Does switching to PC words really help?

Does sanitation engineer sound better than garbage collector? Yes, but it means the same thing.

It can mask the meaning, and in a bad way. Saying that someone is “in discomfort” does not necessarily mean the same thing as “in pain”. I once asked my GYN if a procedure she wanted to do in the office would be painful. She said it might cause me “mild discomfort”. I was completely unprepared for excruciating pain!

I would rather have had the truth. She lied.

How is “discomfort” the PC term for pain? How is “pain” not PC? Who exactly would it offend?

Discomfort and pain are two different things.

Yeah, I’m not sure what PC has to do with your examples.

I never understood why issues meaning topics came to mean problems in the first place. They now mean the same thing, i.e. problems. Was that to soften the meaning of the word problem? What’s wrong with the word problem? Does it infer contention? It’s very confusing when word meanings change and you have to understand specific words by their context. English has enough confusions in it as it is.

PC means politically correct. It seems you really mean using euphemisms. I don’t think euphemisms help anything unless you mean things like heck for hell, etc.. Using a different word from the one you really mean is inaccurate and misleading.
Discomfort is a half mile away from pain.

Regarding swear (cuss) words. My mom always told me that it didn’t matter how you fancied it up, God knew what you meant. Do I subscribe to that theory? Nope – I failed to read in the Bible how anything other than taking God’s name in vain was a sin. I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong, and I’m more than willing to hear that.

So who decided that the rest of the words were bad? Society? Media?

I see PC speech as dishonest, obfuscatory to the point of deceit, and generally bullshit. If you cannot deal with reality as it is then don’t try to soften it up with candy-ass words; just drop some acid and escape without being a pain is the ass to people like me who can handle reality without the double-talk.

How is everyone defining PC?

Here is the take from wikipedia and I agree with their definition:

Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct; both forms commonly abbreviated to PC) is a term that refers to language, ideas, or policies that address perceived or actual discrimination against or alienation of politically, socially or economically disadvantaged groups. The term usually implies that these social considerations are excessive or of a purely “political” nature. These groups most prominently include those defined by gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability.

@johnpowell It often goes too far though. I mean, there are some cases where some political correctness is required; fag, nigger, raghead, wetback, etcetera are a bit offensive. However, referring to the utility access covers in the street as a “manhole” can get you crucified by some people.

It’s the perceived discrimination from the thin-skinned drama llamas that gives Political Correctness bad connotations in my mind, and in the minds of many others. I equate PC with “I am looking for a reason to be offended by everything you say and do!”.

I apparently misused PC. I agree with @Sunny2 my examples are euphemisms.

@jerv Good answer to my implied question.