Inclusion or Criticism?

A look at Political Correctness in the Australian Media.

Courtesy of @tchickmcclure on Unsplash

Political correctness (PC) has had a lot of attention in the media during recent years with numerous public debacles. I’m sure you have heard it plenty of times in conversation and in the news where public figures are criticised for the words they choose. But what is it actually about?

Some have defined political correctness as “engaging in discourse in a way to minimise pushback or controversy” in order to be inclusive. Others define political correctness as a way for the “left wing to restrict debate and silence oppositions” and other unpopular beliefs. I believe that it is used in both manners.

Here we see it being used in the former with the different languages used to describe refugees.

The Australian Press Council recommends that journalists use the term “asylum seekers”, whilst the Howard government like to use “illegal maritime arrivals” and then there is Tony Abbott’s use of “boat people”.

Technically, they are all correct in the literal sense of the words. However, the connotations in the language used are often what is found to be offensive and criticised. In this case, it is often the belief behind the language used which two parties cannot agree. This sometimes results in the more powerful party denying another the right to freedom of speech i.e. the latter:

Courtesy of Vox

Language is important. But I think that it is more important to remember that meaning is added by the viewer or listener.

This simply means that everything is subjective; a person projects their beliefs and experiences onto every ‘text’ they encounter.

I find myself participating passively in conversation more often than not; simply listening and wondering how and if other opinions affect me. I am also observing as groupthink prevents some people from speaking up or presenting a confrontational point of view. It has made me aware of how easily someone — including myself, can contribute to the ‘spiral of silence’. A tendency that I believe can be harmful; if those who are listening never speak up, and those who are speaking are never challenged.

Which brings up an interesting point; there is much to be gained by listening and trying to understand another’s point of view.

If we take a step back to 10 years ago, in 2009, we were still using the song Baa Baa Black Sheep and Ring-a-Ring O’Rosy in schools and we could use the terms now deemed politically incorrect or offensive.

Historically, political correctness did not limit free speech in the way it does today. Instead, open discussion of controversial issues ultimately let to a change towards inclusivity. Change towards a more inclusive environment begins with acceptance i.e. accepting that not everyone is like you. According to scholar, Heidi Kitrosser, acceptance begins with toleration, and moves through legitimisation (talking about it) and finally to the realisation that we are all the same underneath.

The problem with political correctness today, is that the digital media environment has brought people from all stages of acceptance and dropped them in one big fish bowl expecting them to get along. Naturally, human beings believe what they know to be correct and struggle to believe that another can also be correct — it all comes down to perspective. Some people are in a more progressive state-of-mind because they have been exposed or have listened to different opinions, whilst others remain sheltered within their own belief system and are unable to consider that another might be correct.

Courtesy of eDeliberation

I think this relates to freedom of expression. Everyone has the right to express how they feel, regardless of whether or not their opinion aligns with yours. So should it be up to the viewer or listener to take a moment to understand the other’s point of view before attacking?

I think so. I strive to listen to others (even when they are speaking narrow mindedly) and to understand their perspective before judging or taking any action or replying. I think that this goes all the way back to a lesson I’m sure most us of were taught as children, ‘think before you speak’.

Courtesy of @jere_bare on Twitter

It really is a valuable lesson and I believe that it could stop things like this from happening…

Last year, a young American girl was torn to pieces online after wearing a Chinese gown to her formal — only to be supported by Chinese people in The South China Morning Post.

This became such a big issue, that now, one need only Google ‘girl in Chinese dress’ to see this story fill the entire first page of search results.

“In the world of political correctness there is no presumption of innocence, but only a hunger for targets.” — Roger Scruton

This quote from Roger Scruton speaks to issues of political correctness in the media environment we live in such as what was experienced in this example. Because in the end, it was just an American girl in a Chinese dress.

This kind of behaviour leads me to believe that we are no longer using political correctness to strive for inclusion, but instead, using it as a means to criticise any actions with which we do not agree with.