The Politically Correct. (*)

A small inspection on words used within contemporary political vocabulary is simply “Imperatively Due”, because it is aiming at recalling our attention on how important is the language in use, given its powerful influence in shaping “Common Sense”; a process that is functioning even without us noticing it. The non criticising acceptance of language exercises something like a symbolic dictatorship. Who is not adapt is, etymologically, a “devil”, a “diavolo”, a “dia-bolon”, one who breaks unity, a seeder of discord and conflict through a language labelled “Politically Incorrect”.

In recent years, a victorious semantic battle was conducted against the dictatorship of the “Politically Correct”, accused of “Conservatism and Hypocrite Respectability”. All lexical taboos have fallen. Even blasphemy, curse and nonsense are being cleared out of the customs of decency, because any word should be “Contextualised”. As contexts are infinite, therefore every word is infinitely “Justifiable”. Deterioration is pervasive, and has also infected those who did not inaugurated it yet on the contrary, in the beginning, have deplored it. Thus we have become accustomed, and the result has not been a “Liberation”, but a new “Conformism”, upside down.

Today “Mockery, Verbal Aggression, Vulgarity and Scurrility”  are all accepted as politically correct. Even simplification of common problems, up to triviality, is politically correct. Reassurance at any cost, concealment of difficulties, promises of the impossible, blandishment of public and private vices proposed as virtues are all politically correct. All are attitudes which apparently seem friendly while being truly offensive abuses  and insults. Ordinary citizens, inexpert in political matter, are hence treated not as conscious persons but as “Subjects”, even as plebs. Therefore positions by now have become almost completely turned upside down.

The “Plebeian Talk” is precisely that “politically correct” from which we should be liberated, regaining the pride in communicating between us otherwise, non conformist, seriously, respectably, reasonably, rationalistically, adequately coherent to facts.

(*) From the book “On Language Of Present Time”, written by H.E. Hon. Gustavo ZAGREBELSKY.

Translated by: Ahmed M. EL NAHAS