“We” Can Be a Big Word:
Good Snowy Morning from the majestic Rocky Mountains; your King of Simple News is sliding down the hill right at you.
I’m as guilty as anyone for improperly using the word “we.” I have tried in recent years to avoid saying such things as “we pass all of these dumb laws,” because there is no “we” to it. I have nothing to do with passing laws.
The word “we,” is constantly misused and the insinuation of we in sports is no exception. “We beat you guys,” is a phrase that would indicate the speaker was involved in the win at a level above that of operating the remote on the TV or sitting in the stands. But that’s not the case.
In school, “We won the state band competition,” or “We won the football championship,” is misused by every school kid in the country along with their parents. It’s hard to say, “Yeh, we beat the crap out of ‘em,” when you were sitting in the 20th row eating popcorn.
Why do we say ‘we’? For many different reasons actually, but primarily for beneficial association. It makes us feel good to take credit for another’s actions in sports, band, debate, politics and so on. It’s a sort of borrowed inclusion thing.
Most people also talk about war as if they were there and taking place in the shooting and maiming end of things rather than watching it on CNN. “We need to stay over there and kick those terrorist’s butts no matter how long it takes.”
As the old joke goes, when the Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion Tonto were surrounded by impossible hostile Indian odds, the Lone Ranger said, “It looks like we are finished Tonto.” To which Tonto answered, “What do you mean we, white man.”
And that is my point. When we speak to our governments’ actions as “we,” it’s only we if you agree with those actions. As individuals we could be more like Tonto and save ourselves from guilt by association.
Do you agree with the soaring National Debt? One can only condemn that debt if you have your personal financial liabilities in order. One can only complain about the housing crash if you saw the wisdom of not enjoining those festivities. We, then, is also useful as a cop-out for taking the focus off I. “
We can take credit for our favorite football team winning with no ill effects. But when it comes to our own personal lives and the manner in which we chose to live that life, reality sets in and the focus is on me, myself, and I; but it’s sooooo much easier to say we in order not to shoulder the personal blame.
What I’m saying is that the greatest freedom that remains in America is that of personal choice. Don’t cop-out and say, “We are in a heck of fix.” That type of association would indicate that you have no choice in the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Live simple, live free, and live well.
“If you find that you are on the wrong train, get off at the next stop; it’s a much shorter trip back home.” ― Mike Folkerth
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In 1995, a friend of mine, Robert Hickerson, came up with the following conclusions and recommendations regarding the state of and the direction we are headed with our country’s economy. This should help somewhat with the elimination of the word “we” from our vocabularies. -bb
1. We (America) will never again be able to get sufficient growth of the economy to eliminate or even markedly reduced unemployment. NAFTA, GATT, and Clinton’s hope of growing the economy to solve unemployment is doomed to failure.
2. The promise of competing in the global economy is a hoax perpetrated upon the working and unemployed people of this country because over time a nation needs to buy and sell overseas in roughly equivalent amounts.
3. All attempts to reduce the deficit, balance the budget or pay off the national debt are futile. The deficit and the national debt represent the subsidy the government has paid in its attempt to keep growth and unemployment at the level of social tolerance.
4. The steady state economy into which we are being inexorably forced implies an interest rate of zero.
5. An interest rate of zero (as Hubbert explains) means the end of the money system. We are being forced to completely rethink our cultural ideas about how to organize our economy and distribute purchasing power.
6. Increasingly desperate means will be used by those who think we can continue to have business as usual.
7. The proposals of Negative Population Growth should be implemented immediately.
Well, Mike, WE sure have a good post here.
I was raised to not take credit for other’s actions, whether good or bad, but to instead take credit for my own actions, whether good or bad.
Isn’t this the definition of mental health? To be responsible for yourself and not be in denial about your actions? If you manipulate others to take the blame for your bad actions, well, I think there’s a word for that - no, two words - malignant narcissism.
Dysfunctional systems break down when the light is shined on them and the secrecy lifted and people are forced to come out of denial. That’s why our media is so important in keeping our current dysfunctional and insane system running.
If Americans would turn off the TV and face reality, things might be subject to change.
Billyb,
When I read Robert’s seven points and predictions, I am always re-amazed and stupefied at his accuracy. But what percent of the people even recognize the name Robert Hickerson or M. King Hubbert? Sure they were right, but probably just lucky. And the sun is going to come up in the West tomorrow.
The greatest line in Hickerson’s spiel has to be, “The deficit and the national debt represent the subsidy the government has paid in its attempt to keep growth and unemployment at the level of social tolerance.”
We are now running short of social tolerance and as the old showman said, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
Colorado Kid,
Winning teams have lots of fans, losers… not so much.
Taking responsibility for ones personal actions was surgically removed from most Americans to support the burgeoning legal system, insurance companies, and the giant pity party of the extreme left.
And you so well stated, our mental health is in serious jeopardy.
“What I’m saying is that the greatest freedom that remains in America is that of personal choice.”
Freedoms in America are disappearing fast as the transition of this country into a corporate fascist police state approaches completion.
But I agree with you about the “we” stuff.
I have one God given right that no man or government can take from me without taking my life, and that is the right to try. I may waste it on the improbable or even the impossible, but I will not let it go to waste.
One ‘WE’ that has been lost in the exponential “Hockey Stick” growth BIG Brother Government is “WE The People”!