Do not credit appeals to the agency of nameless plural entities. “They” do not exist. “They” is an abstraction deployed to rally emotion and allegiance when facts are unclear.
Likewise, do not speak in these abstractions, neither of “The Culture” or “The World,” “the Left” or “The Right.” Address instead this person, that party, her speech, his article.
If we insist on addressing people in their specific observable words and acts, and if we demand our interlocutors do the same, we create valuable space for truth to show itself and do its work.
Thanks, Rocky, for your writing. I was reminded that I missed it, when you posted last week.
Brian E. Satre
Thank you, Rocky. I once spent some time in a writing workshop writing down all the groups or categories that could “define” me. It took up most of a page, and “they” would sometimes say that categories contradicted each other.
I hadn’t thought of that in ages. Thanks for the reminder.