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ariel, I really doubt that the public definition of pedophile
is reversible. There are many other instances of similar linguistic degradations or shifts. 'Discrimination' used to mean distinguishing between stimuli; small children had to learn to discriminate red from green at the traffic light. 'Doctor' used to mean an advanced academic degree holder; now it means 'physician'. A Ph.D. or LL.D. of DD who uses his title, becomes a 'phony Doctor'. The Ugly American in the book by that title, was a good guy ----- the opposite of the meaning the term has come to carry generally.
posted by
ARGUS
on August 3, 2005 at 3:40 PM
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mayB
Yes, that is so sad, isn't it? The hugger and the huggee, the kisser and the kissee as deprived of so much, aren't they? I'm sure that it must generate a certain coldnesss? aloofness? in young people. Perhaps this is one element in the callousness, and casual violence of many of them.
When i was a child, in a poor working class London family in the 1930s and 40s, people didn't show affection in that way. The only time I was kissed and hugged was when I was being sent away - I was evacuated 3 times during the second world war, and I'm sure that this lackof overt affection and love has affected me
posted by
ariel70
on August 3, 2005 at 2:31 PM
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Ariel70, in principle I agree with you but I find myself more concerned about the other issue you raised in your post about how people are not ineracting normally with children any more
posted by
Azur
on August 3, 2005 at 2:24 PM
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mayb
Thank you for your comment. I've already had some stick for things far more innocuous than this! Maily political stuff, you know?
But if enough of us refuse point blank to use that word, then surely it will go out of fashion ; in the same way that it came into fashion. What's done can be changed, if there's a will to do it.
For example, the word " gay", in the 18th century was used for a flighty lady, a sexual teaser, or an actual prostitute ; its normal usage continuing. Then homosexuals changed its meaning for us. So we can do the same, can't we?
posted by
ariel70
on August 3, 2005 at 2:13 PM
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Ariel70, I don't see that you should encounter a torrent of abuse for this post. I believe that thinking people do know that the word paedophile/pedophile is a misnomer but the trouble is that if some use it in its correct context there are some who won't catch on. Regrettably I think to reclaim the word is a lost cause.
Perhaps more importantly, I have to agree that it is awful now that there is so much repression of emotional expression in the name of protection. We need to protect children but we also need them to learn normal human responses. I think that it is difficult now for children to learn what is normal. They need to be able to learn to determine what is a healthy normal expression of affection and what is something to be watchful of. Deprive them of normal and their radar doesn't work any more
posted by
Azur
on August 3, 2005 at 2:01 PM
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