The “politically correct” are often
chastised for policing the way we label people, for example demanding
that we say “Ms.” instead of Mrs. or Miss, or “people of color” instead
of non-white, or “differently-abled,” instead of disabled.
The anti-PC movement, currently enjoying a groundswell that could
pivot the direction of US history, is a backlash against this
re-labeling. It’s a campaign to police the word police.
You’ve got to watch out for people who accuse you of being a “name
caller,” since “name caller” is also a name. The PC controversy is like
name-calling in reverse. PC is an attempt to give more positive names
for discounted communities. The anti-PC police have turned “PC” into a
bad name to shame us into sticking with the old discounting names.
Sticks and stones do break bones but contrary to popular playground
chants, names can hurt or help. Our words matter. Words are a pivotal
fulcrum by which to leverage social change. Think of how fast feminism
changed the world with a few word alterations. No wonder the anti-PC
police are out in full force trying to stall change. Though they say,
“who cares what we call people?” they wouldn’t be fighting if words
didn’t have influence. We debate by means of words and word choices. Be thankful that we do. It’s much more civilized than battling with weapons.
“Differently-abled” has fomented some backlash from the
differently-abled community and understandably
so.Differently-abled suggests that there’s the normal people and then
there’s different people. So is there a better alternative to
“different” that avoids suggesting a divergence from normalcy?
“Other-abled” does a good job. Indeed, the prefix “other-“ would send
a powerful message of liberation and tolerance when applied to many
other terms.
Are you insensitive or hypersensitive? Chances are you’re other-sensitive, sensitive to other things.
Are you uninformed? You’re probably other-informed.
Are you over-caring or under-caring? Probably other-caring.
Are you unloving? Probably other-loving.
Are you unenthusiastic? Maybe you’re other-enthusiastic, impressed by other things.
Are you overly-optimistic or pessimistic? You’re probably
otherly-optimistic or pessimistic, hopeful and discouraged about other
things.
Are you overly fussy? You’re probably other-fussy.
Are you overly skeptical or unskeptical? You’re probably other-skeptical.
Do you over- or under-think? Maybe you other-think.
The prefix "other-" doesn't eliminate debate about how we should
behave. Rather it gives us a better starting point for it, a beginning
in what we really know, that other people have other standards and
priorities. “Other-“ keeps us from just declaring wrong anything that
diverges from our subjective standards.
For example, what does it mean to call someone optimistic or
pessimistic? It means that their expectations diverge from ours. Who
says our expectations are the benchmark by which to determine what’s
excessive hope or discouragement?
If you don’t care about what I care about does that make you
uncaring? How do I know I’m the gold standard for what’s worth caring
about?
People often tell me that I think too much. I could respond that they
think too little. Or better yet, I can bet that they think about other
things. Do I overthink? No, I other-think.
Are you overly fussy? We all fuss. To be compulsively obsessed is
not always a disorder. We admire such fussiness in artists and experts.
Maybe we just allocate our fuss-budgets on different things. There may
well be better and worse things to fuss about, but none of us get the
last word on what’s better or worse based on our subjective priorities.
The anti-PC police are intolerant of PC tolerance. They demand more
freedom, but really only the freedom to consider themselves the
benchmark for what’s appropriate. They ridicule people who make a point
that there’s potential merit to our diversity, our various othernesses.
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Of course they do. They like being the benchmark. Who doesn’t? It’s
just that they’re not the benchmark they’d like to think they are. Or
maybe they’re just other-benchmarking.
Next time you're accused of too much or too little of something,
rather than assuming you've been straightened out by the Authorities Who
Know, try substituting "other" for "over" or "under." It provides
neutral ground from which you can decide whether you want to adjust who
you are.
And do the same for others. Rather than accusing them of being
"over-" or "under-" in some way, substitute "other-." See if it makes
it easier to be you among people who do things other than what you do.
The anti-PC movement, currently enjoying a groundswell that could pivot the direction of US history, is a backlash against this re-labeling. It’s a campaign to police the word police.
You’ve got to watch out for people who accuse you of being a “name caller,” since “name caller” is also a name. The PC controversy is like name-calling in reverse. PC is an attempt to give more positive names for discounted communities. The anti-PC police have turned “PC” into a bad name to shame us into sticking with the old discounting names.
Sticks and stones do break bones but contrary to popular playground chants, names can hurt or help. Our words matter. Words are a pivotal fulcrum by which to leverage social change. Think of how fast feminism changed the world with a few word alterations. No wonder the anti-PC police are out in full force trying to stall change. Though they say, “who cares what we call people?” they wouldn’t be fighting if words didn’t have influence. We debate by means of words and word choices. Be thankful that we do. It’s much more civilized than battling with weapons.
“Differently-abled” has fomented some backlash from the differently-abled community and understandably so.Differently-abled suggests that there’s the normal people and then there’s different people. So is there a better alternative to “different” that avoids suggesting a divergence from normalcy?
“Other-abled” does a good job. Indeed, the prefix “other-“ would send a powerful message of liberation and tolerance when applied to many other terms.
Are you insensitive or hypersensitive? Chances are you’re other-sensitive, sensitive to other things.
Are you uninformed? You’re probably other-informed.
Are you over-caring or under-caring? Probably other-caring.
Are you unloving? Probably other-loving.
Are you unenthusiastic? Maybe you’re other-enthusiastic, impressed by other things.
Are you overly-optimistic or pessimistic? You’re probably otherly-optimistic or pessimistic, hopeful and discouraged about other things.
Are you overly fussy? You’re probably other-fussy.
Are you overly skeptical or unskeptical? You’re probably other-skeptical.
Do you over- or under-think? Maybe you other-think.
The prefix "other-" doesn't eliminate debate about how we should behave. Rather it gives us a better starting point for it, a beginning in what we really know, that other people have other standards and priorities. “Other-“ keeps us from just declaring wrong anything that diverges from our subjective standards.
For example, what does it mean to call someone optimistic or pessimistic? It means that their expectations diverge from ours. Who says our expectations are the benchmark by which to determine what’s excessive hope or discouragement?
If you don’t care about what I care about does that make you uncaring? How do I know I’m the gold standard for what’s worth caring about?
People often tell me that I think too much. I could respond that they think too little. Or better yet, I can bet that they think about other things. Do I overthink? No, I other-think.
Are you overly fussy? We all fuss. To be compulsively obsessed is not always a disorder. We admire such fussiness in artists and experts. Maybe we just allocate our fuss-budgets on different things. There may well be better and worse things to fuss about, but none of us get the last word on what’s better or worse based on our subjective priorities.
The anti-PC police are intolerant of PC tolerance. They demand more freedom, but really only the freedom to consider themselves the benchmark for what’s appropriate. They ridicule people who make a point that there’s potential merit to our diversity, our various othernesses.
Next time you're accused of too much or too little of something, rather than assuming you've been straightened out by the Authorities Who Know, try substituting "other" for "over" or "under." It provides neutral ground from which you can decide whether you want to adjust who you are.
And do the same for others. Rather than accusing them of being "over-" or "under-" in some way, substitute "other-." See if it makes it easier to be you among people who do things other than what you do.