Groomer The topic of crimes against words first sprang to mind due to the recent vile, indiscriminate misuse of the word “groomer.” a word that should be applied solely to a perpetrator of that crime. Jeffrey Epstein was a groomer of countless victims; Humbert Humbert, Nabokov’s famous fictional character, was a groomer of Lolita.
100% concur. Well said. I do believe what is happening right now, though, is more than "war" -- and certainly goes beyond "just war" -- in that Russia's actions are meant to not destroy military targets, but kill innocent civilians - certainly not at genocide scale or intent.
Incredible, isn’t it – despite it all – the immense power that words still have over us. We think of ourselves as so educated and sophisticated, but the reality is that most of us are still dancing wildly around a fire chanting words that someone else has put in our mouth.
100% concur. Well said. I do believe what is happening right now, though, is more than "war" -- and certainly goes beyond "just war" -- in that Russia's actions are meant to not destroy military targets, but kill innocent civilians - certainly not at genocide scale or intent.
good article on "groomer"https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/04/thats-not-what-grooming-means/629501/
Thanks. I like the writer of this article.
Well written and thought out!
Thanks Michael. My next post is dedicated to you and perhaps only you will know why!
So well said. You might like the editorial writen by Frank Bruni in the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/07/opinion/republican-homophobia-grooming-gay.html
Thanks Steve.
Bruni is absolutely right. "Groomer" is the new and pernicious homophobic "dog whistle."
Incredible, isn’t it – despite it all – the immense power that words still have over us. We think of ourselves as so educated and sophisticated, but the reality is that most of us are still dancing wildly around a fire chanting words that someone else has put in our mouth.