I’ve always not liked being politically correct (PC). I may be alone in this, but to me, it seems more insulting to hide something obvious in the guise of being polite – because to me, it’s an act of pity, not sensitivity. Plus you’re still essentially still “saying” whatever it is you want to say. It’s “chocolate-covered horseshit” as it were.

I found it so hard to explain that perspective to other folks, but thanks to my recent searches for Louis CK’s skits (thanks to the previous post), said comedian has once again articulated my thoughts; of course it doesn’t stop there, but it’s a good place to start:

I still try to be PC for other people’s sake. But it’s not because I think it’s the “right” or “better” thing to do. I’ve always felt more “iffy” being PC than if I had just called them out with the real word I intended to use.

When I see some retarded kid… I try refer to them as “special” only if I think I’m in the company of uber-sensitive people (and if I remember to do so at that). Because my natural inclination is to simply call the condition for what it is: mental retardation. A person with mental retardation is retarded – simple as that. While I do admit [unapologetically] getting kicks out of using the concept in context of humor, I see no reason why I can’t also use it in a perfectly objective and serious manner without having to use euphemisms. Having to resort to such means that someone’s just too much of a pussy to face reality and deal with it.

Still, I try to accommodate the sensitive people if I can – but it’s not out of respect… on the contrary, it’s out of pity. To me sensitive people are either naive, or pussies (most of the time both) either way, they’re pathetic – end of story.

But lets not talk about people who get worked up for other people (don’t even get me started on those “care bears”) – lets focus on the people who actually matter; those with the conditions themselves. This is the thought that goes through my head when I try to be “sensitive:”

The poor fellow’s too spiritually/emotionally unstable that they cannot possibly cope with the condition they’re in – so we have to resort to euphemisms… even if we’re making the exact same point had we used either word.

So now, not only is the person in the inescapable “condition” they’re in, but we’ve “upped the ante” by thinking less of their ability to cope with their said condition. If that isn’t insulting, then I don’t know what is.

post updated on August 28, 2009 @ 8:56 am