It has long since come to my attention that we, as a society, have gone crazy. I understand this statement is almost the same as proclaiming that earth worms do not spend much money on shoes. Or that if you turn the calculator upside down, it makes boobless funny words. I get it. It’s obvious to anyone with half a brain that society as a whole is officially losing it. But why would anyone have something against political correctness? It’s one of the good things in society, right?
I understand that the heading seems like it has jumped off the page of a Daily Mail article. But have we seriously come to a point where we are managing to cause stress, awkward moments and offence by using the positive aspects of society? But the point I am trying to make today is that we, as a society, perhaps have taken political correctness slightly too far. Please don’t take it the wrong way. Being of Asian descent, “What’s up, curry muncher,” is not necessarily my preferred greeting. But we ought to have some leeway. Or perhaps even guidelines to explain what is acceptable, and what is the ultimate taboo.
PC gone horribly wrong
Allow me to explain where my frustrations have arisen from. I once worked in a lovely little (and rather expensive) clothing store called Hobbs. A lady had come in to pay for clothes that my colleague had helped her pick out the day before. As I put the items through check out, and handed her bags to her, she said, “Oh, you will thank that girl for helping me, won’t you?” I said, “Of course! Who was it who helped you?” She looked around, and upon not seeing the particular girl, said “Oh dear, I don’t remember her name.” So I said, “No problem, there are only 8 of us who work here, what does she look like?” Now, at this point, her pupils dilated, sweat visibly appeared across her brow, and she was shuffling her feet nervously. As she leaned in, I felt as though I was being let in on the truth behind the assassination of JFK. I leant closer to her and heard her whisper… “The black girl.”
Seriously? We are not allowed to say black any more? Next thing you know, we’ll be singing “Twinkle twinkle slightly under average sized star,” lest we offend those who are slightly vertically challenged. Or perhaps change the LBD (Little Black Dress) to an LAAD (Little African American Dress). I’m up for playing things safe. But perhaps sometimes we play it too safe, to the extent that we perhaps cause more offence than prevent it.
