Rewriting, Washing, Scrubbing American Culture

[Regan MacNeil]

If you're not much for "certainty [with respect to] how they act and think in every circumstance," I would suggest you avoid this thread ...

President Biden: The NEW one and only politics thread

... at all costs.

Are you suggesting we're the cultural left? If so, where's my salary? I'm not doing it for free.

 

[doctorquant]

Are you suggesting we're the cultural left?

I wouldn't dare categorize anyone 'round here. I was just pointing out a hazard to someone put off by certainty about them (whoever they may be).

If so, where's my salary? I'm not doing it for free.

Y'all need a better union.

 

[Alma]

My observation is twofold:

1. I have yet see the evidence that qualifies you as an expert on "the cultural left" despite your certainty of how they act and think in every circumstance. It would be like me holding forth on the sociology of Brooklyn.

2. You need a change-up pitch in general.

1. OK.

2. Wouldn't that be viewed as disingenuous? Do you have a change-up pitch?

 

[I Should Coco]

Something else to consider in the "rewriting" of American culture ...

While taking the dog [/crosssthread] on walks through the neighborhood, we often go down a street that has one of those free library "bookhouses" in front of it. You know: take a book, leave a book, unload some old magazines, etc.

Anyway, I took a book that's relevant to this thread -- a volume in the Boston Publishing Company's series, "The Vietnam Experience," published in 1984. It's the one titled "A Nation Divided" about public support, opposition, protest and coverage of the war.

What's interesting is how, just in the last 39 years (and certainly the last 50 to 60 years, when the Vietnam war was happening) our terminology has changed so much. The language was still so masculine in the early to mid 1980s. Terms like spokesman, newspaperman, and the use of he/him for an anonymous person are used throughout. Although they're not necessarily in this Vietnam book, the terms for job titles were different, too: stewardess, postman, fireman, waitress.

No one gave those words a second thought then. Almost no one still uses them now.

 

[Regan MacNeil]

I can't believe the left let language come to this.

 

[I Should Coco]

I can't believe the left let language come to this.

You go, gurl!

 

[tea and ease]

Something else to consider in the "rewriting" of American culture ...

While taking the dog [/crosssthread] on walks through the neighborhood, we often go down a street that has one of those free library "bookhouses" in front of it. You know: take a book, leave a book, unload some old magazines, etc.

Anyway, I took a book that's relevant to this thread -- a volume in the Boston Publishing Company's series, "The Vietnam Experience," published in 1984. It's the one titled "A Nation Divided" about public support, opposition, protest and coverage of the war.

View attachment 16134

What's interesting is how, just in the last 39 years (and certainly the last 50 to 60 years, when the Vietnam war was happening) our terminology has changed so much. The language was still so masculine in the early to mid 1980s. Terms like spokesman, newspaperman, and the use of he/him for an anonymous person are used throughout. Although they're not necessarily in this Vietnam book, the terms for job titles were different, too: stewardess, postman, fireman, waitress.

No one gave those words a second thought then. Almost no one still uses them now.

Repeating myself, but acceptability is always time and temperature, as is all change. And to add to that, there's no progress without change. And just to be clear, I'm not speaking of climate... more like zeitgeist.

 

[JRoyal]

Something else to consider in the "rewriting" of American culture ...

While taking the dog [/crosssthread] on walks through the neighborhood, we often go down a street that has one of those free library "bookhouses" in front of it. You know: take a book, leave a book, unload some old magazines, etc.

Anyway, I took a book that's relevant to this thread -- a volume in the Boston Publishing Company's series, "The Vietnam Experience," published in 1984. It's the one titled "A Nation Divided" about public support, opposition, protest and coverage of the war.

View attachment 16134

What's interesting is how, just in the last 39 years (and certainly the last 50 to 60 years, when the Vietnam war was happening) our terminology has changed so much. The language was still so masculine in the early to mid 1980s. Terms like spokesman, newspaperman, and the use of he/him for an anonymous person are used throughout. Although they're not necessarily in this Vietnam book, the terms for job titles were different, too: stewardess, postman, fireman, waitress.

No one gave those words a second thought then. Almost no one still uses them now.

People have been writing and talking about those words since the 1950s, at least. Folks just like to forget they did to make a point sometimes.

 

[Azrael]

So the 'new cultural left' is responsible for the idea of treating everyone with the same level of respect we used to reserve for white, straight men?

Cool.

 

[BTExpress]

Chattanooga Lookouts shirt removed from website after fan posts video complaining of racial slur

 

[Azrael]

the new cultural left - rewriting, washing and scrubbing - strikes again

'I'm not wanted': Florida universities hit by brain drain as academics flee

 

[Alma]

the new cultural left - rewriting, washing and scrubbing - strikes again

'I'm not wanted': Florida universities hit by brain drain as academics flee

The switch has been flipped to "maybe it shouldn't."