I hereby renew my call for everybody in the adult world to refrain from name calling … at least as it pertains to political and social debate.
In ranting polemic, it may seem reasonable to talk about the dems, repubs, libs, neocons, chickenhawks, enviros, lefties, right-wingers, surrender monkeys, war junkies, abortionists, god-drunk fools, and so on. (That’s a short list of the ones to which I’ve been privy this week). Let me assure everyone that you are only talking to the most extreme of the people who already agree with you. You are pissing off the people you’re trying to talk to, and you are irritating the undecided.
One of the single, cardinal rules of actual communication is this: Address people as they wish to be addressed. If you can’t get past slapping each other with insulting monikers, you certainly won’t be able to come to any sort of agreement. Plus, what … you’re like five years old and out on the playground or something? If you want me to take your opinion seriously on matters of public policy, you ought to be able to get beyond “nanny nanny doo-doo head.”
If you’re referring to some person or group by a name other than that by which they would prefer to be called (within reasonable limits), you’re just doing it to piss them off and insult them. That’s name calling … and it needs to stop.
This is just as true in congress as it was in the 1st grade.
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