Post: #1

In an interview with Front Page Magazine one Dr. Theodore Dalrymple notes that:

Quote:Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.

This quote struck a chord with me, because this is how I feel all the time. However I never get the sense that the majority of people feel this way. Even my closest friends and family, the people who are most open and honest with me, generally seem to believe most of the PC nonsense shoved down their throats. Some may quibble with one or two tenants of political correctness here and there, but I can't think of many who think the whole thing is a bunch of nonsense. Most people don't have firm convictions on the nature of reality and just follow whatever the dominant stream of thought in their community seems to be. Of course many of us will probably agree that PC propaganda doesn't actually convince us but rather seems as a lie being shoved down society's throats. Yet do any of think most people feel this way? In my experience at least, for the big majority it seems like political correctness has effectively convinced them to accept its tenants as righteous and true.

Post: #2

Maybe, but Political Correctness gives even ordinary people power, provided they are prepared to be like the boy who pointed out that the Emperor was wearing no clothes, power. I call it reality arbitrage. If most people are "forced" to believe nonsense all the more power to the person who is closer to the truth, and acts accordingly.

In real life though most people don't believe any of it. Of course they claim to, but observing their actions will show you what they believe.

Post: #3

(06-02-2015 11:55 AM)Bad Hussar Wrote:  Maybe, but Political Correctness gives even ordinary people power, provided they are prepared to be like the boy who pointed out that the Emperor was wearing no clothes, power. I call it reality arbitrage. If most people are "forced" to believe nonsense all the more power to the person who is closer to the truth, and acts accordingly.

In real life though most people don't believe any of it. Of course they claim to, but observing their actions will show you what they believe.

Very true on both fronts.

Post: #4

(06-02-2015 11:55 AM)Bad Hussar Wrote:  Maybe, but Political Correctness gives even ordinary people power, provided they are prepared to be like the boy who pointed out that the Emperor was wearing no clothes, power. I call it reality arbitrage. If most people are "forced" to believe nonsense all the more power to the person who is closer to the truth, and acts accordingly.

In real life though most people don't believe any of it. Of course they claim to, but observing their actions will show you what they believe.

"Maybe, but Political Correctness gives even ordinary people power..."

...and then takes it right away the second they slip up and accidentally say something sexually or racially incorrect. Those who live by the sword often die by it too.

Post: #5

I agree with all of what Dalrymple says but he forgot to add something to the following: "the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate".

Or create a THREAT of humiliation. If you espouse a politically IN-correct view, or otherwise step out of line, you will be subjected to humiliation, degradation, ostracization and other exclusions by the good-thinkers. That's what the modern day "twitter-mob" is all about. Someone commits "thought-crime" and they pile on. Often being as vile as possible in the process. The message is, "don't step out of line or deviate, lest the same happen to you".

Post: #6

Quote:When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself.

Quote:Moreover, no decent person can be other than a feminist.

Post: #7

Another good explanation of PC that I've heard is to stifle problem solving by eliminating open, honest communication.

For example, PC just serves to divide black and white further because there is no allowable genuine discussion of race. At least from the white side.

Post: #8

(06-02-2015 11:35 AM)Sonsowey Wrote:  In an interview with Front Page Magazine one Dr. Theodore Dalrymple notes that:

Quote:Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.

This quote struck a chord with me, because this is how I feel all the time. However I never get the sense that the majority of people feel this way. Even my closest friends and family, the people who are most open and honest with me, generally seem to believe most of the PC nonsense shoved down their throats. Some may quibble with one or two tenants of political correctness here and there, but I can't think of many who think the whole thing is a bunch of nonsense. Most people don't have firm convictions on the nature of reality and just follow whatever the dominant stream of thought in their community seems to be. Of course many of us will probably agree that PC propaganda doesn't actually convince us but rather seems as a lie being shoved down society's throats. Yet do any of think most people feel this way? In my experience at least, for the big majority it seems like political correctness has effectively convinced them to accept its tenants as righteous and true.

Whether PC alters what people consider to be true varies from person to person. Its effects on ideology are debatable.

However, it's ability to dissuade people from fighting for Truth is undeniable. Loads of people don't buy into the crap, but very few will actually speak out against it, even fewer when there's any tangible risk involved.

Post: #9

As a follow-up, here's another insightful article on our modern day pc culture:
http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/08/how-...qus_thread

Post: #10

This is an excellent lecture given by Dalrymple on multiculturalism generally, but specifically about rights and what the obsession with rights does to people.

I think it fits into this thread because the message is in the same spirit of this thread, that political positions are seldom what they claim to be.

So, just as political correctness is really an attempt to persuade, seeking rights is really, and I find this insight incredibly deep, an attempt to assign responsibilities to other people.

Not going to ruin a superb video by explaining more.