Political Correctness Essay Research Paper Political CorrectnessThis

Political Correctness Essay, Research Paper

Political CorrectnessThis is an English exam paper prepared for the EVU2ADM/+K course at Niuernermik Ilinniarfik, Nuuk. The main topic of this paper is the USA, and I have chosen to concentrate on the issue political correctness. My purpose with this paper is, by giving examples, to shed some light on how the use of a certain kind of language can affect the public opinion, and how this – via political correctness – is actually happening in today s America. I will try to answer the following questions about political correctness; what is political correctness. why political correctness. how is political correctness expressed.What is political correctness.Most people have a more or less vague idea of what political correctness means but apart from being a buzzword in the last 10 years what is political correctness actually. In other words what is the fundamental concepts of the expression.Why political correctness.The opinion of the famous writer George Orwell was that by controlling the use of languages, the certain codes used to express consciousness, one is able to control the thinking process itself. This opinion is expressed as the concept Newspeak in his book 1984 ;”The purpose is not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper, but to make all other modes of thought impossible. It is intended that when adopted a heretical thought should be literally unthinkable, at least so far as thought is dependent on words.”(Based on Orwell’s 1984 appendix On the Principle of Newspeak )Is political correctness a way of controlling the code and the ethic form used in the thinking process and eventually in that way what is being thought of in that code, i.e. language similar to the Orwellian Newspeak. What is the purpose of political correctness.How is political correctness expressed.In what ways does political correctness refer to modern people s daily life in the American society. How does political correctness come into view in the public opinion. There have always been changes in the English language. This is how the language came about and evolved from standard British English to American English.During the last few years, as the world is becoming more sensitive to the rights of minorities, women, animals, etc. a new form of changes has taken place. These changes have become known as political correctness (PC).Although PC has excited more debate than almost any other philosophical issue in recent years only a very small amount of written material apart from newspaper articles about this subject has reached Greenland so far. This, because PC is a rather new and, first and foremost, an almost all American phenomenon. The majority of the material collected for this paper consists consequently of various newspaper articles. I would like to mention the following newspapers:The Federalist Paper, PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly. The newspaper articles have given me an impression of how certain celebrities interpret the concept of PC. Furthermore the internet newsgroup (an electronic written discussion forum) “alt.political.correctness” has been of incredible help, giving me an understanding of the fundamental concepts of PC together with a view of opinions on the subject by some common Americans. I have picked up a selection of the most humorous messages and enclosed these as a supplement to this paper. Finally the books “The closing of the American mind” and “The politically correct phrasebook” have been of use. The first by giving an explanation of the historical background that made PC come into existence, the latter by further deepening my understanding of the essential idea behind PC.What does the concept PC actually mean.There are very different opinions on what the concept of PC actually does express. According to the politically correct [aware | oriented | conform | saved], political correctness is merely good sense and openness to others. Political correctness emphasizes virtue, having tolerance and respect as its foundation. The virtuous member of the PC community must be unprejudiced towards all ethnic, racial, religious and sexual groups, especially if they differ from one’s own and particularly those which are neither Western, nor male in their makeup. In effect, PC morality is a sort of passive and moderated application of Christian love to various groups that for some reason or other are unable to speak up for themselves. Opponents on the other hand, fear that such a conforming ideology threatens freedom of expression and amounts to political censorship. Let us hear the viewpoint of an opponent, a famous American actor:”In my own life, I have a code of ethics, I know where I draw the line between right and wrong. Politically correct is a small group of people trying to tell other people how you should live your life, I have rebelled against that from the time I was 12 years old. People were saying, `Oh, here’s another actor that has some point of view.’ Well, I never spoke as an actor. I spoke as a highly regarded taxpayer. Last year I paid more money than Bill Clinton ever paid in his whole life! In one year! And, as such, I feel I have a right to complain or applaud or say whatever the hell I want to.”(Bruce Willis Copyright 1995, Entertainment Weekly, Inc.)Opponents furthermore accuse the PC movement of being hypocritical, and of outright ignorant misrepresentation and corruption of concepts:”Poli