Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Politically Incorrect
The "politically correct movement" is alive and well in this country. I have a number of friends who are jumping on all the current bandwagons. I'm afraid that I haven't ever been too politically correct... especially when it came to supporting adults with developmental disabilities.
I tend to agree with those who feel that being politically correct is just a person's way of saying, "I can't deal with my own emotions, so you need to change your behavior so I don't have to."
For example, I never saw it as my job to teach a client to be offended by words. Being offended by words is a personal choice. I always saw my job as being to teach a client how to deal with their emotions if someone had already taught them to make the choice to be offended.
My SNAP Curriculum covers topics such as "Personal Responsibility", "Identifying Emotions", "Dealing with Emotions", and "Making Choices". I don't talk about Political Correctness in the curriculum. I just offer some ways for staff to talk to clients about personal responsibility, and identifying and dealing with emotions, and making choices, as well as about 200 other daily living skills topics.
Please don't misunderstand... I will vigorously defend your right to choose to be offended in any way you want. I'm just not sure its helpful to teach others to do the same. You know that old saying - "just because someone throws you the ball, that doesn't mean you have to catch it."
I tend to agree with those who feel that being politically correct is just a person's way of saying, "I can't deal with my own emotions, so you need to change your behavior so I don't have to."
For example, I never saw it as my job to teach a client to be offended by words. Being offended by words is a personal choice. I always saw my job as being to teach a client how to deal with their emotions if someone had already taught them to make the choice to be offended.
My SNAP Curriculum covers topics such as "Personal Responsibility", "Identifying Emotions", "Dealing with Emotions", and "Making Choices". I don't talk about Political Correctness in the curriculum. I just offer some ways for staff to talk to clients about personal responsibility, and identifying and dealing with emotions, and making choices, as well as about 200 other daily living skills topics.
Please don't misunderstand... I will vigorously defend your right to choose to be offended in any way you want. I'm just not sure its helpful to teach others to do the same. You know that old saying - "just because someone throws you the ball, that doesn't mean you have to catch it."
