Words are powerful and knowing how to use them is a good thing. Obviously.... Personally, I love working with words and carefully select the ones I use because I want them to carry a certain feeling along with meaning. Sometimes I make up words .. but when I do, I try to couch them within a certain context so that you will know what I mean. What I do not do is take it upon myself to assign new meanings to words that already exist and then expect you to know what I mean. I am not a word thug. I figure that my interest in the power of language is why I found the list of "offensive and harmful words to avoid" published by the Stanford University IT Department so “interesting”….
Apparently this list generated so much controversy and offense that, in a seemingly desperate attempt to curb some of the backlash, Stanford University almost immediately did a major “walk back” of their IT Department's list of naughty words -- I take it that the University does not like to look stupid. Reports indicate that there was particularly critical reaction to the inclusion of the word "American" as harmful or offensive. Personally, I also had my concerns about their listing of the word "grandfather", among many others, as well as of the phrase "no can do" - a phrase which I have found to be handy in some situations. Anyway -- it was impressive backtracking of the highest order.
Needless to say, I wanted to take a closer look at what was causing all the kerfuffle, so I went online. One thing I found was that after the initial wave of mocking criticism, Stanford University “locked” said list behind a password. But... apparently that was like “shutting the barn door after the cows got out”. I easily located the list, printed all thirteen pages on my best white paper, and set about reading with yellow magic marker in hand. I was on a mission. I immediately discovered that the Stanford University IT Department takes itself very seriously. I suspect also that it doesn't have much of a sense of humor. Sad, really. Case in point -- the list even has the following printed on the first page (in impressive bold type screaming out to potential readers): Content Warning: “This website contains language that is offensive or harmful. Please engage with this website at your own risk.” hmmm... I decided to risk it. Sparing you many of the details, this is what I determined:
Apparently the Stanford University IT Department is “into”
replacing common words and simple phrases with several awkward and complicated ones. And quite frankly, it appears to be partial to taking offense easily. Further, it definitely has an issue with words that are related to balls and to colors. Important to note that I do understand that some words carry baggage, but there is a point of taking things to a ridiculous level. I have used several of its “naughty” words
in these paragraphs. I even used a few that I figure it would have included if the people working on this had thought of them. Can you find them? No offense intended.
If I may offer a polite and gentle suggestion to those members of the Stanford
University IT Department.... Not to totally demean your "multi-phase", "multi-year" effort, just concerned .... Take a walk, breathe in some fresh air, relax a bit, smile
once in a while, tell jokes, laugh, eat some chocolate, and perhaps most of all – see if you
can find some common sense. It might even be helpful to consider the fine olde adage that “… silence is golden” or “Look
before you leap”. Words are important, but
sometimes it is better to say nothing. (I wonder who paid for this "multi-phase", "multi-year" project?) BTW -- the origin of the phrase used as a title for this post is ancient Greece. The word spade refers to a garden tool. So, like I said... relax.
I am seeing signs that the world is getting sick of “woke”
in their tendency to humorlessly beat a dead horse with their constant drivel... always looking for a righteous cause. (Not surprising to me -- I did not see the word "woke" on the naughty list. To me that is a word that has earned its way into the offensive or harmful rank...very naughty. I would put it in the categories of condescending, controlling, elitist, racist, narrow minded, intolerant, and anti free speech.) I think it is time for common folk, who like to think of themselves as normal people, to circle
the wagons, refuse to submit, and to take a stand against stupidity. Just sayin’. Anyone with me on this?
(Note: The words listed in Labels below this post all appear on the naughty word list of the Stanford University IT Department -- just in case you were curious about that.)
No comments:
Post a Comment