THE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS INVENTORY (PCI)
How politically correct (PC) are you? The Political Correctness Inventory (PCI) will help you to answer that question. On it, you will find pairs of statements representing the politically correct and politically incorrect position on a broad range of contemporary issues, all the way from sex and education to politics and science.
What does it mean to be PC? It means to adhere to the belief system shared by the most intelligent, influential, and attractive people in America today. By taking this test, you will find out how closely your own thinking matches that of the smartest opinion-makers in our nation’s universities and the most captivating taste-makers in Hollywood and the media.
Significance
Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are coming to regard those with insufficiently developed PC sensibilities as harmful to society. In fact, PC Deficit Disorder (PCDD) has been identified as a form of mental disturbance warranting inclusion in the upcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM VI). PCDD appears widespread in certain corners of American culture, where it confuses citizens and causes them to vote against their own interests (as explained by political scientist Thomas Frank).
Development of the Test
The PC Inventory was developed by a cross-disciplinary team with expertise in psychological testing, social psychology, cultural criticism, and philosophy. Our team has been assisting people struggling with PCDD for many years, so we are well placed to advocate on behalf of PCDD survivors.
Taking The Test
The PCI consists of 40 pairs of statements. For each pair, select the statement with which you more nearly agree. This is a forced-choice test. For some statement pairs, you may not feel comfortable with either choice, but do the best you can. The correct PC answer is marked with a hash sign (#) — add one for each such answer. The test is short and will take only a few minutes to complete.
Participation
Use of this inventory is strictly for educational purposes. It must not be taken as offering psychological diagnosis, proving the presence or absence of PCDD. Take this test only if you are interested in learning about political correctness and how it is assessed. Your answers will be anonymous, but they will recorded and used for research.
Interpretation
Scores close to zero indicates someone thoroughly infected by PCDD. For others there is hope.
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THE TEST:
1.
To be happy in life, children need to be taught to have self-esteem.#
Self-esteem is overrated and needs to take a second seat to genuine accomplishment.
2.
Educators should give children as much freedom as possible to express their personalities.#
Educators should teach the “three R’s” and instill traditional values in children.
3.
All corporal punishment of children is cruel and counterproductive; it should be outlawed.#
Corporal punishment, properly administered, has its place in raising children to be virtuous and happy adults.
4.
Competitive games in which there are clear winners and losers are a valuable preparation for real life.
Competitive games are psychologically damaging to children; all children should receive ribbons and medals.#
5.
Bullying must be stamped out at all costs.#
Bullying needs to be controlled, but children must also learn to stand up for themselves.
6.
Sex education should be mainly left up to parents.
Educators know best what children should be taught about sex.#
7.
Colleges should teach students what is right to think and say.#
Colleges should teach students to think for themselves and to say what they think.
8.
Speech codes are the price we pay for civility.#
Civility should be taught by example, not enforced by speech codes.
9.
Protecting everyone’s feelings is more important than free speech.#
Free speech is more important than protecting everyone’s feelings.
10.
Nowadays, the highest virtue we can practice is to reduce our carbon footprint.#
The traditional virtues retain their preeminence today: temperance, prudence, justice, and courage.
11.
The main purpose of literature is to cultivate our appreciation of beauty and educate our moral sensibility.
The main purpose of literature is to empower excluded social groups.#
12.
Who’s to say that classical music is “better” than hip hop?#
No contemporary popular artist is of the same caliber as J.S. Bach.
13.
Non-traditional families are every bit as healthy for children as traditional ones.#
Children thrive best when raised by both of their biological parents.
14.
There is no good reason why heterosexuality should be considered “normal.”#
Normal psychosexual development results in attraction to the opposite sex.
15.
Marriage of same-sex couples is fine and should be encouraged.#
Marriage properly applies only to the union of one man and one woman.
16.
Children should be encouraged to play with both dolls and trucks to avoid gender stereotyping.#
Boys and girls should play with whatever toys they like.
17.
Men on average do better than women in math because women have been oppressed and kept from achieving their potential.#
Men on average do better than women in math because, as a group, they have more natural ability in math.
18.
Abortion is wrong in most circumstances.
A woman has the right to terminate a pregnancy at any time for any reason.#
19.
Religion has no place in the public square.#
Citizens have the right to express their religious convictions openly
20.
Saying “Merry Christmas” to strangers may be offensive and should be avoided.#
Fair-minded non-Christians take no offense if you wish them a “Merry Christmas.”
21.
On average, people in blue states are smarter than people in red states.#
On average, people in red states have more common sense than people in blue states.
22.
Guns, in the hands of law-abiding citizens, enhance public safety; the Second Amendment is society’s friend.
Guns are a menace to public safety and should be banned by executive order, regardless of the Second Amendment.#
23.
Capital punishment is a relic of a savage past and should be abolished.#
Capital punishment is a proper response by society to certain heinous crimes.
24.
The word “liberal” originally meant someone who sought freedom from arbitrary government power; it is a pity the meaning has changed.
The word “liberal” now means someone who looks to government to redistribute wealth, protect disenfranchised groups, and free us from outdated moral restraints; this change is for the better.#
25.
Liberals want what is best for everyone, not just for themselves.#
Liberals are paving the road to hell with good intentions.
26.
Unilateral disarmament is the best way to achieve world peace today.#
A strong defense remains the best way to keep the peace.
27.
Enhanced interrogation is just a euphemism for torture and is wrong in all circumstances.#
In extreme circumstances, such as nuclear terrorism, enhanced interrogation could be justified.
28.
How political candidates view evolution has little to do with their qualifications for public office.
Political candidates who question evolution are probably unfit for public office.#
29.
The wealthy will always take more than their fair share unless government stops them.#
The government has no business playing Robin Hood.
30.
Fairness means people get what they deserve.
Fairness means people get the same amount.#
31.
Government should spend whatever it takes to get green technologies off the ground.#
Like other businesses, green technologies need to prove themselves by competing in the free market.
32.
Freedom is more important than health; government has no business telling us what we can and cannot eat.
Health is more important than freedom; government should ban foods that are bad for us.#
33.
Killing human infants is wrong just because they are human.
Moral value should be based on capacity for feeling, not species membership; it is all right to kill a newborn human but not a grown cow.#
34.
All animal experimentation is wrong and should be outlawed.#
Animal experimentation is vital for medical research and should be permitted under proper supervision.
35.
Spiking trees, disabling bulldozers, and similar tactics are justified in order to save the Earth.#
Violence to promote the Earth First! agenda is not justified.
36.
Climate change is the most important challenge facing humanity today.#
The moral decay of society is a more important challenge facing us today.
37.
Climate change skeptics have the same right to free speech as anyone else.
Climate change deniers are a menace to humanity and must be silenced by any means necessary.#
38.
One of the greatest dangers facing humanity is the threat of a tyrannical world government.
The best hope for humanity lies in an effective world government.#
39.
The most important thing to know about the Founding Fathers is that they were rich, white, slave-owning, privileged males.#
The most important thing to know about the Founding Fathers is that they were far-sighted political philosophers and statesmen.
40.
On the whole, we should be ashamed of America’s history.#
On the whole, we should be proud of America’s history.
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INTERPRETING YOUR SCORE:
You would have scored between 0 and 40. Where does your score place you on the PC Inventory scale? Here is a brief guide:
0 to 10 – Politically incorrect (PiC).
11 or 20 – Independent, neither PC nor PiC.
21 to 25 – Functionally PC (can pass for PC in society).
26 to 30 – Strongly PC, but harboring some doubts.
31 to 35 – Overwhelmingly PC, but mildly inconsistent.
36 to 40 – Hardcore PC.
Scores close to 40 on the PC Inventory signify a thoroughgoing commitment to political correctness. Outside the extremes, scores signify one’s general commitment to political correctness as understood by what is taught in America’s universities and affirmed by our most influential media (especially The New York Times and NPR).
The PCI incorporates the key tenets of a politically correct belief system. It breaks new ground in assessing political correctness. Minimal PC orthodoxy, or “mere political correctness,” suggests a PCI score of at least 21.
