“Open rebuke is better than secret love.”
Proverbs 27:5
I have sworn upon the alter of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
--Thomas Jefferson
Hackneyed phrases, asinine aphorisms, moronic platitudes. Every time I hear one of these expressions come out of someone's mouth, I feel like running for the nearest exit, or hanging up the telephone. And sometimes, I do just that.
True, I have little tolerance for stupidity and some would call that a flaw. But the way I see it, the constant barrage of these idiotic phrases and the extent to which they have become ingrained in the collective mindset of the society goes beyond mere stupidity.
These expressions --and the mentality they reflect-- are nothing less than an assault on Truth. For the most part, they aim to blur the hard line between what is good (that which is right) and what is evil (that which is wrongful); to minimize, negate, nullify an individual's true situation, circumstances or feelings; to encourage people to compromise solid principles; and/or to eschew reason, logic, independent critical thinking and discernment; and to replace moral absolutes (based on respect for God-given unalienable Individual rights and liberties) with social engineering and situational ethics.
There is also what I consider a downright sinister mindset which runs through this ideology: That of 'blaming the victim' for that which is beyond his control; and/or for the wrongful, inappropriate or unacceptable actions of others. And to add insult to injury, this judgmental attitude is accompanied by the relentless dispensing of unwanted, unsolicited advice.
Personally, I'm all for assigning blame squarely were it belongs, no matter what the situation. In this case, for the spread of this pervasive psychobabble, the culpable parties are Secular Humanism and the New Age movement. And from my observations, it is the leftists (collectivists) and busybodies among us (who by definition do NOT respect the privacy, personal boundaries or the unalienable rights of the Individual) who are spouting off this idiocy and pressuring others to conform.
I've made a list of some of the most obnoxious phrases I have heard, all of which typify the Secular Humanist/New Age/Collectivist Thought Police mentality and ideology. Let's examine them, one by one. It should be noted that some of the examples I give are based on actual events, and on comments I have personally heard, either directed to me, or to someone else.
"Teach tolerance"
I've seen this phrase on posters since the late-1960s. Like many Secular Humanist/New Age buzzwords, "tolerance" may sound fine --that is, until you realize what exactly are the things (or persons) we are being encouraged to tolerate.
Secular Humanist: "Well, he can't help it if his 'sexual orientation' leads him to children. That's just the way he is, and who are we to judge him? We all need to learn to be tolerant of others."
What about the RIGHTS of the child who is being raped by this despicable criminal pervert? Anyone who promotes "tolerance" for the rapist is as guilty --and as evil-- as he is.
"Never say never."
This one has got to be the all-time worst of the worst!
Such an arrogant statement conveys the idea that nothing is sacred; that nothing is "right" or "wrong"; that anything (no matter how reprehensible, how unscrupulous, how idiotic, how appalling), is possible for any person. It is a gross insult to the dignity of the person to whom it is directed, and exhibits a total lack of respect and discernment by the person who says it.
I've been assaulted with this utterly moronic phrase more times than I can count. It usually starts the same way: I say, "I would NEVER (fill in the blank) and the fool with whom I am conversing says (with a smug little smile), "Never say never". My response is always much the same: "Listen carefully and mark my words: I WILL say never ; I DO say never, and there are some things I am absolutely certain I will NEVER do, or be. I say what I mean, and mean what I say. So, speak for yourself and don't drag me into your morally ambiguous quagmire."
"Never say never". I mean, how stupid can it possibly get?
"Multi-tasking"
Definition: Instead of concentrating on one thing at a time, focusing like a laser beam, and taking the time to do something RIGHT, scatter your energies and attention every which way, while disturbing the peace of everyone around you.
The "multi-tasker", fast and furious, always in a mad rush, prides herself on "getting things done". Quality in any endeavor is sacrificed in order to "produce" or "accomplish", the more the better, the faster the better. The multi-tasker will say: "I want it done yesterday!" (yet another obnoxious phrase), and worse, will pressure others to engage in the same foolish behavior.
The "multi-tasker" brings to mind a scene of utter chaos: Picture a fat busybody, barreling down the road at 65 MPH, tail-gaiting and switching from lane to lane...while gossiping on a cell phone (He said, then she said...blah blah blah...)...while stuffing food into her mouth (literally, eating on the run, since Time is Money and there aren't enough hours in the day!)...while trying to carry on a second conversation with someone in the passenger seat...and/or scolding children sitting in the back seat. All at the same time!
Yes, I've actually observed this phenomenon more than once, and it never ceases to amaze me. God save us from the "multi-taskers"!
"Quality time"
How often have you heard this one? This is a phrase used by those looking for any excuse for neglecting their obligations to their spouse, their children, or others who by rights have some reasonable expectation of getting the attention and support they deserve.
Father: "Oh, well, I won't be able to make it to your baseball game, your recital, your school play, your birthday dinner, etc. etc. --but don't worry, we'll spend some 'quality time' together, I promise!"
"Don't be so negative."
This one is an all-time favorite of the New Age crowd, for whom "negativity" of any kind is an absolute no-no.
Example: Let's say you're about to lose your beloved home of thirty years. The bank has foreclosed, the sheriff will soon be pounding on your door, and you and your three children have nowhere to go. On the verge of tears, you describe this dreadful situation in detail to a friend. His response?
Friend: "Well, don't be so negative. I'm sure it will all work out, one way or another. You need to take some courses in positive thinking!"
Stupid, stupid, stupid! No acknowledgment of the TRUTH of any situation which is actually "negative" is allowed. Any "negativity" (anything bad) is simply swept under the rug, as if it did not exist.
"Attitude adjustment"
This one can drive any reasonable person up the wall! It is usually a way of attempting to negate righteous anger or indignation, and to shift the blame for someone else's stupidity, disrespect, wrongdoing, inappropriate/offensive behavior onto you.
Example: You are pulling out of a parking space and --crash!-- your rear bumper is hit by a woman (the 'multi-tasking' busybody on a cell phone) who comes speeding into the lot, too busy talking to look where she is going. The "accident" is entirely her fault. You're angry and with good reason! You get out of your car, approach the woman and say: "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Watch where you're going!"
Instead of taking responsibility for her own actions and acknowledging that she was in the wrong (Heaven forbid she should actually apologize!), she stands there waving her arms up and down like a crossing guard, chirping: "Attitude adjustment! Attitude adjustment!"
"Paradigm shift"
This trendy New Age phrase is repeated ad nauseum, as a pat explanation for everything from political upheavals, to worldwide financial crises, to natural disasters. "Well you know, it's the paradigm shift", the New Ager will pompously intone. As if this tells you all you need to know. Hence, there is no need to investigate in order to determine the truth or the facts about any issue. Absolutely moronic!
"Whatever"
This is the ultimate in stupidity and disrespect. It is used in attempts to minimize, discredit or nullify a statement regarding a serious issue, or to summarily dismiss a legitimate grievance.
Examples:
You, to a friend: "I really need you to respect my privacy and personal boundaries and to stop meddling in my personal business; it is causing great distress in my life."
Friend: "Whatever."
You, to a family member: "I waited until 10 PM last night but you never showed up. I would have appreciated a call to let me know, so I wouldn't worry, and so I could have made other plans."
Family member: "Whatever."
You, to a professional colleague: "As per our agreement, you need to consult with me before brokering a deal which involves me; it is unacceptable that you took it upon yourself to make decisions which affect my life."
Colleague: "Whatever."
"Just give me some wiggle room"
This is a stock phrase of busybodies everywhere. Aside from the absolute stupidity of the phrase itself, what the busybody is really telling you is that she wants to be able to JUSTIFY her meddling, her invasions of privacy, the overstepping of her bounds, and her gossip. Make no mistake: "wiggle room" means she wants carte blanche to continue to interfere in YOUR life! "Wiggle room" is thinly veiled aggression. (Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.)
"Doing for others"
Another phrase used by busybodies and do-gooders.
Busybody/do-gooder: (holier-than-thou, with a simpering smile) "I enjoy doing for others."
What this really means is that they like nothing more than being provided with the opportunity to MEDDLE in the lives of others, under the cloak of doing "good deeds". It must be remembered that busybodies are petty tyrants, micro-managers and control freaks.
And you can best believe the "doing" will be done THEIR WAY, with little or no consideration for the wishes of the recipients of their "charity". What's more, oblivious to the fact that those they are "doing for" are, more often than not, offended by the do-gooder's presumptuous behavior, they will actually expect to be thanked for their meddling! Unbelievable.
"Argue for your limitations and they're yours."
Here's one from The Course in Miracles, a blasphemous New Age manifesto which purports to be channeled from Jesus Christ. (Get behind me, Satan!)
Examples which refute this idiocy:
Man: "I've always wanted to be a jockey in thoroughbred horseracing, but alas, it's just not possible, since I'm a six-foot-five, 275 pound man."
New Ager: "Nonsense! Argue for your limitations and they're yours!"
Woman: "Due to serious disability, my capabilities in certain areas are diminished. I know my limitations and I do the best I can."
New Ager: "You CAN do anything you set your mind to. Visualize your goals! Learn to say 'I CAN'. Argue for your limitations and they're yours!"
The obvious truth is that everyone has limitations. Some may be genetic/physical; some may be circumstantial; some may simply exist because they defy the laws of physics. Like other New Age ideology, this falls into the category of 'blaming the victim' for anything which he is simply not capable of doing, or being.
"Play date"
During the 1950s, when I was a child, you didn't need to make a "date", you just went outside to play, and sometimes you'd find other children to play with. If you made friends with another child, your parents might drop you off at his house, or the child would come to yours. For the most part, it was all rather spontaneous and casual. Children were allowed to be children.
But I guess this wasn't good enough for the secular humanists. No, they needed to find yet another way to micro-manage every aspect of their children's lives, so they invented a silly phrase, "play date", and implemented all sorts of superfluous and idiotic rules and regulations. What the hell is WRONG with these people?
"There's nothing to change but yourself."
Here again we find the 'blame the victim' mentality. This idiotic phrase is spouted off as the solution for any problem you may encounter, no matter how disastrous.
Example: A husband (who has been unemployed for six months) has inexplicably started squandering his wife's hard-earned money on booze and gambling. She has not yet decided what to do in order to rectify the problem. At her wits' end, she calls her sister to vent her anger and frustration.
Sister: "Well, you know, I understand how you feel, but really, there's nothing to change but yourself. Maybe, at some level, there's a lesson here...."
"What you resist, persists"
According to this idea, whatever comes down the pike, no matter how problematic, how unacceptable, how evil...what ever you do, don't resist; don't fight back, don't try to stop it.
To this idiocy, I can only say: How many lives were saved by those with the courage and principles to RESIST the Nazis, say, in the French Resistance? Or any other Resistance? And even if the bastards do "persist", so what? Liberty or Death! Don't Tread on Me!
"Pity party"
Someone is truly hurting, for one reason or another, and confides his painful situation to a friend. Instead of responding with kindness and compassion, expressing sympathy, or asking if there is anything he can do to help, he admonishes his friend, "Stop with the pity party already! The question is, what are you going to DO about it?"
I must say, if anyone ever verbally assaulted me with this kind of callous disrespect, it would likely be grounds for ending my association with that individual. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
"Blame game"
This one is a New Age/Leftist classic. The "blame game", according to these idiots, is being played by anyone who calls a spade a spade; who demands accountability for offenses (including of a criminal nature); or assigns blame where it ACTUALLY belongs.
Unless it is an 'act of nature', or circumstances completely beyond the control of individuals, you can best believe there is always someone to "blame." It could be one person, just a few people, or a large group. But guaranteed, the blame rests SOMEWHERE.
Again, the "blame game" is just another way of "blaming the victim". In the New Age mindset, we all must "take responsibility", not only for our actions (which would be reasonable, if that were where it ended), but for EVERYTHING that happens TO us; that which is DONE TO us, or PERPETRATED UPON us. According to the New Agers, "There's no one to blame but yourself."
You: "Ever since the government passed that stupid, unconstitutional gun control law, I'm considered a criminal just for exercising my right of self-defense!"
New Age Leftist: "Now, now...no need to play the blame game. The government is just concerned about safety for all of us."
"We all have to make compromises. It's just a part of life."
Says who? Anyone who makes such a statement is a low-grade moron. Stand your ground, act on your principles, and stick to your guns!
"I'm a people person." or "People skills"
Anyone I have ever heard use these moronic phrases has been an aggressive busybody or con artist looking for ways to manipulate others. "People skills" usually means using any number of contrived "approaches" designed so that the manipulator can get what she wants from the mark. Flattery, deception (pretending to have similar interests/concerns), "mirroring", or any other forms of social engineering. In a nutshell, this is the basis for secular humanist systems such as neuro linguistic programming. Manipulate people for fun and profit!
Ad for employment:
Secretary/administrative assistant. Join our progressive advertising team! Must be tolerant, upbeat, flexible, have a positive attitude, with excellent people skills, able to work independently, plus multi-task.
"Sounds like a plan!"
This one is so stupid it can make you want to scream!
Man (to clerk in sporting goods store): "I'm looking for a 12 gauge shotgun, priced under $350.00."
Clerk: "Sounds like a plan!"
Man: "I'll also need two boxes of shells."
Clerk: "Sounds like a plan!"
Man: (glancing up in disgust at a wall-mounted TV set in the store) "That usurper ought to be shot for treason!"
Clerk: "Sounds like a plan!"
"Learn to deal."
New Agers can't seem to get enough of this idiotic phrase.
You: "I'm really not in any shape to go camping this weekend. I still haven't recovered from that injury to my shoulder last week."
New Ager: "No excuses. We're all counting on you. Learn to deal."
You: "The repo man came in the dead of night and took my car!"
New Ager: "Learn to deal. You can always walk, and you need more exercise, anyway."
"Get over it." (otherwise known as 'shit happens')
For the absolute in callous disregard, this one can't be beat!
Teenage Girl (to Mother): Your boyfriend came into my room in the middle of the night! He was falling down drunk and he tried to molest me!
Mother (shrugging): "Shit happens. Get over it."
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
This is one of the most idiotic phrases ever spoken. It's just another callous way to minimize or dismiss the problems of others.
Woman: "I'm really worried about my daughter. She's being stalked by some whackjob at the University. She's called the police, but they won't do anything, since they insist no crime has been committed! She's 1500 miles away from home, and I don't have the money to go out there, so I don't know what I can do."
Friend: "Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it's probably just a boy with a crush on her. You know how that is...Don't sweat the small stuff! By the way, have you finished that book I loaned you? I really need it back ASAP."
"Friends with benefits"
The first time I heard this phrase, I had to ask what it meant. When I learned the meaning I was utterly appalled. Talk about the world going to hell in a handcart!
"NO FEAR"
I've seen this printed on the front of tee shirts, in bold colors, usually worn by the wimpiest looking people imaginable. What I wonder is: Are they trying to convince themselves, or just hoping to fool others?
"We don't have problems. We only have challenges."
(Variations on this theme are: "Everything in life is a lesson" and "Everything happens for a reason".)
Yet another New Age pearl of wisdom. To the morons who subscribe to this philosophy, "problems" are nonexistent. No, there are no problems at all, "it's all good", and everything that happens is a "challenge", sent by the "Universe", meant of course, to teach us a "lesson".
Prisoner: (in telephone call to New Age Friend) "I've got a serious problem. I'm being held here unlawfully for a crime I did NOT commit! The cops beat the hell out of me, I'm badly injured, and I haven't been able to reach anyone to get help."
New Ager: (in a slow, hypnotic drone) "Calm down and take some deep breaths....Release all your tension...
It's not a problem, but only a challenge. The real issue is, what can you LEARN from this experience?
"God never gives us more than we can handle."
The most obvious response to this piece of misguided folk wisdom is that "God" may not be the one who "gave" us any particular horrible experience, or who caused a tragic event.
The truth is, in many terrible events, there is a perpetrator involved, and God had absolutely nothing to do with it. For instance, I don't believe "God" sends a rapist to assault someone. No, the rapist has free will and has chosen to do evil. Certainly, those who believe in God's justice know that one day the evildoer will have to stand before God and be held accountable --but that is between him and God.
But what about the victim? The victim may --or may not-- be able to "handle" such a devastating experience. Her life may in fact be destroyed. She may fall into a deep depression, or even into suicidal despair.
And what about those people who, as a result of some life-shattering event, actually DO commit suicide? What is to be said about them? They clearly were "given" more than they could handle. But the question remains: "given" by whom?
New Agers aside (of whom such foolishness can be expected), unbelievably, I've actually heard this phrase spoken by Christians!
Perhaps it would behoove them to humble themselves and ask God for a love of the truth, rather than spouting off such mindless nonsense, which can only do more damage to a person who has been victimized.
"Anger management"
Secular humanists and New Agers are always ready and eager to make this moronic suggestion. Unfortunately, so are their advocates in the legal system and the "mental health" profession.
Example:
A woman, picking up her child at school, sees that her five-year old boy is being assaulted by a much older child on the playground.
The mother jumps out of her car, rushes to her son's defense, grabs the bully by the collar of his shirt, pulls him off her child, and tosses his butt on the ground. "The hell you think you're doing, you little punk?!", she shouts. "Go pick on someone your own size!"
The school principal (a fat multi-tasking busybody) calls the police. The mother is arrested for "assault", and is later given a suspended sentence, but forced to attend "anger management" classes. Meanwhile, the bully's parents (New Agers, who've never bothered to discipline their children, who will probably grow up to be criminals) threaten to sue her in a civil court.
Anger management? What kind of happy horseshit is this?! According to the New Age morons, what was the mother supposed to do? Just stand by while her son was beaten to a pulp? Suggest an "attitude adjustment"? Anyone who believes this crap is not only stupid, but insane!
But then, INSANITY is the problem with this whole New Age/Secular Humanist/Leftist/ Collectivist/Busybody mindset. These people, without a doubt, are insane --stark, raving mad!
Worse yet, there is a method to their madness. This idiotic, crazy way of being, this utter lunacy, didn't just burst into life like spontaneous combustion.
No, this propaganda has been carefully designed to lead people away from Truth. To destroy morality, ethics, and the solid, time-honored principles on which these are based. To inculcate the populace into a belief system which denigrates the Individual (and his God-given unalienable rights and liberties) in order to foment godless collectivism. Which blames the victim but exonerates the perpetrator. Which punishes decency, integrity and courage and coddles criminals, liars and evildoers.
The truth is, collectivism always enslaves the Individual, and that is precisely the goal. Such a system puts the Individual at the mercy of a sinister network comprised of the robotic masses of asses, who slavishly follow the dictates (disseminated via leftist/New Age propaganda) of the diabolical criminals in positions of power and authority.
How can this hideous "tyranny over the mind of man" be stopped?
People of conscience, integrity and courage, those who defend Liberty (to the death, if necessary) and pursue Justice, must stop them!
We must openly rebuke the busybodies, the leftists, the New Agers, the collectivists, ONE BY ONE, each and every time they threaten our freedom, insult our dignity, denigrate our integrity, invade our privacy, meddle in our personal/professional business, betray our confidences with gossip, or attempt in any way to micro-manage our lives.
Make no mistake: This is naked aggression which they have absolutely NO RIGHT to perpetrate. And speaking for myself, I must, as a moral imperative, consider any aggressor against the rights and freedoms of the Individual (any and all Individuals) as my enemy.
If an open rebuke does not stop them, we must openly shun them and let others know why we are doing so. We must walk away, on principle. Even if they are our family, friends and loved ones!
We must boycott their systems, their organizations, their institutions. We must openly denounce their ideology and their doctrines (the doctrines of devils), and refute them with facts, evidence and most importantly, Truth.
Barbara Hartwell Percival
April 16, 2011
