In a misguided attempt at protecting the so called “marginalized” individuals, the regressive left continues to ban an ever-increasing list of words – an action that only serves as a tool for oppression.
Thanks in large part to the intrusive nature of the internet in our daily lives, an annoying trend has taken root where any and every thing we say comes under scrutiny from complete strangers. More so now as a new community of victim olympians scour the net for things to take umbrage with.
Did you know you’re not supposed to say “blind spot” anymore? You know, that thing everyone has on the periphery of their vision. It might sound absurd that such a common phrase could be deemed offensive, but as we now live in clown world, that’s exactly what has happened. The same goes with “turn a blind eye” and “tone deaf.”
The reasoning for this is that such terms are viewed as “ableist”, a word that by its dictionary definition means “discriminating against disabled or handicapped people.” Now maybe it’s because I don’t suffer from the mental handicap that is being “woke”, but I struggle to see how “tone deaf” is discriminatory.
As for other “ableist” words, you’re no longer supposed to say stupid, crazy, psycho, dumb, idiotic, insane, lame, moron, nuts, mad, and mental. Even gimp is a no-no, a topic that periodically becomes a problem for the free photo editing software of the same name.
Similarly, do you have a crippling fear of something? Well, I hope not, because “crippling” is ableist too. So stop using it. Although, don’t rely on a dictionary as a crutch to find new words, as “crutch” is also offensive.
It may be overused, but a common phrase on the web is the “victim olympics", and at the risk of sounding cliche’, it’s hard to disagree with that sentiment. There’s a whole swath of individuals racing towards the bottom who take pleasure in becoming the most victimized.
Journalists such as David Perry go out of their way to call people out for being “ableist”, even going so far as to eat his own. Meanwhile, people from other groups come up with their own ways to limit which words are acceptable.
As has previously been reported on, saying “transgendered” with an ‘ed’ at the end can get you labeled transphobic. The same occurs with saying transwomen instead of trans (notice the space) women. Their reasoning for taking offense is that it’s bad grammar, yet no rational person gets offended over whether a word ends in ‘ed’ or not.
The last time I checked, using the wrong form of your/you’re might earn an eye roll from someone who knows better, but they certainly won’t see that grammatical error and assume you’re a bigot.
Too many people just want to be oppressed, so they’re creating new ways to feign oppression. It’s a circus freak show we should all be able to just stare and make jokes at, yet this display isn’t confined, and outside the tent we are seeing real world effects.
College newspapers are adapting rules to push students towards avoiding “ableist” language. Twitter bans people for minor slights deemed transphobic. Time Magazine helps push the notion that an ‘ed’ at the end of transgender is something to not be used. Entire cities are banning gendered words like “manhole” and “firemen”. And other colleges are trying to limit the use of the word “American” because it is not inclusive enough.
Also on rt.com Orwell’s 1984 no longer reads like fiction. It’s the reality of our timesIn George Orwell’s seminal book ‘1984’, he wrote: “Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten."
That quote was a forewarning to what we see today, as context no longer matters and specific words are offensive just because someone said so. Thoughtcrime has very much become real, a tragic turn of events, as not only is this a dumbing down of the populace, but it’s a dumbing down of our language as a whole.
When it comes to words we speak, context is one of the most important aspects. No single word is inherently bad. Some definitely have more weight to them, but even the most vile combinations of letters can become re-appropriated to mean something else. Perhaps the best example of this is the use of the n-word within black communities where it’s become a term of endearment.
The problem with context though is that it requires thinking, and these days people simply don’t want to put the most minuscule amounts of time or effort into determining how something is being said. Especially as it pertains to those who would rather run on emotion and find reasons to be victimized at every turn.
Underscoring all of this is that the education system, big tech, small government, and the media are all too happy to oblige individuals who want nothing more than for the world to cater to them. It’s a coddling of the American mind, and it’s doing far too much damage. Not only to the basis of speech, but to a large portion of the population. Quite frankly, victim culture is setting them up for failure.
Life is not easy. Bad things happen, loved ones die, and trauma can be around the next corner. Success as a conscious being requires coping skills, something the regressive left’s insistence on emotional self destruction does not allow.
If someone is getting offended over two letters at the end of a word, or freaking out because an internet stranger uttered a sentence about blindspots, how are they going to handle life when it hands them an actual problem? The answer is they aren’t going to.
Depression is on the rise, and it’s easy to see why. People are weakening their minds. It is a regression into an infantile state, as evidenced by the constant crying we hear daily. And as someone who values the written and spoken word, I refuse to let babies dictate what can and cannot be said.
Our society is quickly devolving into one similar to 1984, but in our timeline, instead of it being drab and dystopian, it’s padded and colorful. A perfect nursery for those who’d prefer a nanny take care of all their ills. But, like every toddler ever, they need guidance, and it’s time for people to get some tough love. Not only for their own benefit, but also for adults who are tired of the crying.
Baby talk is not a real language, but at the rate we’re going, it might soon be the only one that’s allowed.
By Sophia Narwitz, a writer & game journalist from the US.
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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.