Correctness Quote by Theodore Dalrymple
““Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.””
About This Quote
Political correctness is portrayed as a tool that distorts truth, humiliates, and erodes moral resistance, similar to communist propaganda.
In simple terms: PC manipulates truth and weakens moral courage.
Key Takeaway
Question narratives that silence truth.
Themes
political correctness
propaganda
truth
morality
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
social
political
When to use this quote
- journalism
- education
- public policy
- media commentary
Key Concepts
social control
psychology of conformity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate harmful speech from protective speech?
- Can truth be conveyed without causing harm?
A Different Perspective
Overgeneralizes PC’s role and ignores its protective intentions.
