A Politically Correct and Sugar-Coated Society

[Mental]

Do you think we live in a society that has become too political correct and to an extent.. sugar-coated?

By this I mean, are many of us so sugar-coated and/or afraid to offend people that sometimes the hard truth just doesn't get out? We've become so afraid of offending groups of people that we've come up with politically correct terms, procedures or policies, that are backfiring on us?

I think, yes. For example, it's not "right" to call fat people fat, so they've come up with all kinds of terms to try and take away the offensive feeling in it - i.e. horizontally challenged, big boned, etc. But in reality, all these other terms are equally offensive.

Schools also tell all kids that they're all equal, special, fine, etc. But is this 100% the reality? Do we sugar-coat kids? They're told they can be whatever they want to be, but yet not so many teachers seem keen on informing the kids on the harsh reality of the world - such as mass competition for jobs/careers/career schools/colleges/universities/etc and that the "acceptable grades" they worked so hard to achieve may simply not be good enough, and you really do need that line of A's and A*'s to stand a chance?

Do you believe if a study were to reveal that one race is superior to others, should it be allowed to be released to the public? Or would this offend too many people? What if they found out things like homosexuality was a mental disorder, or that homosexuality increased chances of certain diseases or cancers?

This is quite a large topic, and I'm only intending to provoke thought, and not to offend anyone, as a lot of this isn't really my view. :D

[INFERNO]

Do you think we live in a society that has become too political correct and to an extent.. sugar-coated?

Somewhat yes in that we create terms that beat around the bush to describe something. For example, it's more politically correct to say people are height challenged as opposed to midgets or people require physical assistance instead of crippled, or well-seasoned instead of old.


By this I mean, are many of us so sugar-coated and/or afraid to offend people that sometimes the hard truth just doesn't get out? We've become so afraid of offending groups of people that we've come up with politically correct terms, procedures or policies, that are backfiring on us?

Agreed. When someone tries on some clothes and asks for your opinion, chances are they're not really asking you to tell them if they look fat or if the dress they love looks like something that came out of a trashcan but rather they want positive feedback on what they're wearing. They want re-assurance even if it means you have to lie to them.


Schools also tell all kids that they're all equal, special, fine, etc. But is this 100% the reality? Do we sugar-coat kids? They're told they can be whatever they want to be, but yet not so many teachers seem keen on informing the kids on the harsh reality of the world - such as mass competition for jobs/careers/career schools/colleges/universities/etc and that the "acceptable grades" they worked so hard to achieve may simply not be good enough, and you really do need that line of A's and A*'s to stand a chance?

Many parents I've seen do sugar-coat kids and have over-emphasis on "hurting one's feelings". I understand not purposely insulting someone but saying something in a different way so as to not offend someone yet carry the same meaning can get a bit ridiculous. That said, I don't think young kids should be told of the harshness of the real world, that should wait until later grades (i.e. high-school). Throughout school they should definitely be encouraged to do their best though. The reason I say this is that if we tell kids below high-school level about the mass competition for university, college, careers and so forth, it could lower their drive for success. Once in high-school, especially towards the end years, this reality is already known so telling it to the students isn't a large shock.


Do you believe if a study were to reveal that one race is superior to others, should it be allowed to be released to the public?

I suppose it would depend on the dimensions studied. Technically, these studies already exist, such as the numerous studies documenting how Asian countries, such as Japan have students who are much more competent in mathematics than American students for the same age and grade level. There can be others also, such as some Africans having resistance to sickle-cell anemia. However, if it was something such as "race A is superior to race B due to the effects of their religious beliefs", that's something I'm sure, whether true or not, would likely start a large controversy. So it depends on what and how the study measures.


What if they found out things like homosexuality was a mental disorder, or that homosexuality increased chances of certain diseases or cancers?

Already occurred and still is. In the DSM-II I believe, homosexuality was considered a mental illness and recently, there's been grants to study how homosexuality is a mental illness.

[2D]

In a short answer, yes. I would elaborate but you can just read the post above mine. Sums up all my views.

[galen]

My POV is Harmony > Cold Truth. There is no need to intentionally piss someone off when you can make your point while taking care of that person's emotions.

[INFERNO]

My POV is Harmony > Cold Truth. There is no need to intentionally piss someone off when you can make your point while taking care of that person's emotions.

Unfortunately, this brings up a problem in that although using common-sense you can know what is likely to piss off many people, you cannot know all the time whether something will offend someone and so you'd have to be so cautious about saying anything. I think it's suitable to use common-sense and curtousy for taking care of one's emotions and anything beyond that, if need be, may be settled after you've said something. That way, it's somewhat sugar-coated and it's out in the open so there's no need to dance around what it is you wish to say by excessively sugar-coating it, so the only issue that may be present is the person being emotionally hurt. I think that's a bit better than being so cautious about saying anything because you don't need to distort the view (i.e. if you try to sugar-coat something but don't know the proper words so the meaning gets distorted).

[Evermore]

You know it's actually no longer politically correct to say that someone is politically correct? They are socially sensitive.

Pardon my french but everything in my opinion relating to being politically correct is bullshit. Now of course if you go out and purposely say things to get people mad you're being immature and not very many people will like you. But I believe in freedom of speech.

The asian countries are ahead of us not because of their race but because of their education.

Kids around middle school age should be aware of the harshness of the real world and america really should get rid of their no child left behind school rule.

Just my opinions.

[littlerascal]

Yes...

Political correctness offends me...it limits my freedom of speech.

People are just way to damn sensitive about everything...it annoys me. I'm fat...I know it...I accept it...I really don't give a shit if you call me fat...my friends do all the time. I'm working out and doing something about it...not bitching because somebody hurt my feelings.

[Sapphire]

By this I mean, are many of us so sugar-coated and/or afraid to offend people that sometimes the hard truth just doesn't get out? We've become so afraid of offending groups of people that we've come up with politically correct terms, procedures or policies, that are backfiring on us?Just because bureaucrats tell us what can/can't be said/done because it may offend others doesn't mean you have to. Only very rarely will you come across someone who will have such a huge problem with the use of the word "fat" or the consumption of pork that they try to impose it on others.

Last summer the Home Office released a booklet on do's and don't's around Muslim colleagues during Ramadan which included things like not eating in front of them. Muslim communities and societies actually spoke up about this booklet and made it known that they had no problem with colleagues eating in front of them or anything else that had been contained within the booklet.

A lot of the time, people dismiss politically correct terminology and action because it is just thought up by people with nothing better to do with their time and not because it causes significant problems.

They're told they can be whatever they want to be, but yet not so many teachers seem keen on informing the kids on the harsh reality of the world - such as mass competition for jobs/careers/career schools/colleges/universities/etc and that the "acceptable grades" they worked so hard to achieve may simply not be good enough, and you really do need that line of A's and A*'s to stand a chance?Are humans not all equal? Yes, we differ in abilities but no one human is of more worth than another. So, what is wrong with children learning about this universal equality?

Why should children learn about "the harsh reality of the world" when they are young and it has so little impact on their lives at that point?
Impress upon many teenagers the competition for universities/work and it doesn't really work - so why would it work with younger children?

Do you believe if a study were to reveal that one race is superior to others, should it be allowed to be released to the public? Or would this offend too many people? What if they found out things like homosexuality was a mental disorder, or that homosexuality increased chances of certain diseases or cancers?I'll just say this then I'll address your hypothetical scenarios.
Scientific studies are not political and the hiding of scientific findings for political reasons is not acceptable.

One race may be superior in one area but it doesn't mean that they are of more worth than the others, so why should it even be considered that the results be kept private?
There is no real evidence that homosexuality is a mental disorder. But, if there were then it should be published. It would not make me comfortable and I would have big issues with it. But they are personal issues and science cannot progress if we deny findings that challenge our understanding.
Homosexuality has been linked with an increased risk of dying from certain cancers and I believe the reason is that they are less likely to get check ups.

Agreed. When someone tries on some clothes and asks for your opinion, chances are they're not really asking you to tell them if they look fat or if the dress they love looks like something that came out of a trashcan but rather they want positive feedback on what they're wearing. They want re-assurance even if it means you have to lie to them.If a friend asks for your opinion on clothes they are trying on then that is what they want. They want reassurance that they won't be buying something that makes them look undesirable.

Many parents I've seen do sugar-coat kids and have over-emphasis on "hurting one's feelings". I understand not purposely insulting someone but saying something in a different way so as to not offend someone yet carry the same meaning can get a bit ridiculous.Being considerate of ones friends and their feelings isn't ridiculous.
It's like if you have a friend who constantly calls people c*nts and you can't stand the word. It is not ridiculous for them to restrain themselves from using that word when around you.

There is no need to intentionally piss someone off when you can make your point while taking care of that person's emotions.
I agree wholeheartedly.

[INFERNO]

If a friend asks for your opinion on clothes they are trying on then that is what they want. They want reassurance that they won't be buying something that makes them look undesirable.

True, they want reassurance on that but if I find the clothing ugly as much as they may like it, I'm going to tell them I don't quite care for it. Granted I'm not going to go all-out and insult them for picking the clothes or the clothes themselves but I certainly will tell them it does not look good from my view.


Being considerate of ones friends and their feelings isn't ridiculous.
It's like if you have a friend who constantly calls people c*nts and you can't stand the word. It is not ridiculous for them to restrain themselves from using that word when around you.

This isn't exactly what I meant but looking back, my wording was pretty poor. What I meant was, it's fine to sugar-coat something if it means not insulting the person but when it comes to sugar-coating so much that the meaning of what is intended is so ambiguous or just gets lost, then that is what I don't support. With regard to parents, the point was they sometimes scold their children when the kid tells someone something in the nicest way they know how (assuming they tried to do so) yet the person still gets offended. The parent then tells the child to be nicer and essentially to sugar-coat it even more, and the only way the kid may know how is to beat-around-the-bush and the meaning of the information is so distorted the listener is confused what is meant. However, this uncertainty is done at the expense of having the listener's emotions less hurt.

[Sapphire]

True, they want reassurance on that but if I find the clothing ugly as much as they may like it, I'm going to tell them I don't quite care for it. Granted I'm not going to go all-out and insult them for picking the clothes or the clothes themselves but I certainly will tell them it does not look good from my view.I agree and I do the same. This is what I want when I ask someone about what I've tried on and so this is what I give when someone asks for my opinion.

This isn't exactly what I meant but looking back, my wording was pretty poor. What I meant was, it's fine to sugar-coat something if it means not insulting the person but when it comes to sugar-coating so much that the meaning of what is intended is so ambiguous or just gets lost, then that is what I don't support. With regard to parents, the point was they sometimes scold their children when the kid tells someone something in the nicest way they know how (assuming they tried to do so) yet the person still gets offended. The parent then tells the child to be nicer and essentially to sugar-coat it even more, and the only way the kid may know how is to beat-around-the-bush and the meaning of the information is so distorted the listener is confused what is meant. However, this uncertainty is done at the expense of having the listener's emotions less hurt.Ok, I see where you are coming from.
I don't see this type of thing (meaning being distorted in an attempt to not offend) going on much at all tbh with you.

[Strength]

political correctness is anti freedom of speech. its in place to silence the left wings oppenants.

[INFERNO]

Ok, I see where you are coming from.
I don't see this type of thing (meaning being distorted in an attempt to not offend) going on much at all tbh with you.

I don't see every parent doing it but in high-school, I saw lots of parents doing this to their kids, all of whom were well below high-school level.