politically correct

[schmevil]

Today I want to talk about one of my pet peeves: equating anti-oppression efforts with political correctness.

Feminism, anti-racism, LGBTQ activism and all anti-oppression efforts are part of a fundamentally rights seeking, justice seeking movement. They are socially revolutionary, not reformist. There is a radical core to them that can't live and let live. Can a feminist shrug off misogyny as someone "looking at things differently"? Can an anti-racist shrug off racism? (Haters gonna hate). Of course not.

Anti-oppression efforts are not politically correct; most of the time they're politically wrong. Politics is fundamentally about expediency, it's a deal-making game. It's how we negotiate competing demands, needs, ideologies and somehow make a society work. Anti-oppression efforts are a call for justice. Anti-oppression is not about "getting something for yours". It's about identifying a lack, an injustice in the fabric of society: an unrepresented, oppressed group that must make a place for itself, make it's voice heard, however it can. Anti-oppression efforts are radical politics.

Political correctness is a measure of how "good on the issues" a politician (or ordinary citizen) is on the hot topics of the day. Are you with the prevailing consensus on labour unions? Then you're politically correct. It's got nothing to do with progressiveness, or anti-oppression. Both of those are too far afield to ever be politically correct because the epicenter of public opinion is the only 'right' place to be. It's about fashion. It is no longer fashionable to be racist, sexist or ableist. And so you are no longer racist, sexist or ableist, because it is the 'right' thing to do.

Anti-oppression efforts manifest in more and less radical ways. General strikes, civil disobedience, employment equity legislation: these are all tactics adopted by anti-oppression movements. Whether striking or bargaining, the core message does not change: There is a wrong and we're damn well going to right it. The core message of the fashionable radical is LIKE ME LIKE ME LIKE ME, and for that reason, is damn easy to spot.

You know those "I judge you" secrets on F!S? If you equate anti-oppression efforts with political correctness, I judge you.

Comments

[dirty_diana]

There are a lot of other euphemisms for -isms/-phobias but this is my least favourite, ugh. It's just code for, "this is not important and I wish you would shut up about it". As usual.

[schmevil]

On the LJ mirror post, Jazzypom mentioned the "oppression Olympics" in relation to this. More code for shut up. :(

[mecurtin]

I find your post somewhat confusing, because there are at least two different uses of "politically correct" out there, and I can't always tell which one you're using or referring to in any given sentence in the post.

1. "Politically correct" = scrupulously dedicated to enforcing their party's party line. So for instance, Oklahoma Republicans who are "of course" opposed to public abortion funding are being politically correct, for their milieu. This is the original meaning, used by leftists about other leftists in the 70s.

2. "Politically correct" = polite and considerate. Used by people who are proud of being rude and inconsiderate, especially toward people their parents didn't feel obliged to be polite to.

sorry for the late reply!

[schmevil]

My sloppy writing strikes again. :/

I was aiming for politically correct, as in: Towing the party line but not seeming to just tow. Not just limited to politicians, but seen also in ordinary people wanting to seem on side. The politeness issue is tied in insofar as saying politically incorrect things upsets people, and therefore erodes one's social capital. It's not even an effort to be polite, so much as an effort to keep people from thinking ill of you.

Does that clear things up, or make my point even murkier?

[kennahijja]

Hmmm... Correct me if I'm wrong, but your definition of 'politically correct' seems to equate it with 'political' or 'in accordance with the prevailing consensus' (which, in itself, is a problem - the prevailing consensus among the political elites, or among the population as a whole?).

There are definitely overlaps, I think. Political speech tends to be 'politically correct' inasfar as not to give any sort of point for attack to political opponents/media/intellectual elites. I would limit this to 'speech' alone, because there's a lot of 'politically correct' language that doesn't seem to be reflected in corresponding political 'activity'. Does that make sense?

In a way, I tend to define political correctness as lingo jogging after anti-oppression efforts without being accompanied by action. But then, of course, there's another definition of political correctness that I've seen, which equates it with basic politeness and respect for others?

[schmevil]

In a way, I tend to define political correctness as lingo jogging after anti-oppression efforts without being accompanied by action.

That's a great definition!

I'm still fuzzy on how politeness and political correctness got so tied up, unless it has something to do with the "at least be considerate enough not to use terms that offend and hurt" strategy... Politeness as a response to oppression and discrimination strikes me as weak, though.

Political speech tends to be 'politically correct' inasfar as not to give any sort of point for attack to political opponents/media/intellectual elites. I would limit this to 'speech' alone, because there's a lot of 'politically correct' language that doesn't seem to be reflected in corresponding political 'activity'. Does that make sense?

Yes, and I take your point here. I didn't mean to suggest that political correctness was limited to 'political' activity, or the sphere of politics, capital p. I do think though, that political dramas are great foils for what goes on in smaller, private communities like fandom. There's the same towing of the party line. The same jockying for position in the party. I'm not sure if this says more about the political sphere, or about fandom. ;)