Political Correctness - short reading from Daniel Tammet's book

[MrDoublehappy]

He is a breath of fresh air.

[vanderbilt887]

This is great. I never knew Tammet wrote about matters such as these. I must say I rather agree with Dennett's characterization of political correctness as a form of eumemetics (Darwin's Dangerous Idea). It always involves some authority who deems it necessary to select certain memes out of the meme-pool that they regard as correct and which then must be increased in it's fitness. At the same time, some memes and memeplexes are deemed incorrect and their fitness must be diminished at all costs.

[vanderbilt887]

In this respect, PC is much like eugenics (a terribly political incorrect idea). As such, we can regard PC itself as being political incorrect.

Of course, there are some memes and memeplexes that are outright hostile, wrong and even dangerous (viruses of the mind, Dawkins). It's just that, as Tammet points out here, PC has by now gone way to far. I also think it's a stupid idea to try to manage the meme-pool through 'correct education' in this way.

[anthonyo4]

Yes I recently read a book called 'liberal facism' Id recommend it it highlights how history has literally been rewritten so that modern day politics is

left wing=good (che guevera, castro etc etc.)

Right wing= bad facism (hitler, mussolini)

even though facism originated from and still is a left wing ideology

Also describes how language has become a weapon certain words and phrases are used to create confusion and stifle debate racist facist homophobe, beyond politics, moving forward etc

[nz2k2]

anthony04 - yes, I started reading Liberal Fascism too. I'm about 1/3 through, and I'm not going to judge a book until I reach the back cover, but a large part of it seems to be making excuses for the mess they call George W Bush. And there is NO excuses for Bush!

[asderathos]

Let not prejudicial preconceptions blindfold you to further understanding.

/watch?v=_dmCRUYvpvI

[anthonyo4]

yeh the writer does seem to be a bush fan he applauds some of his policies (tax cuts increasing medicare funding etc.) but what ever small insignificant positive things bush did they can never ever redeem him from the huge mess he created.

The author of the book also repeatedly reminds you, you are free to disagree (were as anyone who disagrees with a liberal is a nazi, homophobe, racist, outdated etc.)

[sleepcity]

Riiiight, Hitler and Mussolini are left-wing extremists. Nice revisionism there, guy. The popular conception of left wing = good must be how Reagan got elected twice, Bush Sr. once, Bush Jr. twice, and why the whole world recognizes that Castro is an awesome guy.

How's that history Ph.D going?

[neil73]

Very true.

Just read the comments on any popular video and you will see that an embarrasing amount of people under the age of 25 cannot even string a sentence together, worse still, spelling.

And you may as well forget about Grammar!

[abc123paulabc123]

So true. Or should I say, so trew. I know first hand that children are not taught the English language properly because I haven't been.

[MewHamHead]

Great vid!