Should a would-be author concern themselves with Political Correctness?

Why should a would-be author even bother to concern themselves with Political Correctness?

Let’s use ivory as an example. Would it be okay for an author to write about the brutal killing of Elephants and the Black Market in ivory? Would there even be an audience for such a book?

Similarly, would it be politically incorrect for an author to create a magical object partly made of ivory in a fantasy or magic-realism novel.

Authors have the same problems if they choose to write about race, ethnicity, class, religion, or crimes committed by a particular group - and of course politics.

What should a book contain to be Politically Correct?

Must it have Black, White and Asian characters? Must they all have to be from the same social class and background? Must it have left-wing and right-wing characters? Should there be an equal mix of Heterosexual, Lesbian and Gay characters?

Of course not, that would be incongruous.

A writer should write what he or she knows about and stick two fingers up to those who object. Why some of you may ask? It’s because we live in a democracy in which freedom of speech plays an active part in our daily lives – and long may it do so.

Under good old Joe Stalin, it was the death knell for creative artistic expression. Artists, Writers and Classical composers, were killed for not toeing the communist line. Russian art suffered severely as a consequence.

How dumbed-down and dull books would be if authors concerned themselves with every aspect of Political Correctness.

As much as aspects of Political Correctness have helped to civilise society, it is darkly oppressive at its core. At its worst, Political Correctness represents a virtual gagging filter placed between the thoughts of an individual and the vocal expression of them.

It is a social conditioning designed to seriously limit free expression and exchange of ideas.