Two pieces worth reading today on different subjects, but, I propose, with a common theme. Peter Berkowitz writes on the irrationality of Bush hatred. He sums up:
In short, Bush hatred is not a rational response to actual Bush perfidy. Rather, Bush hatred compels its progressive victims--who pride themselves on their sophistication and sensitivity to nuance--to reduce complicated events and multilayered issues to simple matters of good and evil. Like all hatred in politics, Bush hatred blinds to the other sides of the argument, and constrains the hater to see a monster instead of a political opponent.
Dennis Prager writes about the vulgar language of the 40th Anniversary issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Just a couple examples Prager notes:
George Clooney: " . . . my sister and I were quizzed on s--t." "Now you're going to hear about all this s--t." "What the f--k's wrong with you?" China "doesn't give a s--t . . ." "I don't give a s--t." "This war is bulls--t."
Jon Stewart: "We have a s--tload of guns." " . . . that f--ked up everything." "We f--king declared war on 'em." " . . . the whole f--king thing's ours." "Two vandals . . . can f--k up your way of life." "I'll take those odds every f--king day."
What do these columns have in common? The baseness of our political language. Unable or unwilling to articulate an coherent and reasoned argument against Bush, many on the left, even intellectuals as Berkowitz notes, resort to demonizing and fear mongering. Surely something similar can be observed on the right. This demonization substitutes for taking our political opponents seriously and thinking through their arguments and coming up with counter arguments. How much easier give in to passion and to say my opponent is evil or simply a criminal.
What about the vulgar language? Bereft of actual command of the English language and, again, unable or unwilling to offer serious and sober comments, profanity is the dummy's approach to articulation. I have a good friend who was a theater major at an elite school as an undergrad. He tells me that his theater professors regularly told the students that vulgarity is usually (not always) the choice for those without real writing talent (perhaps the television show Deadwood is the exception that proves the rule).
Update: An emailer writes in:
I liked your article. As a Spanish teacher, I occasionally have
students ask if I know how to swear in Spanish. I say I do. Then they
ask if I can teach them. I tell them I can. They wait and then ask if
I will teach them. I say no. They ask why not? I tell them:
Profanity is nothing more than ignorance vocalized. This usually gets a
blank stare.
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