To the “politically correct,” the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America is no cause for celebration. And even before 1992 began, their protests resulted in a significant victory: the naming of an American Indian as co-grand marshal in the 1992 Rose Parade. Parade officials caved in to critics, who denounced the tournament committee when it first named as grand marshal Cristobal Colon, a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus. But the actual target of those critics was not simply Colon; it was Western civilization.
What is “political correctness,” and where did it come from? The term first came into common usage in the early 1990s, but its origins date back at least several decades. In 1925, a Soviet official named Aleksey Maximovich Gorky gave a speech in which he ridiculed those who “to please the bourgeoisie, hamper science with useless trifles, inventing pseudo-scientific theories or indulging in scholasticism for the purpose of justification.” He said that such people were “politically correct” because their primary concern was to maintain good relations with the ruling class, rather than to pursue truth.
In America during the 1950s, “politically correct” became a term of mockery used by liberals to describe Communists who rigidly adhered to the party line. But in the late 1980s, “political correctness” took on a new meaning: an attitude that was at once self-righteous and hypersensitive, seeking to censor any expression or action that could be construed as racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise “offensive.”
People who take the politically correct view say that Columbus did not actually discover America, because people had already been living here for thousands of years. They claim that, even worse than this, the main thing we remember about Columbus is all the death and destruction he caused. For example, Pasadena’s vice-mayor Rick Cole called him “a symbol of greed, slavery, rape, and genocide.” And one Indian leader said that celebrating Columbus’s arrival was like celebrating Hitler and the Holocaust.
This politically correct view is nonsense. First of all, it’s not true that people had lived in the Americas for thousands of years before Columbus arrived. The first people to settle the Americas were the ancestors of the Native Americans, and they only arrived about 15,000 years ago. That’s a far cry from the millions of years that some people claim.
Second, while it’s true that Columbus brought death and destruction to the Americas, he also brought life and hope. His arrival marked the beginning of Western Civilization in the Americas. Without Columbus, there would be no United States of America. We owe our very existence to him.
So let’s celebrate Columbus Day. Let’s celebrate the man who had the courage and vision to sail into the unknown and change the world forever. And let’s not listen to the politically correct nonsense that tries to diminish his accomplishments.
People usually want to do well and receive feedback from their leader about what they are doing wrong or right. Criticism is only useful when it is constructive and positive.
Consequently, feedback is a pivotal part of an employee development program because people rely on information about themselves to establish their career goals, and gain better performance and motivation. At H&M, we believe in being honest with our employees and applying the open door principle. This allows employees the right to discuss work-related issues directly with management.
The open door policy is great, but what happens when an employee makes a mistake? There are many considerations that come into play when deciding whether or not to give feedback. One must decide if the situation warrants immediate feedback, if the person can handle negative feedback, how to give the feedback, and what type of feedback to give.
When it comes to political correctness, things can get a bit dicey. What one person may deem as offensive, another may see as simply a matter of opinion. This is where things can get tricky in the workplace.
If an employee says or does something that could be seen as offensive, it’s important to have a discussion about it. Ignoring the issue will only make it worse. However, it’s also important to approach the situation with caution.
If you’re not sure how to handle the situation, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and consult with a human resources representative. They will be able to help you navigate the situation and come up with a plan that everyone can feel good about.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we’re all human. We all make mistakes. And we all have different opinions. As long as we’re respectful of each other, we can usually find a way to get along just fine.
Although people had certainly discovered America before Columbus arrived, he was the one who made it widely known to developing scientific civilizations in Western Europe.
The result, ultimately, was the United States of America. It was Columbus’s discovery for Western Europe that led to the influx of ideas and people on which this nation was founded and on which it still rests. The opening of America brought the ideas and achievements of Aristotle, Galileo, Newton, and the thousands of thinkers, writers, and inventors who followed.
Political correctness has been an issue in America since the country’s inception. The term “political correctness” first came into use in the early 1900s as a way to describe the kind of language that should be used to talking about different groups of people. For example, when referring to someone who is blind, the politically correct term would be “visually impaired” instead of “blind.”
The idea behind political correctness is that certain terms and phrases can be seen as offensive or hurtful to certain groups of people, and so it is important to use language that is more sensitive and inclusive. In recent years, political correctness has become a controversial topic, with some people arguing that it goes too far and that it is used to censor free speech.
Before Columbus arrived in America, the land was scarcely populated. The locals were mostly hunter-gatherers who moved around constantly and barely survived. For centuries, there was very little change or development.life Was often harsh, brutal and short: there were no wheels or written language; people had to rely on their own strength to get by; wars were commonplace.
Then, in a period of slightly more than four centuries, everything changed. The first people to settle the Americas were from Europe, and they brought with them their culture, religion, and language. Over time, the various cultures blended together, creating a unique melting pot. The United States has always been a nation of immigrants, and that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.
Political correctness is the idea that people should be treated equally without regard to race, gender, sexuality, or any other protected characteristic. It’s about creating a level playing field so that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
In recent years, the issue of political correctness has become increasingly divisive. Some people believe that we should all be treated the same, regardless of our differences. Others believe that political correctness is a form of censorship that stifles free speech and open debate.
There is no denying that America is a diverse nation, and that diversity should be celebrated. But there is also no denying that not everyone is treated equally. There are still significant disparities in education, income, and opportunity.
The issue of political correctness is important because it highlights the ways in which we are not yet living up to our ideals of equality and fairness. It’s an important conversation to have, and one that we need to continue having until everyone in America feels like they have an equal chance to succeed.