Jonathan Chait on Political Correctness and how it's corrupting attempts these days to discuss important issues.
I need to remind myself that "political correctness" does not mean what it used to mean. When the term first came into the vocabulary of those around me, it was not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, how could being "correct" be a negative? Quickly though, I came to hear it being used as a negative, often by people who would — automatically — do or say the opposite of anything that was described by anyone as P.C. They reminded me of certain skeptics I've known who assume that if something is The Popular Wisdom, that alone proves it's wrong.
Now, we seem to be into a time when to not be "politically correct" is to have committed some sort of blasphemy. Just what that blasphemy involves depends on who feels their position is being blasphemed…but it always seems to result in shouting-down an idea that runs contrary to someone's beliefs. And if you don't agree with me, I'll have you killed.