Fredenberg 1

James Fredenberg
Mr. Salow
English 11
November 6, 2015

The Illusion of Political Correctness

Our view of world history has been largely shaped and dominated by men, and it is only
until recently that minority groups have become the focus of much of our studies. Because they
have been minorities in history, other groups are always treated with an air of delicacy that is
Political Correctness. Minorities protest that because they have been misrepresented in the
past, they need to be the focus of teaching and study.
This is an important topic in the education world. Should historically neglected groups be
taught more extensively? In response to this issue, David Gordon makes the point, The problem
with this is that it has helped force out many other kinds of historical enquiry (The Mangling of
American History). This point is true, because by over-promoting equality, we shift the prime
focus from one group to another. Because of this, it is more important to teach and study what
made a bigger difference in this country and the world. Yes, the Civil Rights Movement changed
the world. Many women and other minority groups changed the world. They just werent the
only ones in history, so they should not be the sole focus of our studies.
If we change education, we change the minds of a whole generation. When this happens,
the world will come to embrace a new set of values, and share an entirely different worldview.
The world will change, for better or worse. We need to promote equality in the way we teach all
people, for the sake of the worlds collective education.