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better intro, I think
'''Political correctness''' or '''P.C.''' most commonly refers to the alteration of ones choice of words in order to avoid either offending a group of people or reinforcing a stereotype considered to be disadvantageous to the group. More specifically, groups which (or whose putative "leaders" or other activists) claim some status as systemically oppressed or discriminated against will periodically attempt to change the terms by which they are referred to and demand that society as a whole change its usage of words as well. Although traditionally associated with the liberals and the political left, Political Correctness has been challenged by libertarian comedian Bill Mahr, by left wing comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and by some noted liberals such as Nat Hentoff, Richard Lamm, and the late Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
'''Politically correct language''' consists of linguistic restrictions imposed by authorities or pressure groups. The most common motive is enforce the worldview or sensibilities of these groups while preventing expression of any competing ideas or attitudes. The Nazis and Communists were the first to do this in modern times in the West, but the Japanese had their "[[thought police]]" too. George Orwell's ''1984'' famously incorporated the notion of limiting thought through langauge (see [[Newspeak]]).
In the U.S., some radicals advanced the notion that certain words communicated stereotypes which unjustifiably demeaned or excluded certain kinds of people. In the 1960s, feminists began to demand that the neutral pronouns ''he'', ''him'' and ''his'' be replaced with expressions like "he or she", "him or her", "them", etc. This was part of their campaign to redefine the social roles traditionally associated with masculinity and femininity.
Other groups jumped on the political correctness bandwagon, with handicapped people dodging the kindly meant slogan, "Hire the handicapped", and insisting that their condition was not abnormal. Rather, they were to be called, "differently abled".
'''Political correctness''' or '''P.C.''' eventually came to refer to the alteration of ones choice of words in order to avoid either offending a group of people or reinforcing a stereotype considered to be disadvantageous to the group. More specifically, groups which (or whose putative "leaders" or other activists) claim some status as systemically oppressed or discriminated against will periodically attempt to change the terms by which they are referred to and demand that society as a whole change its usage of words as well. Although traditionally associated with the liberals and the political left, Political Correctness has been challenged by libertarian comedian Bill Mahr, by left wing comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and by some noted liberals such as Nat Hentoff, Richard Lamm, and the late Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
==Examples==
==Examples==