Political correctness as a way to respect? Not a hope!
While social legislation, as Kris points out, can gradually affect social behaviour, "political correctness" is a major blight that inhibits clear thinking, and stifles debate, turning it into useless wrangling over the choice of words.
"Political correctness" has made unlikely heros of foul-mouthed, mean-minded comedians, who are greeted with delight by a populace tired of being told what to say and how to say it in order to be considered "good" citizens.
The following was presented over a decade ago, and still applies today:
[color:"orange"]As civilizations decline, they become increasingly concerned with form over substance, particularly with respect to language. At the time of the First World War we called it shell shock--a simple term, two one-syllable words, clear and descriptive. A generation later, after the Second World War had come and gone, we called it combat fatigue. It meant the same thing, and there were still just two words--but the two syllables had grown to four. Today the two words have doubled, and the original pair of syllables have mushroomed to eight. It even has an acronym, PTSD--post traumatic stress disorder. It still means the same thing, and it still hurts as much or as little, but it is more in tune with current effete sensibilities.
It is also a perfect example of the pretentious euphemisms that characterize almost everything we do and say. Euphemisms and the politically correct language which they exemplify are sometimes only prissy, sometimes ridiculous, and sometimes tiresome. Often, however, they are more than that. At their worst they obscure clear thinking and damage the very people and causes they claim to benefit.
