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When you stop and think about it, Hollywood breast implants and D.C. speechwriters are eerily similar: They’re both designed to help the “actor” perpetuate a particular image.
It’sjustshowbiz,baby!
Andeventhoughwecankindoftellwhousesthemonourown,it’snotpolitetopoint‘emoutinfrontofthepayingpublic:Itruinstheperformers’desiredaesthetics.
Societyrunsonsimilarculturalfictions.Weallknowthem:Everybrideisbeautiful,everykidiscute,yourboss’ideasarealwaysbrilliant,andwhensomeoneasks,“Howareya?”youDONOTtellthemaboutyourcripplingdepressionand/oryourongoingboutswithbedwetting.Theproperresponseis,“Great!”
Butsometimes,ourself-deceptionscanbedeeplydamaging.
Generallyspeaking,thepurposeofeuphemisticlanguageistosparesomeone’sfeelings.AlthoughthePCnutjobshavegivenitabadname,it’smostlyinnocuous.Hey,ifanoldcrippledheteroguywantsmetocallhima“differently-abledcisgenderedseniorcitizen,”that’snotgonnabemyhilltodieon.I’llcallhimwhateverhewants.
It’sgoodmannerstotreatpeoplewithrespect.
Th
