It wasn’t easy to log into any form of social media this year without seeing somebody share an article, post a status or write a snide comment about the lack of political correctness in society. I get it, you’re offended. She’s offended. EVERYONE’S offended. Someone offered you a “Merry Christmas,” when you don’t celebrate it. How dare they? Those red holiday coffee cups aren’t “Christmas-y” enough for you? I guess you’ll have to post a six paragraph Facebook status about it and let everyone know!
I get it, trust me. We all get it.
2016 was the year where everybody got a trophy. College students could find their safe spaces and the words “no offense” disappeared from the vocabulary of those around me. Walking on egg shells has become easier than daring to give an honest opinion. Constructive criticism is considered passing unnecessary judgment. If you don’t like what someone is saying, they can be blocked with the tap of a finger. Life has been made easy, but being politically correct isn’t.
Political Correctness comes with the pressure not to offend anyone, but that’s an impossible feat to accomplish. Oftentimes, with misuses of words that don’t carry enough sensitivity, a relationship or career can be destroyed. Instead of fishing for the positive in a conversation, society is digging for the negative and takes every insult to heart. You don’t brush it off, because you don’t want to. Having something to be upset about and protest is all the rage.
So, should we look back at George Washington and ignore all of his accomplishments because he was a slave owner? Should we blame slavery on him? Where those who are obsessed with political correctness are concerned, his flaws outweigh his achievements. This is how political correctness becomes problematic – blame is placed too readily and confidently on those who might not deserve it. Nobody is perfect and although that lesson doesn’t excuse poor behavior, it does apply to every person on this earth.
I truly understand why being political correct is a relative thing, but we aren’t in kindergarten anymore. I’ve had enough “he said, she said” for a lifetime, and I don’t need it in my adult life. When I’m talking to my friends, teachers and co-workers, I should not have to think long and hard about the things I say before I say them. They should know I’m not trying to offend them, just as I know they are not trying to offend me. Even if I do take offense, I’ve grown enough thick skin over the years to move on – because that’s life.
Society’s entitlement has got to go and oversensitivity is nobody’s problem but our own. We can’t change the things people say or how they say them, but we can change how we react to them. Nobody is going to be politically correct all time – we have to stop expecting this. What we should expect is for strangers to be decent human beings and polite enough not to offend us… but if they do, we get over it and move on with our lives.
