Many people bemoan modern society as having become too politically correct. You hear it on nearly every major right-wing or conservative media outlet talking about it both in the U.S.  and in other parts of the developed world as well. President Donald Trump is often commended for not being afraid to use politically incorrect rhetoric surrounding a lot of pertinent issues. A man who speaks his truth regardless of how anyone, especially those “liberal snowflakes” get.

America’s populace is not more easily offended than it has been in the past. 

At its worst it gets more offended at things that should offend people, such as racism against non-whites, and homophobia. 

First we have to define what exactly politically correct is. I suspect many readers first immediate image is a “progressive” getting offended at someone for assuming their gender or something dealing with feminism.

But politically correct as a concept doesn’t have an ideological bent. It’s ultimately a neutral phrase.

“Political correctness (PC), term used to refer to language that seems intended to give the least amount of offense, especially when describing groups identified by external markers such as race, gender, culture, or sexual orientation,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. 

I must reiterate something, or someone being politically correct is not a good or bad thing. It does not have to be a socially progressive thing.  

Much of the Southern part of the U.S. paint a politically correct approach towards discussing the civil-war in their schools and textbooks. Framing the secession by the confederate states as not being about preserving slavery-but merely combating an overzealous federal government. 

This narrative overlooks all the evidence that conclusively show the confederate states only rebelled to preserve the institution of slavery. It just happens the cultural group they’re trying most not offend is southern whites, who’d like to see their ancestors as heroes for fighting in the conflict. 

I am not arguing that southern whites need to feel ashamed for being southern or white. I am just pointing out that this is an example of not wanting to offend someone helps hurt liberal and progressive goals-one of which is racial inequality. 

If much of America do not comprehend how disastrous slavery was, and its effects on those who were descended from African-American slaves, it makes it so much harder to combat things like racism. The first step towards having a good future, is acknowledging the shameful parts of U.S. history. 

In the 1950s, films could not showcase an LGBTQ character in a remotely positive light.

Many Americans favor making it illegal to burn the American flag is seen by many as not only justified, but completely necessary given it would cause people who’ve served in the military and the fact it denotes a rather negative message of America as whole.

This is not to say political correctness could stifle conversations due to liberal sensibilities. It certainly can. In my senior year at high school, I asked an admittedly contentious question during a Socratic seminar. I was immediately called xenophobic and compared to Trump. The teacher interceded on my behalf-by saying I was asking something completely different than the one I was asking. The question she posed was more politically correct given the social setting. Some readers could similarly go through things like this. 

But the actual data shows America to not be sensitive. Gallup reports “one in five Americans still believe same-sex relations should be criminalized outright.” 

Roughly a dozen states still have laws on their state books that criminalize same-sex relations. America in general has not become overly sensitive in regards to a lot social-issues, but in a progressive way of course.