Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Everything Old is New Again?

Can the trendies only find things that existed long, long ago?  Is copying the only thing they're good for?

I'm referring to a new word/phrase in our American lexicon and that word is "shaming" as in "fat shaming" (and subsequent law suits.)  How do you "shame" a fat person anyhow?  Every time you spot a morbidly or clinically obese person start singing, "Fatty, fatty two by four; couldn't get through the kitchen door?"

Pointing out the obvious hardly seems "shaming"  Presumably they buy their own clothing (size 22) and have seen themselves in mirrors.

What amuses me is that public shaming has existed since medieval days when a person who was caught redhanded at a minor sin was punished by being put in stocks in the public square or market entrance for a predetermined length of time.   The villagers were free to stand in front of the prisoner and lecture and/or jeer - "How could you have been so stupid!" as much as they wanted.  And if you remember, stocks held that person very adequately.  Once put in them, they weren't going anywhere until they were freed.

Today the insulters take to online media.  This is hardly effective and not nearly as much fun (presumably) as standing in front of the malcontent, looking them straight in the eye and castigating them at length.

All I can say is "New, huh?  I don't think so."

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