“Trump tells it like it is”
What does it mean to be politically correct?
It is very important to a lot of people that the next president “tells it like it is” and essentially cuts all of the political bullshit Americans are tired of hearing. According to a Fox News poll, “Sixty-two percent of Republicans say ‘[Donald Trump] tells it like it is, and we need that now.’ Fifty percent of independents agree. Even the 44 percent of overall Americans is dispiritingly high” (Sargent).
What does it mean to be politically correct? The denotation is “agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people”.
Political correctness is a highly controversial topic. Some proponents of political correctness believe that being politically correct means “being sensitive, and for trying to "understand" people who are different from them” (Coates). Opponents to political correctness often argue that it infringes on the First Amendment and that it is promoting conformity.
Conservatives have deemed political correctness a liberal construct used to influence how people think and act by deciding what is socially acceptable. Many also believe that through the veil of political correctness, liberals “attempt to eliminate what they consider to be offensive remarks and actions and replace them with harmless substitutes that come at the expense of free expression” (Sherwin).
Donald Trump has spoken on political correctness a lot on the campaign trail as well. In a debate in August he said, “the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I’ve been challenged by so many people and I don’t frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time either.” (Shown in the video below)
Ever since the public’s loss of trust in the government from our involvement in Vietnam in the 1960s and President Nixon’s Watergate scam, American citizens have been weary of politicians and public figures. “There’s a belief that politicians should not lie, nor should they distract listeners with verbal fireworks and big words” (Markovits).
Donald Trump’s approach to his campaign comes across to many people as honest and refreshing. Many of Trump’s supporters in the current election favor him because he “tells it like it is”. People appreciate his sincerity and simple answers to complex and uncomfortable questions. He is an outsider, which means that he has no voting record like Hilary Clinton or Ted Cruz, which many people use as a critique on those candidates. Also, he can convince people that he is not the corrupt politician that Washington insiders are. These are all parts of his image as a relatable person that “tells it like it is” and this has proved to be remarkably effective.
I believe that political correctness is important in everyday life and especially in the political sphere. When people praise Trump for “telling it like it is”, they are essentially praising and accepting his misogynistic, racist, and xenophobic slurs and rants. It does not make him more real or more trustworthy, he is just more interesting than the other candidates because what he says is shocking. However, political correctness can interfere with important conversations and discussions when people are afraid to speak up because they worry about being offensive. This is only true to a certain extent though. It is never okay to use language to purposefully offend a group or individual with malicious intent.
Works Cited
Armenakas, Sophia. "When Is PC Un-PC?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. "The Importance of Being Politically Correct." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Cohan, William D. "What Exactly Is Donald Trump's Deal?" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Compton, John. "The Crusade Against Political Correctness Shows Its True Colors." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Geller, Adam, and Bryna Godar. "‘No More Political Correctness’ for Trump Supporters." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Markovits, Elizabeth. "Trump ‘tells It like It Is.’ That's Not Necessarily a Good Thing for Democracy." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Sargent, Greg. "Morning Plum: No, Donald Trump Isn’t Really ‘telling It like It Is’." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Sherwin, Kai. "Political Correctness: The Effects on Our Generation." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Sachi,
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post! While Trump is often praised for his "honesty" and his ability to set himself apart from other candidates, I don't think his behavior is something we should praise. I often find that people who are concerned with "political correctness" are those who have offended a group of people and are embarrassed about being called out. It is understandable for Americans to want an honest politician that doesn't buy into the deception that politicians are known for, but a hateful person is not someone who should run this country.
This is a really good analysis of a lot of the reasons that Trump seems so popular. I think that a great point is made that people are tired of the political tendency to formulate words in a way that is the most appealing to the most people. It's also interesting to me that the two most radical presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders and Trump, are both praised by their respective supporters for ignoring traditional political processes and being as direct as possible. However, I think that the important distinction between them is that while Sanders tends to criticize people for what they do, Trump tends to criticize based on what people are.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really good analysis of a lot of the reasons that Trump seems so popular. I think that a great point is made that people are tired of the political tendency to formulate words in a way that is the most appealing to the most people. It's also interesting to me that the two most radical presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders and Trump, are both praised by their respective supporters for ignoring traditional political processes and being as direct as possible. However, I think that the important distinction between them is that while Sanders tends to criticize people for what they do, Trump tends to criticize based on what people are.
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ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting. Of course honesty should be praised, and it is nice to have a transparent politician- but that should in no way excuse his prejudice or offensive nature. It is so true that just because someone is honest, it doesn't mean they have the best plan for our country. I think there is a balance to be struck between honesty and consideration for those one addresses. It is a little alarming how the shock of honesty can have such a sway over the voting population. It is almost as if directness is so seldom seen that it somewhat blinds people to the intentions behind it.
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting. Of course honesty should be praised, and it is nice to have a transparent politician- but that should in no way excuse his prejudice or offensive nature. It is so true that just because someone is honest, it doesn't mean they have the best plan for our country. I think there is a balance to be struck between honesty and consideration for those one addresses. It is a little alarming how the shock of honesty can have such a sway over the voting population. It is almost as if directness is so seldom seen that it somewhat blinds people to the intentions behind it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting perspective you bring to the table. The recent rhetoric behind "political correctness" is crazy and it's interesting to hear everyone's side to the story. Trump's position is one a lot of conservatives can get behind and it's honestly pretty worrisome to think about how the country would change if he became president. There will never be total comfort for everyone honestly and discomfort can lead to growth and change, but tearing people down based on misunderstandings and ignorance cannot be the norm. I'm interested to see what will become of Trump.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting perspective you bring to the table. The recent rhetoric behind "political correctness" is crazy and it's interesting to hear everyone's side to the story. Trump's position is one a lot of conservatives can get behind and it's honestly pretty worrisome to think about how the country would change if he became president. There will never be total comfort for everyone honestly and discomfort can lead to growth and change, but tearing people down based on misunderstandings and ignorance cannot be the norm. I'm interested to see what will become of Trump.
ReplyDelete