Political Correctness

Well not much that I read today excited me--but I am reading John K. Wilson's The Myth of Political Correctness: The Conservative Attack on Higher Education. Fascinating book, well researched. I am struck by how many "legends" of political correctness seem to be mostly that--legends. Of course I would have to go back and verify his research on some of these instances.

It does strike me, as I'm sure it has struck many others that American Conservatism's decision to declare themselves the losers in the culture wars was a shrewd one. It lets Rightest political commentators use any dirty trick they can think of, on the grounds that they are coming from so far behind that it is justified. By portraying a monolithically liberal media establishment, Rush Limbaugh and other well funded conservative thinkers can portray themselves as Davids to Liberal Goliaths.

The very term "Politically correct" is the perfect weapon for liberals. You use it on a person and they are tied into this Liberal Academic conspiracy that wields enormous and suspicious power. Or it marks him as a spineless simpleton who only comes to liberalism because he is too foolish to question the world around him. Ask yourself this--how many of you, even if you are liberal or have liberal ideas, would describe yourself as politically correct?

Probably write more on this tomorrow.