Society Appropriateness

Society Appropriateness

po·lit·i·cal cor·rect·ness

noun

• The avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

• Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct, commonly abbreviated to PC) is a pejorative term used to criticize language, actions, or policies seen as being excessively calculated to not offend or disadvantage any particular group of people in society. ~ Wikipedia

This is one subject that everyone is passionate about, some for and some against.  My intent on this blog has always been to share my perspective, without the conviction that it is right, or wrong.  It’s been said before that opinions are like rear-ends everyone has one.  The ideal situation would always be that we be free to share what’s on our minds without forcing it onto others.

As an example my political preference is personal as long as I keep it to myself.  The minute I try to convince others that my candidate is the chosen one (as has been said before by fervent political participants) than I become fair game for anyone that thinks otherwise.  There was a time in my early adult years (early to mid-twenties) when the work force in my chosen profession was a good mix of all cultures, and it seems that everyone (culture) was fair game for the banter and jokes in the work place.

I never met anyone in that work environment that was malicious.  It seems that everyone would give and take.  The best you could do to defend yourself was by being quick with the come-backs. Despite what today would be seen as some kind of abuse, I know from personal experience that I could stand back to back with anyone of those many people that I worked with in a heated conference room business discussion or on any street corner or back alley and prevail.

When I first reached the corporate management level on my way to corporate headquarters, I remember attending my first Regional meeting of District Managers, at the Vice President’s home (Santa Barbara, California).  During the first phase of the meeting was a cocktail hour.  I was supposed to meet and greet other managers (I was one of the newest to ascend to the position).  My direct region manager found me in a corner of the patio having a cocktail with my date, and he approached us.  He said you are supposed to be mixing in and getting to know the other managers before the dinner begins.  My respond was I am trying to have a couple of drinks to loosen up first.

He pulled me away from my date, and said, you need to face reality, because you are not fooling me for a minute.  He continued; you are not mixing in because you don’t feel that you belong in this crowd.  Then he went on to point out many of the managers in the room, and said: see the gathering by the swimming pool, one is Italian, one is Portuguese, one is Polish, and I’m not sure what the two other guys are.  You are Mexican, and you think you are the only minority here.  Well, he said, I am Portuguese, and you and I belong here as much as anyone else.

With that he walked me over to the group of managers that we had just discussed and his wife took my date to introduce her to other ladies in attendance.  Within a few years I went on to excel within the ranks of the corporation, I had the opportunity many times to introduce other young managers to the social aspect of the corporate ranks.

I guess that my reason for mentioning the above is that, I am not sure what went wrong with our society, one thought that is mentioned regularly, is that “Common Sense” died.  Many people in our society have become meaner, and abusive.  Many others want to exercise their rights at the expense of other people’s rights.  We need to be constantly reminded that our rights start with us (the individual) and ends right where someone else’s begins.  We need to remember that we all have equal rights in all areas.  I agree that people with more wealth can better defend their rights, but that is for a legal battle in court, not on the streets.  For the streets, I am always accompanied by Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson.  There was a time when I thought I was indestructible, but common sense still dwells here, and thus Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson.

To this day, I am not sure if I am a good person because I am or if I am a good person because too many people in the area know me and I need to be on my best behavior always (again common sense).  The bottom line is that I am considered by many that know me to be a good person of integrity.  I personally believe that most often political correctness goes too far.  Some semblance of balance would be welcomed (from my perspective).  The best is yet to come…….