Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Politically Correct Titanic: "Persons and Children First"

I read this funny article today on a lady in California attempting to be politically correct in her statement where she tries to say that children will be better served when their "deadbeat parent" starts paying his share so that "women and children" aren't left for poor. The commentator was laughing at the half and half use of politically correct terminology and suggested that the California lady should have said "persons and children" aren't left for poor, in order to be perfectly fair.

6 comments:

  1. This is simply more proof that political correctness does nothing to fix the supposedly "bad" ideas behind the "offensive" things people say. It also serves to illustrate exactly which groups are really at the forefront of this new tyranny.

    Men of Earth, rise up! Resist the women and children unto your last breath.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Chesterton had some choice things to say about people who fiddle with language -- abuse it -- to hide their true intent. Can anyone come up with some references?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's something to start with:

    Every one of the popular modern phrases and ideals is a dodge in order to shirk the problem of what is good. We are fond of talking about "liberty"; that, as we talk of it, is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. We are fond of talking about "progress"; that is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. We are fond of talking about "education"; that is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. The modern man says, "Let us leave all these arbitrary standards and embrace liberty." This is, logically rendered, "Let us not decide what is good, but let it be considered good not to decide it." He says, "Away with your old moral formulae; I am for progress." This, logically stated, means, "Let us not settle what is good; but let us settle whether we are getting more of it." He says, "Neither in religion nor morality, my friend, lie the hopes of the race, but in education." This, clearly expressed, means, "We cannot decide what is good, but let us give it to our children."
    [GKC Heretics CW1:51]

    And AMBER has a xref on that last line:

    The more doubtful we are about whether we have any truth, the more certain we are (apparently) that we can teach it to children. The smaller our faith in doctrine, the larger is our faith in doctors.
    [GKC, ILN January 26, 1907 CW 27:380]

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sorry, too quick. Obviously, GKC is right, for the point here is that the attempt to conceal the rather glaring difference between Man and Woman is ALSO "a dodge in order to shirk the problem of what is good."

    Man and Woman are NOT a problem.

    After all, it was not GKC but Someone else who said, "It is not good for Man to be alone..."

    And that brings up another GKC quote, one of the best and quippiest of his many great quotes:

    "Those whom God has sundered, shall no man join." [GKC, The Common Man 143]

    ReplyDelete
  5. I find it sexist to assume the 'deadbeat parent' is always the father.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chesterton as usual is like a thunderclap that wakes the dead, Dr. Thursday. Or at least the brain dead. :)

    ReplyDelete

Join our FaceBook fan page today!