Remember Barbara Ehrenreich
Me
I think I posted on this some while back but can't find the copy in my
sent mail....
Quote from The Week magazine, Oct 30, 2009, page 44-45, end of article
paragraph (which quotes from her new book: "Bright-Sided: How the
Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America"). She
talks about her experience with breast cancer.
"I, at least, was saved from this additional burden by my persistent
anger. But I can report that breast cancer did not make me stronger or
more spiritual. What it gave me, if you want to call it a 'gift,' was a
very personal, agonizing encounter with an ideological force in American
culture that I had not been aware of before--one that encourages us to
deny reality, submit cheerfully to misfortune, and blame only ourselves
for our fate."
BMJ
I faced that constantly while I was actively looking for a job a few years
ago. I guess my apparent lack of positivity was why I had few interviews
and no offers and not age or salary requirement. (Yeah, right.)
As well, I was reminded that I had to be positive-positive-positive with my
students. During an in-class evaluation, I referred to an equation as
being "ghastly", largely because it had several variables and exponents.
My department head, who was observing me, scolded me for it afterwards,
citing that by doing so, I gave a negative connotation to that equation
and, therefore, the students wouldn't want to learn it.
Antonio Huerta
> ... an ideological force in American
> culture that I had not been aware of before--one that encourages us to
> deny reality, submit cheerfully to misfortune, and blame only ourselves
> for our fate."
Religion does that, too.
Me
Yes, there is a whole new lexicon of politically correct terminology.
Software bugs are now called software issues.
Personal problems are also now called "issues" instead of problems.
I'm also hearing stories now about reverse discrimination in high schools
(for example) when it comes to disciplinary problems.
And, of course, the new "priviledged class" is the administrators,
managers, owners, and executives. THEY are first class citizens, and
everyone else is a cow pie.
etc.
BMJ
<snip>
>> I faced that constantly while I was actively looking for a job a few
>> years ago. I guess my apparent lack of positivity was why I had few
>> interviews and no offers and not age or salary requirement. (Yeah,
>> right.)
>>
>> As well, I was reminded that I had to be positive-positive-positive
>> with my students. During an in-class evaluation, I referred to an
>> equation as being "ghastly", largely because it had several variables
>> and exponents. My department head, who was observing me, scolded me
>> for it afterwards, citing that by doing so, I gave a negative
>> connotation to that equation and, therefore, the students wouldn't
>> want to learn it.
>>
>
> Yes, there is a whole new lexicon of politically correct terminology.
>
> Software bugs are now called software issues.
>
> Personal problems are also now called "issues" instead of problems.
I'll go one better than that. While I was a grad student, I had a lab
partner for whom no problems existed. They were "challenges".
>
> I'm also hearing stories now about reverse discrimination in high
> schools (for example) when it comes to disciplinary problems.
I saw that while I was teaching.
>
> And, of course, the new "priviledged class" is the administrators,
> managers, owners, and executives. THEY are first class citizens, and
> everyone else is a cow pie.
That was the case for at least 30 years. The oil company I started with
was like that. The head office lived in a world all its own, while the
field offices had to make do with whatever we had on hand.
Other companies I worked for were like that. The place I used to teach at
was particularly bad for that. Periodically, I'd read reports of things
such efficiency improvements and that sort of thing. Almost always, the
upper administration always came out ahead.
>
> etc.
Russell
She was on Charlie Rose the other night promoting the book
and presenting her views on other topics such as the economy.
Sounds like a book I'll read.
Cheers,
Russell
Russell
I'm reading this in Google Groups, and in the topically driven
sidebar there is an ad for www.happier.com, "Ur Negativity Is
Bringing You Down. See What Happier Can Do About That."
Maybe Google needs to improve its algorithm so it can
distinguish between when posts are praising versus trashing
an idea. ;-)
And the negativity of the ancient city of Ur isn't affecting me at
all, so I don't know what they're talking about. :-)
Cheers,
Russell
Old Pif
Right. With the same success.
Art Sowers
They reproduced a full two pages on her breast cancer experience in that
The Week magazine.
I know that medical "issues" (which _should_ properly be referred to as
"medical shit") can be devastating to people unless they have a thick
skin or otherwise can _cope_ with shit.
P.S. There are also more "bad doctors" out there than people realize, and
almost everyone I know has at least one "bad doctor" story to tell, too.
I have many.
Art Sowers
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009, Russell wrote:
> On Nov 14, 9:50 pm, Me <arthu...@mv.com> wrote:
>> I think I posted on this some while back but can't find the copy in my
>> sent mail....
>>
>> Quote from The Week magazine, Oct 30, 2009, page 44-45, end of article
>> paragraph (which quotes from her new book: "Bright-Sided: How the
>> Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America"). She
>> talks about her experience with breast cancer.
>>
>> "I, at least, was saved from this additional burden by my persistent
>> anger. But I can report that breast cancer did not make me stronger or
>> more spiritual. What it gave me, if you want to call it a 'gift,' was a
>> very personal, agonizing encounter with an ideological force in American
>> culture that I had not been aware of before--one that encourages us to
>> deny reality, submit cheerfully to misfortune, and blame only ourselves
>> for our fate."
>
> I'm reading this in Google Groups, and in the topically driven
> sidebar there is an ad for www.happier.com, "Ur Negativity Is
> Bringing You Down. See What Happier Can Do About That."
Sheesh, they've all got their hand held out, don't they?
> Maybe Google needs to improve its algorithm so it can
> distinguish between when posts are praising versus trashing
> an idea. ;-)
Somewhere they have a place where you can submit suggestions...
> And the negativity of the ancient city of Ur isn't affecting me at
> all, so I don't know what they're talking about. :-)
They had, way back then, all the same joys of life and sads of life that
we have today.
I could probably find it if someone asked me to dig it up, but the oldest
book (at the time anyway) ever written was thousands of years befor Christ
and it was all about coping with life.
> Cheers,
> Russell
>
Old Pif
Wow! In full name ... back.
AMF....I'm retired
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009, Old Pif wrote:
> On Nov 15, 6:02 pm, Art Sowers <arth...@panix.com> wrote:
>
>
> Wow! In full name ... back.
>
Nah, just a mistake. I meant to post from my "sheild" unix shell account
with at least slightly disguised name or nickname, not the one I use with
friends/aquaintances where I put all of my name.
So, how do you like my return email address "name" now? I just changed it.
>:-)