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From: barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Politically Correct?
Message-ID: <1055@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Jul-85 22:23:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames.1055
Posted: Mon Jul 22 22:23:30 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 07:35:24 EDT
References: <504@unisoft.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 31

>I don't know if this term has been
>discussed before, but I am interested in finding out what people mean when
>they say "politically correct."
>     Taking it at face value, without any cultural or political nuances
>I may be unaware of, the phrase seems nothing short of ludicrous.  How
>can anyone be "correct" when it comes to something so subjective as
>politics?

	I think you'll find there's often some intended irony in the
use of the phrase. Consider: in a totalitarian state, "politically correct"
makes perfect sense. It means you support the policies of the state.
By extension, "politically correct", in a free society, implies having
the political opinions you "ought" to have, according to the related
affiliations you have. Thus, supporting price supports to farmers is
politically correct for farmers; supporting the ERA is politically correct
for feminists.
	The irony comes from the implication that one's "politically
correct" opinions result from a desire to conform, rather than a well-
reasoned appraisal. For example, if I said Ms. X was in favor of
comparable worth legislation because it was "politically correct", I
would be implying that she supported it because she thought it was the
proper feminist position, and not because she had considered the issue
on its own merits. The above is, of course, only one example, and is
not meant to single out feminists.
	Any other opinions?

-  From the Crow's Nest  -                      Kenn Barry
                                                NASA-Ames Research Center
                                                Moffett Field, CA
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