The effects of PC on behavior

This research paper would focus on the effects of politically correct and incorrect speech on behavior. Specifically, the extent to which politically correct standards of behavior serve as justification for widespread censorship and further prejudiced actions. Conversely, the possibility that politically incorrect language can have harmful effects on behavior leading to measurable loss.

Both Geoffrey Hughes’ book and Frank Ellis’ article give us a thorough history of the transformation of the term “political correctness”. But Ellis’ article specifically focuses on the influence of socialist regimes on current conceptions of political correctness, defining it as a movement specifically concerned with appearance over substance. Roger Kimball’s article then goes on to highlight the negative results of such socialist ideals contrary to original intentions. That far from the populous utopia promised, we instead got a haven for censorship. Now using Ellis’ definition of maoist inspired PC we look at Robert Shibley’s and Merritt et al’s study. Which shows that this focus on appearances can justify problematic behavior such as censorship and prejudice. Lastly, McAdams and Dharmapala’s paper instead presents research showing that hate speech can have observable economic negative effects on a person’s behavior. Suggesting that political correctness, which aims to curtail that kind of speech, might in fact serve to eliminate harm if implemented properly. Further research into the harmful effects of politically incorrect language would have to be done. As well as looking into whether all current conception of PC do in fact fall in line with the socialist ideas of political correctness. And finally, is moral self-licensing primarily a consequence of hyper politically correct language or does it simply correlate with it?

 

Ellis, Frank. “Political Correctness and the Ideological Struggle: From Lenin and Mao to Marcuse and Foucault.” The Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies 27.4 (2002): 409-44. ProQuest.Web 24 Oct. 2016

Dharmapala, Dhammika, and Richard H. McAdams. “Words That Kill? An Economic Model of the Influence of Speech on Behavior (with Particular Reference to Hate Speech).” The Journal of Legal Studies 34.1 (2005): 93-136. Web.

Merritt, Anna C., Daniel A. Effron, and Benoit Monin. “Moral Self-Licensing: When Being Good Frees Us to Be Bad.” Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5 May 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Hughes, Geoffery. “Political Correctness : A History of Semantics and Culture.” Baruch College. Maldon, Mass. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Shibley, Robert. “Vindictive Protectiveness on Campus.” Society 53.4 (2016): 375-82. Web.

Kimball, Roger. “Political correctness or, the perils of benevolence.” The National Interest 74 (2003): 158+. Biography in Context. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Sample Annotated Bibliography entry

Florence, Joshua. “A Phrase in Flux: The History of Political Correctness – Harvard Political Review.” Harvard Political Review A Phrase in Flux The History of Political Correctness Comments. Harvard Political Review, 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.

          In this article Joshua Florence attempts to examine the historical evolution of the term “politically correct”, touching briefly on the possible implications of observed trends in this development on current societal views. He first reviews the historical development of the term, beginning with it’s first recorded use by the supreme court in 1793 as a literal term, all the way to its popularity in the 1990s as a term of partisan political rhetoric. Then finally he examines current popular sentiment around the term by looking at the way that the, at the time, republican front runners Donald Trump and Ben Carson have used it in recent times and the effect it had on their popularity among poll participants. Although the author suggests that this use is perhaps just another rhetorical strategy used as a way for republican presidential candidates to shift the blame onto a “liberal they” in the eyes of their conservative base, he also admits, citing the work of Sanford J. Ungar, that perhaps this shift is indicative of a growing divisive trend among politically active audiences that favors the disparaging use of the term. Florence attempts to establish the way that the meaning attached to the term “political correctness” is very much contingent on the political climate surrounding its use, and by examining it’s current meaning as used by people he attempts to draw certain implications about the nature of the current social and political climate we happen to be in.

  • The Harvard Political Review posted an article recently by Joshua Florence about the way that the term political correctness has been thrown around recently. He looks at the history of the term and the way people have used it previously, the way people are using it today and what could it mean for us as voters if we are being swayed by people like Donald Trump and Ben Carson  who deliberately market themselves as anti-PC. http://harvardpolitics.com/united-states/phrase-flux-history-political-correctness/
  • HPR article about PC. What did it mean once, what does it mean now, and how will it change in the future. http://tinyurl.com/ho89psc

PC

The debate surrounding political correctness, as we see it, is ultimately about whether our right to freely express ourselves is more or less important than ensuring that others can live free of harassment. As a result we will primarily be looking into the origins of the term itself and it’s significance within our public and private lives, the overall effect, both positive and negative, that PC culture has had on our society, and ultimately whether we view the overall effect it has as mostly positive or negative. To that effect we will be looking at questions such as:

-How was the term first introduced into the public vernacular and for what purpose?

-How has it been most commonly used in recent times? (what words, which phrases.)

-Who most uses the term today and to what effect?

-What general trend can we observe in the popularity of certain colloquial terms in everyday language?

-Can we observe any instances where non-politically correct speech has led to significant penalties and has the incidence of such instances risen in recent years?

-Has PC culture had any effect on legally allowed speech or action in public or private spaces? Has it had any legislative effect to that extent?

-What roles do ideas of political correctness play in concepts such as neo-liberalism?

-Does the practice of politically correct speech and behavior substantially alter manifestations of oppression and injustice in our society or merely mask them?

-Is the use of disparaging, non-politically correct language and behavior a harm that requires systemic, significant change?