Author: Djordje Vidanovic
Date: 16:40:17 11/22/00
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On November 22, 2000 at 12:50:44, Christopher R. Dorr wrote: >On November 21, 2000 at 09:30:31, Djordje Vidanovic wrote: > >>On November 21, 2000 at 01:12:38, John Smith wrote: >> >>>What's so objectionable about it ? >> >>How about implicit child abuse which is a big problem in any society? >>I tend to think that the whole thread should be deleted because of the >>infelicitous and insulting metaphor. >> >>This is a computer chess forum that should not promote _any_ abuse, especially >>not the abuse of the defenceless. >> >>*** Djordje > >"Promote" abuse? In what possible way does the use of a common English folkism >promote the abuse of *anything*? Should we stop using the work "beat" as in >"Fritz Beat Gnuchess" because it can refer to (in another conext) somebody being >"beaten"? How about preventing the discussion of "white pieces" because the >"white" part can refer to a racial issues in the US? > >We're all (supposedly) adults here. It is inconceivable to me that an adult, >intelligent, educated person could see the use of this phrase as somehow >promoting something negative. You certainly have the right to not use a phrase >that you find objectionable, but I don't feel you have some inherent right to >*never* see something you don't like. > >Christopher I never said that I had some _inherent_ right to interpret things here. I merely said that the title of the post could implicitly promote child abuse. There have been complaints to that effect that certainly made sense to me. Language and its metaphors can be potent promoters and trainers. Once one hears a metaphor or a strong, fitting, phrase one tends to adopt it and perhaps even be changed by it, very much unaware of its influence. Ideas and concepts expressed through words are called _memes_ and there is a whole new philosophical paradigm (there, I said 'paradigm') based on this idea. Yes, I do think that words are not only saying but doing as well, especially if reiterated often and used as stock expressions supposedly standing for years of common wisdom (folkism). That's why I don't think that the complaint was silly. And, yes, folkisms can be very painful. *** Djordje
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