Young adults today are too sensitive. Correction: young adults today are politically correct. They protect the rights and beliefs of all groups; except the ones who disagree with them. Correction: they protect the rights and beliefs of all groups; except those who are politically incorrect. 

Young adults today are vengeful, angry and outraged about everything. To them, the world can do no right. This thought is fostered by a negative media, disillusioned older generations and a multitude of other factors. The attempts to create a more peaceful world have become disgustingly uniform and center around one thing: attacking those who disagree. The opposition must be stupid, supremacists, killers and criminals.

The biggest proponents of political correctness are those who criticize President Donald Trump and his administration. Is it not politically incorrect to pick and choose who is right in their beliefs about how our nation should be run. These thoughts do not create peace or a conflict that can result in compromise. Young adults are uncompromising and unforgiving. There is no tolerating opposing views and beliefs, and this creates a double standard. The pride of being politically correct is only valid if you can actually achieve complete toleration of all political beliefs. This is impossible.

In efforts to foster politically correct campuses, administrators created free-speech zones. Though they are not holding up well in courts and legislatures, it does bring a frightening revelation: the fear of being offended and opinionated became so strong that those trusted to  guide college students enacted an idea that would stifle our First Amendment right to free speech and expression. Students should not be afraid to speak their mind because of consequences imposed by colleges or the notion that other students will persecute them. 

In the article, Political Correctness and the Suicide of the Intellect by Harvey Mansfield, “The purpose of free speech is to make democratic government possible. The purpose of academic freedom is to further inquiry. Inquiry means becoming more aware, not becoming more sensitive, and being “aware” means being open-minded to what is new, and is reflected in a desire to learn.” Students should not be striving toward political correctness, but toward a future they have shaped by voicing their opinions and accepting others. 

Conformity will taper innovation and progress. The political realm is not stagnant, nor would society benefit from it being still. If people are not offended, there is no desire, no drive to create change. Nothing can be achieved by accepting what already is. The desire for everyone to have the same political beliefs does not foster discussion and debate, but creates fear. The idea of not being “politically correct” scares people into staying quiet, causing society to lose the great thinkers, innovators and inventors, all because they conformed to societal ideas of political correctness.

This is a challenge. A challenge to stop being afraid of what others will think of you. A challenge to get up and actually affect change. A challenge to truly listen to what your peers and other generations are saying. Even if you believe the world is flat and that shape-shifting lizards rule society or if you believe we are actually living a simulation, I challenge you to argue for your beliefs. Learn to adapt how you think. Imagine the world young people can create by allowing the status quo to be challenged.