political Correctness' Went From Punch Line to Panic.” ​The New York Times​, The New York Times, 19 July 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/magazine/how-political-correctness-went-from-punch-li ne-to-panic.html. 
• Lewis, Michael. “Political Correctness (PC) - What It Means & How It's Evolved.” Money Crashers​, 25 Apr. 2019, ​www.moneycrashers.com/political-correctness/​.
• Mounk, Yascha. ‘’Large majorities dislike political correctness’, ​the Atlantic​, The Atlantic, 10 october 2018 
• Papenfuss, Mary. “Scarlett Johansson Says Gripes About Politically Correct Casting 'Taken Out Of Context'.” ​HuffPost​, HuffPost, 15 July 2019, www.huffpost.com/entry/scarlett-johansson-politically-correct-out-of-context_n_5d2c1 8a7e4b0060b11eed287. 
• http://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-problem-political-correctness_b_2746663
• http://www.moneycrashers.com/political-correctness/ 4