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February 2, 2004
language, ignorance, mindlessness
Let's continue discussing some of the questions raised by my right honourable friend dark-eye in his last post.
I take it we agree, then, that there's no point in being nasty to the checkout slave for using the harmless phaticism "have a good one." I think it's likewise anal-prescriptivist, and a waste of energy, to fulminate over people saying "where's it at." English varies by region and social class; different variations obey different systems of rules; so what?
It isn't so much annoying that people use clichés and buzzwords as it is distressing that they can't do any better. Too many Americans can't express themselves worth a shit or tell you in what century the Civil War took place. Why?
I think that's a complex question with no definitive answer, just competing theories. Part of the cause must be that fools sit around staring at the veg box for too many hours of their lives -- that'll make you stupid, for sure. Part of it is undoubtedly due to failures in the public education system, which in turn are attributable in large measure to severe underfunding and our policymakers' fucked up spending priorities. The way stuff like U.S. history is typically taught in school gives students little reason to remember it -- a series of disconnected factoids, trivia. Who cares? Chomsky called it right when he said (don't ask me exactly where) that school is a system of enforced ignorance. That's no mere eccentricity -- it's literally true in too many cases.
For people like dark-eye and me it is nonetheless appalling how ignorant people are. We're Old School. The fact that your history teacher sucked is no excuse. The fact that whenever you please, you could go onto the Web and find out when the Civil War was is no excuse. There are some things that people should know Just Because.
Posted by Professor B at February 2, 2004 2:05 PM
Comments
The good professor takes me too seriously. Humor was my first consideration when I started the whole language rant. The fact that people say "have a good one" doesn't bother me that much. I believe I mentioned growing up in the south, so pointing out that there are regional speech characteristics wasn't necessary, Y'all. Nome sane? In Maryland you cut your lawn with a paramour. But the good professor gets to the pith when making the point that people can't express/talk with any sense anymore. That is the dumbed down part. Variance by region and social class: of course that is obvious but I still have a problem with an educated vice-president of some successful business addressing the stock holders and telling them that the plan has worked from "the git go". Typical college student conversation: And then she goes "like no way" and like it is totally awesome and I go "way!" and then shes like I don't know but goes "what?" etc.
I find it amusing and I hear it everyday. Sometimes with all those goes and likes no information is passed between the two.
Shall we get into PC euphemisms? Learning challenged used to be feeble minded. My oldest sister and I when doing some mindless chore used to call it "fun for the feebs". Euphemisms are the educated academies attempt to make our language less honest/dumber in the other direction.
This leads me in a round a about to bigsis's comment about the middle class. I'm not so sure it is as large as we think it is. The disparity of income and education are getting farther and farther apart. The observation about european class distinction is exactly what we are heading towards. Europe and their societies have had a much longer history to develop the upper and lower distinction and I think we are just trying to get there. I make no judgement here about right or wrong.
This all started with my idea that language is an indicator of what is happening. Enough for now, I have to go watch the squirrel I put in the microwave as an experiment. Sure beats TV.
Posted by: dark-eye at February 2, 2004 8:36 PM
I guess we're ready to turn our attention to God, and give His ass a good beating.
Posted by: Professor B at February 3, 2004 9:46 AM
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