[EliRivers]

There is always PC, and always has been PC. It used to be PC, for example, that women should stay at home and not trouble their minds with worldy affairs.

If it was broadly unacceptable to advocate that women should be socially equal, we'd have online mobs chasing down people who dared to suggest that. The current flavour of acceptable thought may change over time; the problem isn't the flavour, it's the mobs.

[lurrr]

There is a difference between political correctness and culture.

Political correctness is just a fancy way of saying: "You can't say that because <I> find it offensive!".

The mob isn't the problem, letting them run free is.

[pdkl95]

According to Google:

    /pəˈlidəkəl kəˈrek(t)nəs/
    noun
        the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes,
    of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude,
    marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially
    disadvantaged or discriminated against.

If you think "political correctness" is about not being "offensive", you're missing the point. Calling someone an ass isn't politically incorrect, even though it's (probably) offensive and rude.

[EliRivers]

There is a difference between political correctness and culture.

Every culture has things that must not be said (whether true or not), and they certainly don't have to be offensive. To say them is not politically correct. PC is part of culture.