英検1級ライティング political correctness

お題 Agree or disagree:Political correctness is justifiable.

以下エッセイ

Political correctness, which means the avoidance of particular languages or actions that may be considered offensive and discriminatory to certain groups, has been one of the hotly debated issues over the last decades. While some people claim that political correctness is effective in terms of rectifying our own biased beliefs, I strongly disagree with this statement because it limits the use of common words or free speech and stifles intellectual diversity.

One cogent reason to support my idea is that political correctness can result in absurd situations where general words and phrases are deem offensive. For instance, "harassment" is a word that is frequently used in Japanese society. Increased awareness of "harassment" is a positive trend in that it stimulates us to rethink the way we communicate with each other in order not to hurt someone's feelings. Overuse of "harassment", however, has the potential for preventing us from building amicable relationships with other people. In many places, chatting with numerous people using common phrases or slangs serves as a catalyst for fostering our friendships. Given the fact that "harassment" excessively prevents the use of common words or phrases on the grounds that they may offend someone, it will be more challenging for us to have enjoyable conversations with our friends or family.

Additionally, political correctness can be seen as a form of censorship that quashes freedom of speech. This dangerously restricts public debate on important social issues and results in a homogenization of thought, where only certain perspectives are considered acceptable. For instance, climatic activists have always voiced their concerns over chilling effects caused by climate change. Countries under autocratic system, however, manage to repress their opinions, thus leading to aggravation of environment like massive floods and intense heat. In such circumstances, political correctness not only hinders our chances to express our opinions at our disposal but also exacerbates ongoing social problems.

Another major justification for my viewpoint is that political correctness smothers intellectual diversity. The idea of being politically correct promotes the belief that there is only one correct way to think about issues associated with gender, races and sexuality. This obstructs the unfettered movement of diverse ideas, consequently creating the environment in which people are discouraged from questioning established narratives and exploring alternative perspectives. Eventually, intellectual development is inhibited and society on the whole becomes less innovative and creative.

In summary, for the above-mentioned three reasons, I firmly refute the stance that political correctness is justified in our society. It is imperative that we create society where various ideas or beliefs can actively be exchanged.