Re: MD Political Correctness

From: Ian Glendinning (ian@psybertron.org)
Date: Mon Aug 30 2004 - 19:32:53 BST

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    Ant,
    I think things have moved on
    since DMB's reaction to my use of the word ...

    I guess I was talking about PC-gone-mad, extreme-PC.
    The "term" PC is certainly pejorative
    and left-wing politically motivated in its origins,
    and has therefore may have become a blight in itself.

    Anyway the "term" PC was never the point.
    As we have discoverd since, I simply meant
    "the all-dominating prevailing paradigm for rationale"

    Ian

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: <ant.mcwatt@ntlworld.com>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 5:25 PM
    Subject: MD Political Correctness

    > David Buchanan stated August 29th 2004:
    >
    > > The right has
    > > been using political correctness as a rhetorical bludgeon the left for
    at
    > > least a decade. It's all part of the angry-white-men thing. Apparently,
    lots
    > > of conservatives are upset that its no longer socially acceptable to
    refer
    > > to black people as "niggers" and such. Isn't it ironic that they feel
    > > oppressed by the demand that they stop oppressing others?
    >
    >
    > Ant McWatt comments:
    >
    > Just to add to David's comment here, I would certainly be interested in
    discovering the history of the term "political correctness". As a student
    of mine once remarked, it was probably just invented by a spin-doctor with
    right-wing sympathies to undermine non-conservative views. It is a process
    of stigmatisation employed by politicians or other commentators to avoid
    having a full and proper debate with views they seek to denigrate. As such,
    I'd definitely agree with the sentiment that the use of the term "political
    correctness" is a blight on [the] intellect.
    >
    > For anyone who wants to explore further this "angry-white-men" thing with
    being "PC" may I recommend Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men" published by
    Penguin in 2001 and my present read of choice, Bill Hick's "Love All the
    People" (published this year) which contains a number of his previously
    unpublished letters and manuscripts. Here is a section from a letter to a
    priest who complained to Hicks about one of his TV shows:
    >
    > "Dear Mr Christian...
    >
    > If comedy is an escape from anything, it is an escape from illusions. The
    comic, by using the Voice of Reason, reminds us of our True Reality, and in
    that moment of recognition, we laugh, and the reality of the daily grind is
    shown for what it really is - unreal... The audience is relieved to know
    they're not alone in thinking, 'This bullshit we see and hear all day makes
    no sense. Surely I'm not the only one who thinks so. And surely there must
    be an answer.' Good comedy helps people know they're not alone. Great
    comedy provides an answer."
    >
    > And, if no-one has seen it yet, Moore's recent movie, "Fahrenheit 9-11" is
    even more of an eye opener than his books. It is certainly a great comedy
    in Hick's understanding of the term!
    >
    > Best wishes,
    >
    > Anthony.
    >
    >
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