"PC is the wholesale replacement of rigorous thought with virtuous ideas and
behavior. In order to gain the upper hand on reason and analysis, PC relies on
two potent tactical weapons: pretense and dishonesty." Michael R. LeGault, Th!nk: Why Crucial Decisions Can't Be Made in the Blink of an Eye, (NY: Threshold Editions, 2006) 110.
The last, but certainly not the least, common thinking problem with MissLed women is
Politically Correct thinking. Political Correctness - PC - fosters the dangerous practice
of restraining speech. Any opinion or comment deemed as false, offensive, or other otherwise undesirable
is expected to be self-censored. Such thoughts are strongly discouraged - and any expression of
them is strictly prohibited. With PC, some terms are taboo. If referred to at all, taboo terms
are described as "unacceptable" or "inappropriate":
"Political correctness inculcates a sense of obligation or conformity in
areas which should be (or are) matters of choice. Nevertheless, it has
had a major influence on what is regarded as "acceptable" or "appropriate"
in language, ideas, behavioral norms, and values." David Conway, Anthony Browne,
The Retreat of Reason, (London: Institute for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 4.
Instead of providing open and honest communication, PC thinking substitutes an
approved vocabulary of correct terms for any terms that are deemed unacceptable
or inappropriate. In addition, PC euphemisms are used to refer both to
groups that are supposedly stigmatized and allegedly prejudicial practices.
MissLed women often unquestionably embrace, and even promote, the concept of PC. It appeals
to them because they misperceive it as benevolent. For them, PC is "fair," "inclusive," or
"sensitive." In truth, however, it is yet another form of evil - done in the name of good.
PC thinking encourages:
- Conformity in thought and action
PC thinking leads MissLed women toward conformity and away from critical thinking and
the open expression of frank opinions and ideas.
One of the most limiting aspects of PC lies how it restricts the range of acceptable thoughts. Any
ways of thinking that might challenge the powers that be are either verboten or, at a minimum,
marginalized. As a result, MissLed women who are PC-oriented unthinkingly conform - they sheepishly toe the party line.
In fact, when many Politically Correct statements are de-constructed, they can be clearly seen
as nothing more than vapid, feel good statements. Yet, they still appeal to MissLed women because
they are deemed safe - which allows them to avoid conflicts or having to stand out from the
crowd:
"...correctness brought conformity in accepting new agendas, new limits
on freedom of expression, and a general avoidance of certain controversial
topics." Geoffrey Hughes, Political Correctness: A History
of Semantics, (Oxford: John Wiley & Sons, 2010) 284.
"The Politically Correct are more intolerant of dissent
than traditional liberals or even conservatives...Those
who do not conform should be ignored, silenced, or vilified.
There is a kind of soft totalitarianism about Political Correctness."
David Conway, Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason,(London: Institute for
the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 2.
- Misplaced Feelings of Moral Superiority
For MissLed women, PC thinking feeds MissLed women's desire to see themselves as morally superior. They voice soothing sentences or write sweet sentiments to demonstrate how much they "care." Yet, while preaching compassion and "tolerance," they are, themselves often quite intolerant:
"The intolerant, sanctimonious moral superiority that
sustains the beliefs of the politically correct means that they
are easily offended by the views of others. There are few
as intolerant as those who preach tolerance. In contrast, if
your beliefs are upheld by reason and empiricism, then
opposing views don't offend you, they intrigue you." David Conway, Anthony Browne,
The Retreat of Reason, (London: Institute for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 26.
- Misperception of the World through rose-colored glasses
so engulfs someone's mind that they are unaware of it. If you wear rose-
tinted glasses long enough, it seems normal that the whole world
is rose." David Conway, Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason,(London: Institute for
the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 79.
- Wrongheaded and Misconceived classifications of "victims."
certain groups of people as victims in need of
protection from criticism, and which makes
believers feel that no dissent should be tolerated." David Conway,
Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason,(London: Institute for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 4.
- Blame Game
PC thinking tends to align with the famed philosopher Rousseau's view of humanity. Therein,
people in a state of nature are fundamentally good but that society has corrupted them. If "man is born free, yet everywhere in chains," it follows that somebody is to blame for their tragic plight (usually, white males). Political correctness, like Marxism which preceded it, is a blame
game. It theorizes that a conspiracy based on race (white), gender (male), sexual
persuasion (straight) and class (the capitalists) exploits, demeans, and abuses
everybody else. The consequences of these misplaced and foolish ideas resulting from PC thinking are widespread and deadly serious:
"Ideas have consequences, and the consequences of foolish ideas can be appalling."
John M. Ellis, Literature Lost: Social Agendas and the Corruption of the Humanities,
(Binghampton, NY: Vail-Ballou Press U., 1997) 164.
The serious consequences of MissLed women's PC thinking:
- Truth means less than "goodness."
- Dissent of PC Concepts is not tolerated.
- That which is "correct" and that which is "incorrect" are dictated.
- Topics are forbidden.
- People are afraid to speak up, or to state provocative opinions, for fear of being branded "racist, "sexist," "intolerant," or "judgmental."
tends to close their minds. Their thoughts are swayed toward feelings and away from clear
reasoning:
"Across much of the public sphere, it has replaced reason with emotion,
subordinating objective truth to subjective truth...Rather than opening
minds, it is closing them down...By closing down debates, it restricts
the ability to society to tackle the problems that face it." David
Conway, Anthony Browne, Retreat of Reason, (London: Institute
for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) xii-xiii.
Indeed, MissLed women's PC thinking and resultant support of PC concepts
is a threat to open-mindedness, men and women's
comfort with speaking freely, and liberal democracy:
"Those that do not conform (to PC) should be ignored, silenced
or vilified. There is a kind of soft totalitarianism about Political
Correctness." David Conway, Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason, (London: Institute
for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 2.
For some MissLed women (those who lack a personal ethical system or moral compass), such
PC thinking fills their moral vacuum:
"It is a belief system that echoes religion in providing ready, emotionally
satisfying answers for a world too complex to understand fully, and providing
a gratifying sense of righteousness absent in our otherwise secular
society." David Conway, Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason, (London: Institute
for the Study of Civil Society, 2006) 6.
Indeed, PC thinking also leads to avoiding discussion or argument about controversial
or provocative topics:
"We tend to shy away from discussion about "unpleasant" things.
The Gestapo-like, motherly dictum "Never talk about politics or
religion" has expanded to a more encompassing "Never risk venturing
beyond matter-of-fact observation and common anecdote." Michael R. LeGault, Th!nk: Why Crucial Decisions Can't Be Made in the Blink of an Eye, (NY: Threshold Editions, 2006) 110.
A final price of PC thinking is that, in PC land, women are largely immune from
being criticized by others - or, even more dangerously, from self-criticism:
"Any suggestion that women are co-architects of their unhappiness or failure
to prosper shall be deemed tantamount to misogyny, horizontal hostility, and
internal sexism. We're to ignore, deny, shift blame, and sweep all evidence of
internal thrashing under a rug of complacency. Play along, or you're anti-woman."
Kelly Valen, The Twisted Sisterhood: Unraveling the Dark Legacy of Female
Friendships, (NY: Ballentine Books, 2010) 13.
WHY DOES PC THINKING MATTER?
While PC terms often sound nontoxic and are lauded by many as sensitive and advantageous, they actually
hinder the ability to think.
PC thinking severely limits MissLed women's ability to express themselves openly
and effectively. For them, truth in thoughts or speech is too often sacrificed on the altar of being
non-offensive. What's needed is for everyone - including MissLed women - to feel
free to speak honestly and openly in private discussions and public debates. Speech is
best guided by sound arguments, founded in facts and reason. What is optimal is for
MissLed women to adjust their mindset from political correctness
to factual correctness. Otherwise, PC's emotionalism, dogmatism, and intolerance of dissent
will continue to dominate far too much private and public discourse.
"By its very nature, politically correct thinking is most often disingenuous, if not altogether
intellectually dishonest. Politically correct thinking replaces individuality and authentic opinions
with socially acceptable rhetoric and watered-down behavioral tendencies." "Politically Correct Leader? Oxymoron!" by Mike Myatt, 12/07/2011
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2011/12/07/politically-correct-leader-oxymoron/
In sum, those MissLed women who too often engage in politically correct thinking are sentenced to a life of mediocrity:
"More and more, large numbers of people substitute PC views, hard-line political ideology,
or cultish balderdash for hard-won knowledge and flexible, powerful reasoning and problem-solving
skills." Michael R. LeGault, Th!nk: Why Crucial Decisions Can't Be Made in the Blink of an Eye, (NY: Threshold Editions, 2006) 122.
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If MissLed women want to make good decisions, solve problems, and help to instigate benevolent
change, PC thinking and beliefs must be limited as much as possible:
"Being politically correct rarely solves problems – it exacerbates them. Real change, not the politically
correct version, is built upon seeking the truth, and not some watered-down version thereof. The first
step in solving problems is to deal in whole truths, not untruths or partial truths."
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"...by setting ground rules laying out the 'right' and 'wrong' way to think,
by short-circuiting free, open, rational debate, PC is undoing anything it could
do before it gets around to doing it." 108.
…In the past, the steady hand of a young woman’s mother and grandmother knew that her beauty was temporary,
and that the most seductive man was not the best husband, and they made sure that the girl was married
off to a boy with long-term durability. Now that this guidance has been removed from the lives of
young women, thanks to ‘feminism’, these women are proving to be poor pilots of their mating
lives who pursue alpha males until the age of 34-36 when her desirability drops precipitously
and not even beta males she used to reject are interested in her. This stunning plunge in her
prospects with men is known as the Wile E. Coyote moment, and women of yesteryear had many safety
nets that protected them from this fate. The ‘feminist’ media’s attempt to normalize ‘cougarhood’
is evidence of gasping desperation to package failure as a desirable outcome, which will never
become mainstream due to sheer biological realities…
PC thinking leads to PC speaking and writing. Within, any disparaging, "discriminatory," or words
and phrases deemed offensive are eliminated. Instead, a harmless vocabulary of bland terms and euphmemisms are substituted - at the expense of economy, clarity, and logic.
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Michael R. LeGault, Think, (NY:Threshold Editions, 2006)
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