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Political Irrectness In 1984 By George Orwell

Decent Essays

In 1984, George Orwell demonstrates the dangers of policing thought and expression through a fictional language called “Newspeak”, which is a “a reduced language created by the totalitarian state as a tool to limit free thought, and concepts that pose a threat to the regime such as freedom, self-expression, individuality, peace”1. Any thought that is contrary to the state’s construct is classified as ‘thoughtcrime’. The Newspeak Orwell introduces is eerily similar to political correctness, which is defined as “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated”2. Political correctness is a plague on modern society, since it stifles social progress. By limiting free speech and encouraging a sense of victimhood, political correctness augments the issues of racism, sexism etc. It also stifles debate by declaring many important issues as taboo. Therefore, the political correctness that is rampant in modern society, although aimed at promoting inclusion and tolerance, is in fact doing nothing but increasing the division that people experience. The politically correct agenda that is widespread and that is pushed by mass media and the political left limits people’s freedom of though and expression. One of the primary ways in which it does this is through redefining language and deeming certain lanugage unacceptable, so that contrary opinions are classified as discriminatory and

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