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Political correctness: the demise of debate

By Louis O'Neill - posted Friday, 19 August 2016


Frequently I find myself holding what one might consider a politically incorrect opinion, such as having scorn for Islam, disagreeing with myths peddled by the third wave feminist movement or finding no legitimacy in the claims of the black lives matter movement.

As a result my adversaries are more than ready to deviate from the laws of discourse, veering off into ad hominem, red herring or appeal to emotion fallacies. The legitimacy of my political viewpoint is often times devalued, as I occupy the “privileged” end of the spectrum, being a heterosexual white male, and so I'm told that I mustn't speak on issues which aren't specifically related to my own demographic.

Sometimes the sanctimony of my ideological combatants is so abundant that they feel they need not even engage further in conversation once I've pushed their buttons enough.

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Well to them I say, if your idea cannot withstand the corrosive qualities of informed conversation, then your idea is not one worth having. We must herald logic as the great seive through which we may push idiocy and illogicality, and allow the juices of truth to percolate from it.

To disagree with the wage gap myth should not equate to being misogynist. One who believes that the doctrines of Islam and tenets of Sharia Law cannot peacefully run alongside a secular, democratic society should not be labelled “Islamophobic” or xenophobic.

To suggest that black-on-black crime is a cause for increased police confrontations in African American communities should not equate to being a racist. To comment that the institution of marriage is aimed at incentivising long-term heterosexual relationships as they are most conducive to a positive upbringing for a child, should not be tantamount to homophobia.

We are amidst an era of ideological fascism, incited by the left-leaning media, celebrities and television which has begun to pervade every crevice of popular thought, narrowing acceptable range discourse to topics diluted with sensitivity.

As the name suggests, correctness has been distorted in order to attain the political guise of kindness when discussing issues which involve a minority group. One need only utter the words “bigot”, “xenophobe”, “ignorant” or “privilege” and they may assume a position upon the podium of moral superiority.

The current climate of political correctness provides social purchase for those who assume victim status, again hindering free speech through “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces”, as well as fostering and legitimising scorn for those who do not hold this victim mentality.

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This exaltation of the victim conversely serves to demonise those, as I mentioned previously, who occupy a perceived privileged demographic, ironically often determined by ones gender and skin colour.

This double standard held by those of politically correct positions, is a defence mechanism employed in order to shut down any perspectives or opinions which may challenge their perceived or desired world view, all the while, espousing tolerance and acceptance.

And so to conclude, I urge you all to leave no ideological stone unturned.

We must thwart out the pervasive idiocy which has wrapped its talons around free speech and the process of logical discourse, otherwise we will find ourselves continuing to sink into this Orwellian mire of politically correct newspeak.

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About the Author

Louis O'Neill is a writer from Sydney having graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Writing focusing on issues of philosophy, morality, religion and social commentary.

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