Everyone has an opinion and is thereby free to express it in any way as long as it doesn’t incite or trigger others. Free speech is a human right and should never be compromised. As such, it should be encouraged due to the likely outcomes if it’s not. However, the limitations of free speech help put in place a check for inclusiveness. Hence making some personal opinions shielded from the public hearing. Opinions that would never see the light of day have paved the way for the artful modification of opinions — popularly known as political correctness.
In being on the right side of the law, one has to censor words that might not sit well with the vast population. Furthermore, there is carefulness in speaking in order not to be cancelled in this era of cancel culture. Thereby making politically correct statements the order of the day. There’s a fine art in picking only the right words from an array of words available, and everyone is expected to be skilled in that regard or risk being blacklisted.
This millennial evolution of expression is strange juxtaposing how words were being spoken indiscriminately without the bother of walking the tight ropes we have these days. And no one is spared, even comedians too. Every word is being put into context and scrutinized thoroughly. This is the era of heightened sensitivity.
Pop culture has become the epicentre of moral codes and its growing popularity and acceptance have made sure the simple expression of old can be made a big deal today. It is almost as if we are learning to live life all over again due to the constant review of the new normals.
Suddenly, we have a concern — being tolerant becomes an expectation whereby some are expected to continually sacrifice an age-long way of expression to the point of even losing a bit of personality. For instance, the word, FAT is being pushed to become a rude word. One has to use an alternative word when referring to someone who is having a little more flabby tissue or is obese. The body positivity movement has added an asterisk to the word and makes everyone that wants to be politically correct think twice before using it. And sadly, they have a point. A kid being called FAT might lose some self-esteem growing up, not to mention the discrimination faced. But when associated with wealth, it is very much welcomed. After all, everyone wants a FAT bank account.
The censorship of words or expressions somehow interferes with the freedom of speech but it adds to the camaraderie of our shared humanity. The world doesn’t belong to a few who would want to use words indiscriminately without the thought of how it might affect others negatively. There’s an argument that the upcoming generations are likely going to be too soft and sensitive because of how the world is currently being tailored in a bid to become more accommodating and in that respect, losing its old sauce.
The real problem is not how a word is being used or how an opinion is aired, but the bandwagon that uses it as a weapon for bullying. By that, giving a word an extra meaning that reeks of negativity. When such happens, we tend to lose words in some context and would have to go through the rigours of replacing our vocabularies. Surely, it’s too much work, but it is what we now have to deal with in today’s world.
Being politically correct has now become a necessity for the sole reason of how the world continually decides to perceive a thing. And as long as we are made to review perceptions, we will always have this concern. Words will become more than words when the majority agrees to them. Freedom of speech will also not be spared when we allow bullies to win. The advancement of bullies and trolls is the main reason why we must be politically correct— they steal from us in the areas of expression and it’s rather unfortunate that others will have to change the way they speak or express themselves so that they are not mistaken for a bully. In a nutshell, when bullies win, freedom of speech suffers.