HOW PC ARE YOU?

I am part of a discussion group for association executives. A very interesting question came up regarding the title of a chapter of a book someone was writing about asphalt. It seems the author wanted to name the chapter "The First Black Superhighways" and the association exec wanted to run it by her peers to check the PC factor of the title.

Well people chimed in from all over citing why it would or could offend and how it should be changed. It was a very interesting discussion about being politically correct in everything we do. As I read the numerous postings it made me sad to see how we as a society have become so offended at everything.

Here was my posting:

I too have been following this discussion with some interest. I am the Treasurer of a very large condo board with a very multi-cultural community and I feel frustrated when I am writing (or speaking) and I have to sensor every word said - or at least view with such a critical eye that I am almost convinced that anything I say (or do for that matter) is going to offend someone.

I think as a society we've taken it too far frankly. And when I get frustrated by something that seems to continue to compound itself I step back and I think - we have to look at it from another point of view entirely.

In most cases it seems to me that the problem lies with the listener (or observer). So my question would be: How do we as a culture "listen" with the best intentions instead of the worst? Obviously if everyone walks through life assuming that someone is out to get them, they are going to read negativity into everything they see or hear. This goes for every race, culture, religion, socio-economic status, etc...

How do we as listeners begin to assume the best instead of the worst?
And since when did it become my job as a writer, speaker, etc to try to interpret how you are going to interpret what I am trying to say when I am saying it with the best of intentions?

Oh so far off topic...

So...I am not referring to obviously offensive things but really now - at face value how offensive is: "The First Black Superhighways"??

So, now I pose the question to you.