Nighthawks Open Institutional Repository

Politically Correct or Partisan Crusade?: An Analysis of How PC Language Affects the National Political Dialogue

Library Technology Center 380

In today’s highly divisive political climate, hot-button issues and loaded language are tossed around by pundits and commentators with wild abandon. One such term is “political correctness,” which is generally defined as minimizing the usage of terms which may be objectionable to minority groups. Among the many polarizing aspects of political correctness is that it suggests there is one “correct” way to speak, as well as the term’s slightly mysterious Soviet origins. Newscasters on the left champion this phrase, praising fellow liberals for their careful consideration of diction. More conservative TV personalities, however, criticize political correctness as a barrier to free and open communication, and even denounce it as a form of censorship. This conflict is most prominent on college campuses, where professors are often overwhelmingly liberal, a trend which rarely reflects the students’ ideological makeup. While it would appear that being mindful with one’s terminology in reference to others can only be positive, conservatives do express valid concerns that the pressure to use politically correct speech can cause individuals to misrepresent their true beliefs or intentions, preventing crucial issues from being addressed accurately. While politically correct language may not be the perfect solution to social tension, individuals on both sides of the political spectrum must make a conscious effort to use language that is both respectful of others’ differences and representative of their true opinions, working to bridge the political divide with every sentence.