As I watch
the job market, follow the news, and scroll through social media
"influencers," I find myself thinking about how we misuse certain
words and phrases.
I am Gen
X. That means I absolutely understand the value of respect, but I am probably
not what many people today would consider politically correct. My generation
could throw hands, curse you out, and tell jokes that would probably get us
canceled in today's environment. We were far from perfect.
What we
were not, however, was rude.
Lately, it
seems that being rude is being confused with being politically incorrect. They
are not the same thing.
Being
politically incorrect means saying something that challenges social norms or
accepted conventions. Being rude means treating people poorly, showing
disrespect, or behaving without basic courtesy.
My
generation also understood something that seems to be missing today:
consequences. If you ran your mouth recklessly, there was a good chance you
would have to deal with the outcome face-to-face. The internet did not exist to
provide distance, anonymity, or an audience cheering you on from behind a
screen.
Social
media has given many people a microphone, but it has also removed many of the
natural consequences that once kept basic civility in check.
Not
everything offensive is politically incorrect. Sometimes it is just rude.
Sometimes it is just bad behavior. And perhaps we should stop confusing the
two.
Dr
Flavius A B Akerele III
The
ETeam
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