The more I read about the different angles on the whole Meloto issue (and just so we’re clear, this post will not be about the Meloto issue), the more annoyed I get with all this “PC” (politically correct) bullshit.
I never liked the concept of being PC – as I was always of the mind that getting used to that will just make people more and more anal about every goddamn thing to the point that you can’t fucking say or do ANYTHING anymore.
When someone argues for being PC along the lines of “Why should you have to resort to being PC when there are perfectly legitimate ways to convey the same things in a more ‘socially palatable'” way, I get that, I really do, but it just sucks the life out of everything IMHO.
I can only speak for myself, and I admit that it’s mostly because I am a huge fan of comedy – which makes me think that dealing with the world in general in a disposition that you are able to laugh at yourself as well others and have a much lighter disposition in life clearly is a much healthier way to live than being so stuck up and easily aggravated.
While I do not condone being PiC (politically incorrect) for the sake of getting away with real, deep seated bigotry (there will be people that will abuse it), but more often than not, I think it’s ALWAYS better for people just to lighten up, and try to give others the benefit of the doubt, instead of just jumping into conclusions about a person’s personality simply because of the way they choose to speak. Even if the person who uttered the words was truly a bigot, his [intentional] “dig” would lose its power in the face of an audience that has thicker skin. As the pinoy saying goes: “ang pikon, laging talo.”
Because here’s the reality: it’s either we develop thicker skin and relax, or people be more mindful/anal about how they speak. Both of which are valid “solutions” as they both ultimately could address the issue of “being offended.” But to me the consequences of both approaches have drastically different long-term effects.
If you are more “mindful” (i.e. anal) about how you speak, sure it does solve the whole PC debate, as you avoid getting offended (or offending) because there’s no stimuli that could even start it to begin with. But just think of how constricting and agitating that would be for a lot of people – it, quite literally, makes life so BORING. To me, it’s like forcing Blacks or Bekis (Filipino gays) to abandon their respective lingos simply because there’s a “proper” way to speak their native tongue – can you imagine how stifling that would be for the (sub)cultures in question?
It also makes everyone dumber IMHO – because they lose the ability (and practice) to notice if something was uttered jokingly, or seriously, or everything in between. Comedians are perfect examples of how otherwise PiC statements/ideas, when used cleverly, can not only drive a more important idea closer to home – but also make the audience more receptive to the point/reality they wish to convey. In appreciating the subtleties (for lack of a better term) that made otherwise offensive language funny – either you’re smart enough to get the joke – or not – and the truth of that statement really should speak for itself. Sure, comedians are comedians because they have a talent for tastefully accomplishing that feat – but I don’t want to have to be a professional comedian just to be allowed try to argue/present ideas the same way.
If people developed thicker skin on the other hand; if we all learned to relax, take a joke, laugh at ourselves, and laugh WITH others… now the absense of “offense” is because we learn to not take some things too goddamn seriously.
I don’t know about you, but to me napaka-obvious which is a more sustainable and healthier way of dealing with life. Taking it easy vs being so agitated every time. Is there even a debate as far as what wrinkle-inducing, vein-popping “perspectives” go? No contest!
Learning to chillax is always THE better thing to do than going ballistic and thinking the worst of every person who says something that isn’t “kosher.” Plus, it’s obviously good for comedy – and laughter is always the best medicine – why would you want to limit the material that can be used for such “medicine?”
I’m not saying that we should just go wild and not consider what other people think, and be as offensive as we want through the guise of “comedy” – we should definitely still think before we speak.
What I am saying is that I think our culture has become WAAAAY TOO PC for its own good – at the expense of becoming… I can’t even find the proper word for it, but whatever it is, I don’t think it’s healthy anymore – and it certainly makes everyone who’s so anal about being PC such boring, intolerant bigots in their own way.