I believe that political correctness has actually gone beyond all reason in some respects, and as a result is self defeating, so when I found this debate in which Stephen Fry articulated more or less how I see things, I thought I’d share it with you and get your opinions. I notice he is sharing a platform with Jordan Peterson, someone whom I rarely see eye to eye with, but we don’t get to hear what his opinions are in this particular clip.
Best Ever Argument Against Political Correctness.
Fry is such a great guy .
He is...we regard him as a National Treasure!
I would have to agree!
A lovely guy and a great intellect. I don't watch QI anymore now that he has left it.
I believe the term was initially used by the conservative right in politics to describe the far left in politics. they were "politically incorrect". Like many phrases and words in the English language the meaning has changed over the years and now has a much broader meaning and most people use it as meaning the avoidance of offence in speaking about or dealing with groups of people outwith the mainstream.
This guy's writing may be worth a look [en.wikipedia.org]
Thanks..I’ll take a look later.
Stephen Fry is brilliant.
I saw most of this debate and noted the irony.
Fry's and Peterson's opponent, arguing for political correctness, called Peterson an "a mean white man" and then "a mean, mad white man."
Why mention colour? Peterson replied to his opponent with the same inquiry and asked, using very careful wording, what the response would have been had Peterson made the same reference in reverse.
It's not okay either way.
I’d like to see the whole debate.
I also watched one of the debates he was in where he was much better than the catholics he was debating!
@skado Thank you so much....that will be tonight’s viewing sorted for me!
@Marionville
I’d love to hear your thoughts afterward.
@skado I will let you know.
@skado I have just finished watching the whole debate...thanks again for posting it. My thoughts are that Michael Dyson and Michelle Goldberg we’re not really addressing the subject of Political Correctness in the whole but only through the prisms of their own narrow agendas . Dyson addressed his points mainly in respect of racial terms and mostly directed at the white privilege he perceived Jordan Peterson was trying to hold on to by arguing against pc. That was a mistake I believe, because he displayed his own bias and had less to do with the subject at debate and more to do with his own personal dislike of Peterson. Michelle was a poor debater and again she really barely touched on the subject at debate. Her concentration on feminist issues and the “me too” movement never really addressed the subject of pc at all. Jordan Peterson, I’m not really a fan of, and whilst agreeing with most of his points which addressed much more the academic side of the argument against pc, find him humourless and dour by comparison to Stephen Fry. Fry addressed the tyranny of the pc which abounds today, and perhaps because he is British and not from North America, like myself, he expressed exactly my feelings around this thorny subject. It’s not being sure when one speaks on certain controversial issues ...if the terminology is currently the accepted one, or will it find censure. It is so easy to fall foul of the pc fascists, innocently and without intent to cause offence. Fry said it much better than I can, with such erudition and humility. I really enjoyed watching...thank you so much.
@Marionville
Thanks for the review. A good summary, I’d say. Fry definitely took the honors in this debate.
I love Stephan Fry, a genuinely open mind, who listens to others' opinions .