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Manifesto
Always disliked this word. Lately (say, the past two or three decades) it’s a trendy way to say “This is a summary of my beliefs which I hope to shock you with!” And then the faux rebellious writer would attach “manifesto” to the end of his written-out belief system and it would attain some semblance of legitimacy. Cf. go to amazon.com and type in “manifesto” in the search box for a couple of examples.
Manifesto has long ago been hijacked by Karl Marx and communism, and the hundred-fifty-plus years of baggage, justifiably so, that goes with him and it. It’s meant to be subversive. That’s the underlying message to the usage of the word.
The problem is that nowadays subversion is almost, if not completely, mainstream. If you watch a lot of primetime teevee, I think you can argue pretty persuasively that what has been labeled subversive in the past is now thoroughly established as mainstream. You might even be able to argue that, to a certain extent, traditional values are the new subversion. So an author wishing to cash in a bit might write something called “A Catholic Manifesto” and get away with it, technically.
But for the following point –
Traditional values people do not write manifestos. Those who believe in individual freedom and responsibility do not write manifestos. Those who champion reason and intellect as well as hard-work and practical experience do not write manifestos. We are not subversive, even though we may well be in the culture in which we are immersed.
Americans do not write manifestos.
There, I’ve vented.
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4 comments:
"You might even be able to argue that, to a certain extent, traditional values are the new subversion." BRILLIANT! As much as I would love to write a conservative, traditional value manifesto, I don't have time. I have to work to support the mainstream, non-traditionalists. So I get to write these short snippets(love that word) to get stuff off my chest.
Uncle
A prime-time example:
My wife has been extolling how great the music and dance is on the show "Glee" that's being force-fed to our teens. Last week I was walking through the living room while she was watching it and I paused. Some high school girl was flipping out over dating. The nerdy Christian guidance counselor asks helplessly if the girl can't just talk to her parents about it.
"I have two gay dads," the student says.
I look at my wife and say, "Of course she does," and leave the room.
If you want to see the clear bias in the media, review the coverage of yesterday's student protests around the state as a true, grassroot display of dissatisfaction with public policy contrasted with the Tea Party movement as an astroturf, conglomeration of angry, racist whites.
Uncle
Hopper, wrong,wrong,wrong!!!
Americans have the best manifeastos on the planet. The women like them too. Whats wrong with a cooler full of cold ones, cheeseburgers and dogs on the grill, a few backyard games, family and friends??? I never saw you as one who needed to be politically correct. What do you want us to do...call them personifeastos?!!! Serve sushi and quiche? I say no!!! We're red blooded American men. When we gather with hot charcoals and cold drinks it's a MANifeasto. There is nothing wrong with the word.
And uncle, the last pig roast MANifeasto I attend ended with a snippet. There is NOTHING loveable about that word. After indulging in some suds, nature called. Because of my somewhat compromised state, while zipping up my jeans, I had a snippet malfunction. MAN THERE AIN'T NOTHING LOVEABLE ABOUT THAT. SNIPPET is an evil word.
And lastly back to you hopper, next time you need to vent, could you please come up to one of our MANifeastos. Those porta johns need more venting than you can imagine.
-JCON
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