Pamela Paul: 'The whole point of comedy is to poke us where it’s most uncomfortable... and the self-seriousness alone of contemporary political correctness practically begs for satire. Today we seem to mistake humorlessness for seriousness.'
It also misses out on the relief humor provides. The whole point of comedy is to poke us where it’s most uncomfortable, to get us to laugh at our foibles and excesses, and the self-seriousness alone of contemporary political correctness practically begs for satire. Today we seem to mistake humorlessness for seriousness.
What weak laughter is left? Nowadays, critics of PC’s pedantic excesses can be even more strident than its advocates. Making fun of political correctness is one thing; telling outright offensive jokes is quite another. On right-wing outlets like Fox News and The Daily Caller, the tone is more rage and sneer than ridicule and smirk — they’re attacking the enemy rather than recognizing their own foolishness.
Some signs indicate that when it comes to political correctness, fatigue may be setting in. In a 2020 Pew poll, 57% of Americans said people today are too easily offended by what others say. But the gap between those on the left and those on the right among those who think people should be careful to avoid offending others with their speech was a significant 42 percentage points, with most on the left favoring restraint.
Even in the ‘90s you could sense the country’s darkening mood as PC advocates became increasingly joyless in their messianic determination. In one “Thatch” strip, PC Person wields his latest “book-o’-dogma, ‘How to Argue the PC Way,’” which he then smacks across Insensitive Man’s head. “Chapter 1,” PC Person explains. “If you don’t like what someone has to say, don’t let them say it!”
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