In the timeless words of Inigo Montoya, “you say that word often. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Today I am discussing just a few words and phrases that get on my dang nerves. In some cases the usage is wrong, but more often than not the real problem is that the word or phrase is simply overused to such an extent that it has lost its real meaning and has become mainly symbolic of a certain sentiment. Often these words and phrases are used as slurs toward to “other side,” and it doesn’t really matter anymore what the words actually mean—the insult is the only point.
In Rachel’s Fantasy World™, the following terms or phrases would be banished, and people would instead have to actually explain what they don’t like and why. I’d love to see people have to actually discuss their opinions without relying on overused name calling.
For another look into Rachel’s Fantasy World™, check out my newsletter on gun culture, where I wish that gun advocates had to try defending our mass shooting culture as something we shouldn’t attempt to fix, without relying on the Constitution.
Radical
This weekend, the former president wished the “radical left CRAZIES” a happy Easter. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Al) said that the MLB has “cowered to the will of the radical left,” in choosing to move its All-Star game out of Georgia in protest of the state’s recently enacted voter suppression laws. Robert Aaron Long, the man who went on a shooting spree of Asian massage parlors in the Atlanta area last month, apparently attended a Christian church whose pastor had stated in recorded sermons that “radical feminism has engulfed our culture like a tsunami.”
Radical, in this sense, is defined as follows:
Notice that each of those sub-definitions includes the word “extreme” and I think that is really what people are getting at when they use the word radical in political or cultural conversations. In this way, radical is a derogatory term meant to connote “extreme,” where extreme equals Bad with a capital B.
Being a liberal myself, I obviously don’t think that the left is radical. One could argue that the difference between favoring progression and fearing progression is the hallmark difference between the left and right. So, as a conservative, where you hate any change to the status quo, what worse thing could you call someone than radical—denoting the worst kind of extreme change.
It’s overused and too simplistic. I would love if instead people would try articulating why they dislike the thing, instead of just just name-calling someone who is pursuing change.
Do Your Research
A favorite of Internet posters everywhere, “do your research” is a catch-all phrase to be used against anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs and understanding about how the world works. This could be used when discussing something scientific, like the proposition that vaccines cause autism (they don’t). Or it may be used by people touting conspiracy theories, like those who say Joe Biden is not actually the president and not even in the White House right now (he is).
In the true scientific sense, most of us cannot do our own research, for what I hope are obvious reasons. We rely on actual scientists for that.
But even in the more informal sense of research—meaning spending time reading material, learning, and being informed—I still hate the phrase because it is almost entirely used by people who consume a lot of crappy material and who have a weak ability to filter and identify reliable sources. I’m talking about “research” which essentially points to non-experts, conspiracy theorists, click-baiters, unsourced articles, opinion pieces veiled as fact, chat boards, and so on.
I don’t want to do that kind of research. I trust experts and reliable news outlets to give me fair descriptions of the facts. Or I look at the original source material. I also realize that our understandings of things can and do change as new information comes to light. Or, sometimes people make mistakes. Or sometimes people lie. We do our best with the information we’re given, but despite those variables I just mentioned, it is still possible to seek out and rely on trustworthy sources of information, and to change our views when warranted.
Telling someone to do their research is a thinly veiled insult that the person is uninformed, is unable to identify reliable sources, and lacks the special inside knowledge of the person telling you to research. I wish people would be forced to share their information and defend it, if they really think it’s so good. That’s a lot harder to do than simply implying that the other person is uninformed.
You’re Entitled to Your Opinion
Saying that “everyone is entitled to their opinion” is an aphorism just like saying “don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” or “a penny saved is a penny earned.” This phrase can be benign and harmless, but in this divisive political age, its use in the context of political discussions really bothers me.
It acts as a conversation killer as it implies there is no point in continuing the discussion, because it’s just a matter of opinion. It treats really bad opinions as having equal weight as well-founded opinions. It terminates the ability to effectively fight for what’s right, out of a supposed respect for letting people believe what they want. It triggers an unspoken social code that you cannot keep arguing, because to do so would be impolite and boorish.
Sometimes there really is a correct answer, is what I’m saying. If we’re talking about favorite ice cream flavors or action movies, then fine—have your opinion. But when we’re discussing issues of scientific fact or consensus, for instance, some views do not deserve the same respect as others.
Instead, I wish people would just be direct and say I don’t want to discuss this anymore, or I’m not prepared to debate this right now, rather take the cheap and easy way out of acting like it’s just an unresolvable matter of opinion.
That’s enough griping from me today. I’m curious—what words and phrases can you just not stand?
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You're correct about their knee-jerk use of "radical". One other point I would make is the difference between Left and Liberal. Many people see them as the same. They are not. Liberal is just to the left of Center. Left can be varying degrees further than that away from Center. AOC and Bernie are -Social Democrats (NOT to be confused with the Democratic Party) -and are a step or two Left of Liberal. Che Guevara, on the other hand, was quite a few steps more Left and was willing to blow stuff up to change government. I don't want to go down the rabbit hole here, but Left and Liberal are used synonymously and erroneously. You wrote a good piece.
"Cancel Culture" drives me crazy.