It seems to me that PC has evolved to mean "whatever will not offend."
PC-speak has come from political and/or legal concerns--not wanting to lose a vote by offending anyone and/or not wanting to be sued for libel.  The expansion into academia is a shame because it leaves the conversation not only boring but lacking truth (e.g., lying by omission) in many cases.
--
Melinda C. P. Skinner
Richmond, VA


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Kevin Joel Berland <[log in to unmask]>
> And yet labeling certain positions PC is itself stifling.  In most cases I've
> seen, the person who wields the label uses it to dismiss an idea or a statement
> of an idea.  Most ideas thus dismissed are by no means "accepted by all and
> uncontroversial."  Calling something PC is to refuse to engage with the idea
> itself.  As for defining PC as simply raising hackles, I think it's partly
> true, but once again it reduces the matter to expression and not issues: what
> of the values and principles underlying the response of hackle-raising?
> 
> 
> On Thu, 31 May 2007 21:04:55 -0400  Discussion of research and writing about
> Virginia history             
> <[log in to unmask]><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > While like most people I have bias, it was in this context (not  
> > raising hackles) that I find PC to be stiffling. It is impossible to  
> > have a good debate of a topic if only that which is accepted by all  
> > and uncontroversial is voiced. This is also a good recipe for  
> > groupthink.
> > 
> > James Brothers, RPA
> > [log in to unmask]
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On May 31, 2007, at 13:05, qvarizona wrote:
> > 
> > > Regarding the term PC,  Jon Kukla wrote,
> > >
> > > "In that context, the term was NOT associated with any particular  
> > > point of view or ideology, but rather with what was least likely to  
> > > raise anyone's hackles."
> > >
> > > Thinking about this in several contexts, I think that's
> > > one of the best definitions of the term PC I've come across.
> > >
> > > --Joanne
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > > Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally,  mobile search that gives answers, not  
> > > web links.
> > 
> > 
> >