[matt_the_bass]

Great comment on gizmodo:

"This PC debate is just so out of hand. PC basically means don’t be a dick, and if you are, people will call you out on it. Anti-PC people want to be a dick without reproach. They’re response to reproach is to get very offended at the fact that you took offense to their dickishness. They also don’t seem to realize that there are times when one must behave professionally, and using those occasions to tell people how much you hate gays or whatever is not going to end well for you."

Edit: removed asterics from original quote to remove unintended italics.

[DanBC]

On HN you can use the word "dick", and it saves you the bother of trying to correctly escape an *

EDIT: jesus fucking christ. (edit2 this jfc is about how weird escaping * is on HN)

[matt_the_bass]

I merely copy and pasted the original comment. I didn't edit the spelling.

[grzm]

Please do take the time to do a little formatting touch up when pasting. It makes the reading experience better for everyone.

[matt_the_bass]

I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out. Thanks!

[nabla9]

PC is not just not being offensive.

It's also limiting debate, policies, administrative measures, politicization of science, etc.

[eesmith]

What do you think "PC" means?

Historically, the modern sense came in the last 1980s as a pejorative term the right could use against the left.

You'll note that phrases like "I defend the right of Americans to bear arms" is never considered politically correct, even if said by a politician who utters it to get votes - a right-wing politically correct statement.

PC is a boogie-man term that the right uses whenever the left tries to complain that someone on the right is being racist, sexist, cruel, demeaning, etc.

Complaints of being PC come up when students want to put signs up describing, say, the historical context of slavery and black oppression by people otherwise considered heroes. These are students who want to add context, having their voices shut off, not students trying to limit debate.

I could go on, but what do you think that PC means, in such a way that people who are PC would agree to it? Because I'm "PC", and I agree with matt_the_bass's quote that part of being PC is to reproach people for being a 'd_ck'. I don't see how speaking up limits debate (withing the usual time/place/manner restrictions). I don't agree with Altman's summary that PC is a general "willing[ness] to make accommodations to treat others well."

Regarding "policies, administration ...", etc., I have to know which definition of PC you are using, and if you think that the freedom of speech trumps the freedom of assembly/association.

[nabla9]

"conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated" -- Merrian-Webster

see also

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness

[eesmith]

Which does not agree with Altman's description. Note the qualifier "excluding, marginalizing, or insulting groups of people considered disadvantaged or discriminated against."

Further quoting, to emphasize what I wrote earlier: "Commentators on the left contend that conservatives use the concept of political correctness to downplay and divert attention from substantively discriminatory behavior against disadvantaged groups."

[itg]

But that comment also completely misses the point Sam Altman was making.

[eesmith]

Altman says that PC is "willing to make accommodations to treat others well."

matt_the_bass quotes a definition of PC which is "don’t be a d_ck, and if you are, people will call you out on it".

These are two different views of PC. I agree with the one matt_the_bass quoted. Altman is wrong about what PC means. Much of Altman's essay depends on that wrong definition.

I read the essay. Altman is an idiot, for the reasons Gizmodo describes.

For all we know, unification of QM and GR would have happened already if a gay man hadn't left the field after dealing with one too many homophobic comments.

[matt_the_bass]

I wasn't quoting the article. I was quoting the comment. I thought the comment was relevant to the discussion and wanted to make sure it was highlighted here.