Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Over at the Corner on NRO, Mark Steyn writes:
Should western governments describe “honor killings” or female genital mutilation as “barbaric”? The son of the late Canadian colossus Pierre Trudeau thinks such terms have unfortunate pejorative overtones:
Liberal MP Justin Trudeau said the government should not call honour killings “barbaric” in a study guide for would-be Canadian citizens…
“There’s nothing that the word ‘barbaric’ achieves that the words ’absolutely unacceptable’ would not have achieved,” Trudeau, the Liberal immigration critic, said.
. . .
. . .. The trouble is, as your average honor killer or clitoridectomist around the planet well understands, “absolutely unacceptable” is Liberal Weeniepants-speak for “we entirely accept it”.
The history of politics is strewn with bloodless euphemisms, "the final solution" being perhaps the ugliest. A few days ago I looked at a recent NYC statistical report that showed that in 2009, 41 percent of NYC pregnancies ended in abortion (but you won't find the word abortion in the report). Instead, the authors used the clinical term "induced terminations." [Which makes it sound like someone is closing out their bank account].
What other political and cultural euphemisms drive the Ricocheters nuts?
- Comment (70)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (5)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
I'll answer my own question: I really hate the word "community" as a term to describe each and every possible conglomeration of people. (E.g. "the lesbian community," "the Scottish Terrior owner's community," "the unconscious nose-picker's community"). It may make sense in limited contexts, but taken to its logical extreme, it is absurd.
Edited on Mar 15, 2011 at 1:28pmRe: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
This may be a bit of a broadside, but I think the term "Progressive" is horribly misappropriated. There is no progress in the idea that one person, or group of people, are somehow organically ordained to lord over the affairs of others. That idea has been around from the beginning. Freedom, liberty, those are relative newcomers on the grand stage of history. They represent real progress. I know that's not exactly the sort of euphemistic nonsense you might be looking for,..but I felt a rant coming on.
Jun '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Dave: First, I think it is a euphemism (only their kind of progress is progress, so no one else cares about progress except them). Second, if it makes you feel better, finish the rant. We want you calm on the highway.
Mar '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Less fortunate." This accurately describes only a small percentage of the poor in this country; those who, for example, suffer from a mental disability or physical infirmity. The majority of those described by this term are there as a result of their own actions and decisions.
Mar '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
It's not really a euphemism, but the term “hurtful” as it's used these days to describe politically incorrect speech strikes me as a most annoying example of passive-aggressive behavior.
Mar '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Its not really an institutionalized thing, but I really hate it when people refer to their tax refunds as though its money they're getting from the government. Then again, people tend to look at you oddly when you call it money the government decided not to take out of your pocket... at least, they look at me oddly.
Mar '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Last one, I promise.
"Consensus" doesn't actually mean "unquestionable truth."
Jun '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Let's broaden it from just euphemisms, to all cultural and political lingo that drives you nuts. I agree re "hurtful'--though I do find just about anything "the One" says to be hurtful.
By the way, "Basil Fawlty" is my new favorite pseudonym. Fawlty Towers was one of the funniest, and shortest series on TV. Is John Cleese brilliant, or what?
Edited on Mar 15, 2011 at 2:28pmSep '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Whe I hear "some" or "many" (as in "some commentators have said" used in a report or speech, I think that is generally a euphamism for "my opinion is...". It has the added benefit of sounding like it appeals to some higher authority.
Sep '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Extreme" is a euphamism for "does not agree with moderate me". The word extreme has a negative connotation in that it makes the other appear weird and the name caller to appear moderate without making any deeper judgement on merits.
"Radical" as in "his radical view or the middle east" is just name calling by another name (so to speak).
"not helpful" is in many cases used by politicians to describe wrongness or craziness they are too moderate to label properly. For example "When the Iranian leadership calls for death to America" that is referred to as "Unhelpful".
Nov '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Re the honour killings and female genital mutilation - if such things are motivated by religious beliefs, then they should be labelled by the religion that advocates them. Saying they are "barbaric" is hurtful to me, it dishonors the barbarian community from which I am descended :)
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Chauvinism" as a synonym for "male sexism" irritates me. It used to be "Male Chauvinist Pig," in the charming patois of the era, but "Male" and "Pig" were dropped, perhaps because they were redundant, which changed the meaning of the word entirely. If anyone uses it in my presence now, I'm temped to say "really? He demonstrates an fervent, unreasonable devotion to Napoleon? In this day and age?"
May '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
These are just a few:
-Family values: euphemism for religious values
-Multiculturalism: euphemism for cultural relativism
-Reform: elastic, undefined term
-Enhanced interrogation techniques: euphemism for torture
-Progressive: term that attempts to associate collectivism with progress
-Social justice: euphemism for theft
-Equality: euphemism for theft
-Social contract: euphemism for theft
-Quantitative easing: euphemism for theft
-Man-caused disaster: euphemism for Islamic fascism
-Neoliberalism: smear employed to discredit capitalism
-Living wage: euphemism for compulsory unemployment
Edited on Mar 15, 2011 at 4:02pmJun '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Clod and bumpkin that I am, I prefer straight talk. Sir Charles Napier comes to mind:
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks, and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."
Feb '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Woman's right to choose" is hands-down the worst. To choose what? "Fetus" is close behind as second worst. An innocuous word in its origins, it now means "we can't call the unborn child a child, because then you all would know that when we talk about the right to choose we mean 'choose to end the life of an unborn child,' so we'll call it a nice scientific vague term even though any 18-month-old knows that a fetus is a baby and will immediately identify it as such."
Edited on Mar 15, 2011 at 4:07pmAug '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
" overseas contingency operation"
Edited on Mar 15, 2011 at 4:14pm"fulsome"-actually means insincere, cloying
"peace activist" especially in the anti-Israel context
" dying with dignity"
"value added tax"
Dec '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
Fair Trade Coffee. Gee, I feel so much better when I drink it.
Feb '11
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
One word that always annoys me is nonpartisan. When an advocacy organization or think tank is referred to as nonpartisan it simply means that is has no formal association with a political party. It doesn't mean it has no bias or idealogical agenda.
May '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Activist." Whenever one sees in the press some anti-social lout being described as an "activist", it can only mean one thing: the interviewer is in agreement with the interviewee. Spare me the noxious self-righteousness of the "activist."
Dec '10
Re: Steyn on the Bloodless Use of Euphemism
"Unify" as in, Barack Obama is going to unify the country. This is code for "shut-up you knuckle-dragging conservatives and submit to the blood-sucking soul-killing nanny state imposed by us virtuous lefties!"
Also "social justice," which is really stealth Marxism.