Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Trump Cards and Trump Words

In cards often there are called what are 'trump cards' which trump all other cards. And so in language the current politically correct terms seem to trump all other concerns in the game. I heard of a bishop today who used such a PC word as a trump. 'Discrimination' was the word he used with regards to the 'refugees' and he used it as if such a word trumped all other factors. But I had to ask myself if this word should be used thus. After all, don't we all discriminate? I am discriminating right now by writing on FB and not an email, or writing in my journal, or reading Dickens. I am discriminating in deciding to marry or not marry a particular girl, I am discriminating on friendships those souls as Polonius advised one should 'grapple to thy soul with hoops of steel'....And wasn't it at one time used as a positive expression....'Oh, doesn't she have discirminating tastes!' So just as a reminder for myself and those that feel inclined to seek to understand how language manipulates us evaluate how a word is used and whether the word itself colors our perception. Of course there are times when we discriminate in harmful and unjust ways. But then aren't there sometimes when we discriminate in wise just ways? Perhaps the Trojans would have been wise in a little use of discrimination when the Trojan Horse was offered them.

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