Question:
To those opposed to political correctness - do you think it is ok to offend people?
2007-08-01 12:14:09 UTC
I don't understand this big opposition to being PC. I'm not even sure what constitutes being PC.

If someone says something offensive, am I supposed to just smile and say "Yes, and your eyes go so well with your hair" or something vapid like that???
26 answers:
Acorn
2007-08-01 12:20:30 UTC
It's never ok to offend people.



But some people take offense at pretty harmless stuff.



That's what bugs some people about political correctness: it goes too far sometimes.



Once a hispanic guy was giving me sh*t about saying that my "husbear" is Mexican. He was all "It's HISPANIC!! MEXICAN is insulting!"



I said "Huh? He was born in Mexico, so he's Mexican! Please explain how that's insulting?"



He couldn't of course, but that just shows how political correctness is a good idea gone haywire.
2007-08-01 12:52:45 UTC
Honestly how many people define PC is going to far. PC, the way I see it, is being used to desensitize everything so all words used to describe most anything and everything will not offend anyone in anyway shape or form. IE dwarfs/midgets are referred to as vertically challenged.



I wont be PC because what is considered PC doesnt match my thought process. Example I use the word blacks when referring to that particular cultures ethnicity. I wont use African American EVER. Why? Because most blacks were born in the US and dont have duel citizenship in Africa. I have a couple caucasian friends from Africa that are must more African-American then the majority of the blacks in the US. If someone came up to me a said its offensive I explain my problem with their though process and then if they still have a problem I reply with get over yourself.



There really is such a thing as to PC and its pretty much at its peak now.



How I view things is if someone isn't using derogatory remarks and someone gets offended then that person needs to get over themselves.



The thing I find most offensive is a black who uses the N word habitually. I have fired a few and refused to hire some people because of that. The only other word I take offense to is ******. Everything else kinda just flies right by me.
geewillie
2007-08-01 12:52:31 UTC
PC has much more involved than simply not offending people. Often, the opinion that only a particular color or heritage of people can be allowed to say something for it not to be offensive is an opinion that is supported by PC.



PC doesn't protect everyone. Certain heritages are treated as if they are a blank slate that lacks a culture.



PC is about controlling what people say and creating political intrigue so that you can enter into a bout of character assassination. PC has developed out of the political BS game that pretends that politicians are squeaky clean. They aren't, so why should we participate in their BS story?
umwut?
2007-08-01 18:30:09 UTC
While it's nice to be polite and to not upset other people, there is a line that I feel people have drawn in the sand that is rediculously easy to cross. To those people, yes, I think it's okay to offend. In fact, it should be mandatory to offend people who are easily offended. It gives them cause to think.



Why should I have to dumb down myself to be PC? Why are more and more subjects so easily offensive? We weren't this way 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Why should we be now? People are too sensitive. We dance around too much just to make others happy.



If something offends me, that's my problem. Even if the person who offended me did it on purpose, it's still my problem. I alone allow others to offend me. Why should I blame others for my problem?



If someone offends you, say "Thank You" and move on. It may sting for a bit but you've just taken the wind out of the offender's sail AND empowered yourself.



Say NO to Political Correctness. It's bad.
Tom W
2007-08-01 12:23:30 UTC
Being politically correct is not necessarily not offending anyone. If your attitude about being politically correct is not offending someone, then you are constantly walking on eggshells. Be who you are. If you say something offensive to someone, be brave enough to acknowledge that you don’t understand why this particular word or particular words are offensive. Hopefully you can start the process of dialogue. Of course, this is in an ideal setting. In the real world, if someone says something that is offensive or un-PC, attempt to engage in a conversation to see where they are coming from before doing in in-depth dialogue. This way you can protect yourself from a**holes.
Dan S
2007-08-01 13:10:11 UTC
This is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Where EVERYONE is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, and has the freedom to express those beliefs and opinions. PC has become the means to squash and remove those rights from you. Liberal cry baby buttkissers have determined that if anyone for any reason is offended by your beliefs that you should refrain from stating those beliefs under any circumstances. And so far we are letting them get away with it!
crittersitterjenna
2007-08-01 12:21:08 UTC
I think political correctness is a contradiction of terms.

When someone in my presence says something offensive I respond by saying I thought that was an offensive statement. Sometimes I ask what they base the statement on from their experience, sometimes I just end the conversation and remove myself so I don't feed into it.
Ray T
2007-08-01 14:11:51 UTC
Do I offend people or is it their sense of what constitutes right and wrong that offends them? If I say s__t and you say defaecate where is my word worse than yours? It is only your ego that is telling you I am offensive, hence not as good as you. We are both talking about the same thing. What makes your word better than mine?



I hate political correctness a.k.a. hypocrisy with a passion. If I offend you realize it is actually you offending yourself and quietly go away or k.m.a.
GreenEyedLilo
2007-08-01 12:32:48 UTC
I saw something that really made me think--writer Robin Morgan, saying that "PC" really stands for "Plain Courtesy." I think it really upsets some people that they have to show Plain Courtesy to others, and that they can't call names or act like they're the only people who matter.



I don't think people need to go to silly extremes, but I do think the people who whine loudest about "political correctness" and their right to "tell the truth" think the "truth" is whatever mean or ugly or rude thing they can think up. I've seen that play out much too often. I'm tired of people who are so eager to tell their mean-spirited "truth" and denigrate any attempt at courtesy as "political correctness."
nottashygirl
2007-08-01 12:17:35 UTC
People get offended to darn easily these days. Yes, frankly, if you get offended by something, just ignore it and move on. People have gotten to be so sensitive to stuff that shouldn't really matter. I personally think it is a sign on lower selt esteem. I don't care what other people think, so I am not "offended" by the little things that a lot of people are.
©Diva©
2007-08-01 12:21:26 UTC
No matter if you are PC or not, it isn't nice to offend someone. If you don't fully know about someone, their culture, life etc.. you shouldn't say anything, especially if you know you have no clue to what you are talking about.





Yes, you are suppose to rise above the offensive insults, you will come off better in the long run.

I tend to say... "Bless Your Heart" while smiling....it can anything you want it to...
Tegarst
2007-08-01 12:19:26 UTC
PC has evolved over the last 10-20 years.



Initially PC meant supporting broad social, political, and educational change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.



imo, this was good.



Then it changed to encompass avoiding language that might offend anyone, especially with respect to gender, race, or ethnic background. This is when certain words suddenly became bad.



imo, this was silly.



♂♂
?
2016-10-13 13:29:05 UTC
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☮ wickey wow wow ♀♀
2007-08-01 12:24:13 UTC
I think the term PC has gone over the top. It's no longer PC to say Merry Christmas, you now should say Happy Holidays etc....getting offended is part of life and being offended is relative...ie, what may offend me may not offend you. There is no way for everyone to walk around eggshells around everyone.
luckygurl284
2007-08-01 12:25:27 UTC
So many people get offended too easily. If you don't like what people have to say, don't listen. Everyone will have something bad said about them in their lives. Why live your life for what others think??
phlada64
2007-08-01 12:19:20 UTC
I tried to be deliberately rude once to someone who was always offensive. It felt awful and I never did it again. I wonder if people who are rude all of the time ever feel bad about it. If someone says something rude to me I will usually call them on it. We do what we can.
IndyT- For Da Ben Dan
2007-08-01 12:40:20 UTC
I do try to avoid offending someone with inappropriate terms but there are times in which language that is "less than appropriate" is needed and I will use it.
2007-08-01 22:01:15 UTC
sorry but its out of hand completely .... begining to be a joke .... its censureship of what your thinking , they say everone is the same .... what a load of b.s. that is , you only have to open your eyes to see that we are not the same and never will be ..... yes we are all equal... but no ware near the same and its getting just as bad with the "racist" thing ...if your black your black , if your white your white ...yes ! so why is it called racist if you call a black man black? or a white man white ? when they are !!.... its called being very thin skinnned if you say that its racist
toff
2007-08-01 12:21:46 UTC
"PC" is a new sustitute word for what most of us used to simply call being polite. One can be honest and still attempt to use decent manners. I get so sick of hearing "that's so PC". We lose something important when we disparage simple manners. Call me old fashioned if you will, but I make no apology.
2007-08-01 12:22:38 UTC
I think that if something needs to be said then get it over with. There is no way to go through life without offending anyone.



I think sometimes you have to be blunt, get it over with, for the greater good.
2007-08-01 12:21:35 UTC
I can't imagine you ever being vapid. Nice pic, BTW
2007-08-01 12:20:32 UTC
Some people will be offended no matter WHAT you say. Frankly, I don't care if I offend you. The truth is the truth. If you can't handle that, that's YOUR problem, not mine.
Gaymes Last Orchestra
2007-08-01 12:26:32 UTC
That's the point, how long can you take the "turn the other cheek" attitude? How long can you stay "proper and acceptable"? Does there not come a breaking point, where you'd go 'snap, I don't agree with you!'
2007-08-01 12:18:20 UTC
I think that people are offended too easily. They invest too much value in petty things, like words (derogatory racial names, for example) and other things that they would be better off not worrying about.
Rainy
2007-08-01 12:17:58 UTC
I feel the whole pc thing is outa control we should except the fact everyone is different and they all have different opinions and live with it . .
2007-08-01 12:17:09 UTC
as long as its the truth, who cares. PC is so stupid. people shouldnt be afraid to say the truth and then get looked at as if it were wrong


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