-- On the British TV series "Foyle's War," which is set during World War II, many of those being questioned by Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle and his sidekick, Detective Sergeant Paul Milner often address their inquisitors as "mister." The honorific is polite but not subservient and depicts a kind of equality that is appealing and adult. I wonder if it is true to life.
-- In schools, evolution as I understand it is a theory and framework that invites empirical investigation and varying degrees of proof -- the kind of critical thinking that schools might reasonably try to instill in their young charges. Creationism, as I understand it, offers a theory and framework which does not invite empirical investigation but rather posits a certainty into which all subsequent fact is forced to conform. While it may be useful in later life to know that people are more convinced by belief than they are by fact, still, as a matter of schooling, I think critical thinking might be accorded a temporary place in the sun.
-- BS'ing with my son on the porch last night, I was interested that he noticed the comfort he acknowledged in living a definitively formatted lifestyle (he was talking about basic military training). There were no immediately-apparent if's and's or but's about it. And that led me to think: "The bad news is that you are completely, edgelessly and terrifyingly free. The good news is that you can make lemonade out of lemons."
-- When it comes to the sometimes galling "haphazard" nature of things, the only serious and important question I can think of is, "Who says so?" The question is too often glossed over in the attempt to maintain status and control. Terrifying? Sure. But sometimes the only recourse is through the terror.
-- My mother once observed that the "unconscious" is called "the unconscious" because it is "unconscious" -- not because it is something anyone could be conscious of. For all the educated inferences, I think she had a point.
Adam," Mr." was a commonplace way of addressing someone who was perceived as having authority in a situation..or was of a posher class.
ReplyDeleteIt has largely died out now except among very old country dwellers.
The balance between a kind of deference and a sturdy refusal to doff the cap was even more clear when the reply was addressed to the distaff side..as in " Right you are Mrs , right away. "
Peter -- As always, thanks for popping my balloon. I had a brief, delicious moment of thinking that the form of address betokened simple respect. I should have known that in any (stratified) social setting, language always has its sharp edges.
ReplyDeleteOh well ....
There is a loong running British radio 'soap' Adam , called ' The Archers, an everyday story of countryfolk.'.its great...one of the characters, the wonderfully named Joe Grundy, is an expert at the precisely aimed "Mr " or " Mrs"...when he wants to show respect he uses the name..."Mr Archer" or "Mrs Snell " or to show that the social stratification is levelling out he uses their forenames.
ReplyDeleteBut should the aforementioned David Archer or Linda Snell turn 'uppity' he reverts to " If you say so Mr." or " I can see that you're upset Mrs "....:)
I believe you can tell the age of a horse by inspecting its teeth. So "looking a gift horse in the mouth" is attempting to place a value on the horse instead of just saying, "Hey, free horse!"
ReplyDeleteJust my thoughts on it.
I've given even more thought to "putting the cart before the horse."
Thanks Rebecca. Your interpretation rings a vague bell ... or perhaps just makes good sense.
ReplyDelete