"You're like Hitler, except Hitler cared about Germany or something." What Rick and Morty tells us about political correctness

Rick and Morty is certainly my favorite show right now, and possibly the best show that's currently airing. It is fantastic. The best way for me to describe it is an animated, morally questionable Back to the Future. It combines humor and intricate plot into a perfectly balanced ice cream sundae. The characters are some of the most intricate I've seen, and the best part is the willingness to break rules. Here's a link to what is, as far as I know, a perfectly legal way to watch the show. Don't worry, your computer won't get a virus.

Take the very first sequence in the pilot episode. Rick walks into Morty's room in a drunken stupor and pulls him out of bed. Morty says it's the middle of the night and expresses pain when Rick pulls him out of bed. We see the two of them in this flying car that Rick made. He is drinking, and he tells Morty that he's going to blow up the planet. But don't worry, he's going to save this girl who Morty has a crush on, Jessica, and they can be Adam and Eve in a "fresh start." He then tells Morty that he doesn't have to worry about him "messing around with Jessica." Keep in mind Jessica and Morty are 14 and Rick is his grandpa. They fight, and Rick agrees to land the ship. When he opens the door, dozens of alchohol bottle spill out. He tells Morty he was testing him, then falls asleep. The bomb counts down, and then it cuts to the title sequence.

This alone breaks so many rules. It's a cartoon, which is usually lighter, and even if it's adult it definitely doesn't discuss an old man "messing around" with a 14-year-old. It's suspenseful, and at the same time the dialogue between Rick and Morty is pretty funny, just with their word choice. The shock factor is high, and it's compelling anyway. Another thing is the unique dialogue. Morty stutters a lot, Rick will occasionally burp in the middle of sentences, and the whole thing feels very improvised. It seems like they have general storyboards, then just work out the dialogue as they go. After just this two-minute bit I was hooked. Later on in the episode *spoilers if you want to watch it which you should at this point in time if you haven't already* Rick asks Morty to put giant seeds up his butt, so they can get through inter-dimensional customs with them. I don't know any other show that would have a Grandpa ask his grandson to put giant seeds up his butt. It's pretty comical, and it is unique. Rick seems to have zero regard for Morty's well being, focused only on science. The plot *BLURRRGH* thickens, however, later in the show as the characters develop.

The most interesting part of this is how popular the show is despite being so not politically correct. It seems like in regular life, a lot of people strive to avoid upsetting anyone and use as many unoffensive words and sentences as possible. In a world where microagressions are a thing, people feel pressure to avoid doing or saying anything that might "trigger" anyone (sorry if putting the word "trigger" in quotes triggered anyone). This show throws all of that out the window, holding absolutely nothing sacred.

"But if people are so concerned about being politically correct all the time, how is it that the show is so popular?" I can hear all of you asking. Well it seems to me that there's only one good explanation: people don't actually want to be politically correct. It seems that the only reason people are so PC all the time is to avoid public shaming or at least the distaste of others. Perhaps some do it for a sense of self-righteousness, but overall it seems that when people are allowed to not be PC, they choose that option every time. And why wouldn't they? Feeling like you need to constantly avoid offending someone around you can be stressful and draining. Saying what you feel or having what you feel expressed by others makes you feel good. While we should strive to be inclusive, it's clear that the level of PCness expected is uncomfortable for most.

One may think that the people who like this show are just people who aren't PC to begin with, but I know a good number of Rick and Morty fans (or at least a good percentage of the fans I know) who are usually very PC but love Rick and Morty. It allows them to cut loose, and who can blame them? Read this quote: "It's like the C-word and the N-word had a baby, and that baby was raised by all the bad words for Jews." I find this funny. I feel like a lot of people would find this funny, but their immediate reaction might be one of shock or disgust because that's the reaction they've been trained to have. It seems like the shock I experienced while watching that first two minutes was less of shock and more of finally finding something I felt I didn't have to filter for, and that was a good feeling.