I am writing today to recognize the sad demise of a mom spiel, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” It’s a mantra that many women raised in the ’50s – my peers – can recite. Maybe not taught to the boys and men of that calmer and purportedly common sensical time.
It’s been replaced by go-for-the-throat jibs and jabs – or what I call conversation-by-cat-fight, knives sharped for full effect, glistening from showcase shows like ‘The Real Housewives of ____’ (drop in the name of any high-profile city or gang, er group, like the NFL players’ wives)
Fostered by politicians’ open, combative style. Divisive, ignoble, and decidedly unstatesmanlike. It’s feral, combative, and unparalleled…
It’s verbal invasion, it’s verbal violence, it’s a karate chop to boundaries that I’ve honed after years and years. It couldn’t be herded – like cats or rats or ‘femme fatales’ – into action in the name of community service. Are you kidding? Let’s play the blame-and-shame game rather than work together to get things done!!
Can anyone, anything soften the technique, the verbal swordplay that swashes and buckles and strafes? Is anyone willing?
Askin’ for a friend, please and thanks.
She prefers this blog post from the recent past: https://www.pjcolando.com/language-is-everything/
What about you? Comments welcome, Constant Reader. Please and Thanks.
Image by <a href=”https://pixabay.com/users/castleguard-2970404/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1537698″>Rebekka D</a> from <a href=”https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1537698″>Pixabay</a>
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