PC is my least favorite term. "You can't say that!" "That's racist!" "That's so offensive!" and "OMG, we're in public -- watch what you say!" are all the common phrases I hear on a daily basis. Maybe I'm alone in this battle, but nevertheless, I am sick and tired of this nation's "political correctness" and believe it to be a load of crap. Being politically correct is being taken to a new extreme where ironically, I feel as though people are so concerned with what's coming out of their mouths for fear of "hurting someone's feelings" that it borderline limits regular dialect in daily life.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of political correctness is "agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people." While I do see the validity in the argument as to be conscious of your surroundings to not outwardly and purposefully offend people because that's a normal, decent thing to do, I have come to observe that more often than not, most things today that are not meant to be "offensive" are taken as just as that if nothing shy of being insensitive, rude, or racist. While the notion of being politically correct does not sit well with me, I am not saying to walk around dropping the "n-word," racial slurs, or homophobic comments just because you "have the freedom of speech." As a white woman, I feel like I can't say anything without being called a racist or ignorant. PC is coming to a point where even so much as stating someone's race can be deemed "racist." There's no denying that awkward pause in conversation if you state that someone is gay while you yourself, straight, just because you "might not want to seem offensive." Or stating that someone else is black, because should you have said "African- American" instead? People are derived from different ethnicities, cultures, lifestyles, and backgrounds. In my view, treating another person as subservient or less than human based on their race is racist, but observing differences among the population is not racism. Merriam Webster even provides a similar definition of racism stating that it is "poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race" or "the belief that some races of people are better than others." Yet for me to simply state that someone is black with no further implication most likely will induce cringe-worthy stares from some insinuating the "are you sure you want to say that publicly" look during a conversation. This is where political correctness becomes a full frontal issue.
The blurred lines of what is and what isn't racist, rude, insensitive, or homophobic have become muddied to a degree where everything today falls under the "offensive" category that may not necessarily have been considered to be offensive in our parents generation. And yes, I recognize and acknowledge that there have been plenty of social changes in society since 1950, but there is a significant difference in what was considered to be politically incorrect when our parents were in college as compared to what is considered politically incorrect to today's college students. This "awareness of others" is becoming a hotly debated issue nationwide implicating numerous universities throughout the states to create "safe zones," or areas designated to shelter individuals triggered by sensitive topics such as sexual assault or homophobia. As noted in the article "In College and Hiding From Scary Ideas," Judith Shulevitz cites universities such as Brown and Hampshire College where students have felt the need to either ban controversial speakers or require "safe zones" on campus for students who feel "distressed" by their discussion topics.
College is intended to be a place to expand your knowledge, learning, and life experience to become a more "well-rounded" person. The only way to shatter sheltered boundaries is to break them, which is why being politically correct and having these "safe zones" is absurd. One of the first things most students are told is that college is the "ultimate test of independence" or "mommy won't be there to set your alarm, pack your lunch, or make you go to class," and this is completely true for the non-commuting student. So if mommy won't be there to force you to go to class, she also won't be there to make you listen to a speaker who "distresses" you. Having room to run to because something makes you uncomfortable is asinine based on the premise that most times these speeches and public speakers aren't required to be listened to. There are no "safe zones" in the workforce, so there shouldn't be in college. Safe zones completely defeat the purpose of coming to a university and so does the effort of trying not to ever offend anyone.
UNCW hosts the infamous Brother Ross every year, and I am constantly baffled by the crowds of people who work themselves into tears voluntarily to "prove a point" to him. If you don't want to listen to an offensive speech or sensitive subject and it's not required, don't. It's very simple. With that said, even if there is a controversial speaker on your campus and you have to listen to something upsetting or that rubs you the wrong way, running to hide from it won't solve anything either. Avoiding topics that push you out of your comfort zone doesn't allow you to grow, even if it is "offensive" or uncomfortable to you. Becoming aware of people's ignorance can even be used as a learning experience. Being "politically correct" and oversensitive isn't the real world. While I may not have all too much life experience, I can guarantee that one day you might walk down a city street and people will talk about something that upsets or offends you and there won't be a "safe-zone" to run to.
So here's to all of my insensitive, offensive friends. Keep "offending" people with "insensitive" statements. Push people outside of their comfort zones. It's time to get over PC. Political correctness, paranoia, and running away from "touchy subjects" isn't real life and simply is just a load of BS. Now that wasn't very PC of me, was it?
