a vestige of thought...
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Let us not be hasty
In the past two or three days I have heard adults, especially older ones, talk about "young people these days" more than I ever thought possible. Especially things about kids not caring about their education and being ignoramuses. This is not only a gross generalization, it is also tremendously hypocritical. Observe:
Every week the Community Press (for me that's the Hilltop Press) interviews a local so that we readers can 'get to know our neighbors.' This week the interviewee (is that not a funny looking word?) was 73-year-old John Schnehain of Colerain Township. He owns a TV & radio shop. The first question he was asked was "What do you think is the best invention ever?" His answer: "Well, I think it would be the light bulb. Benjamin Franklin was the best in his day. Think of all the things run by electricity." Hum, well. The last two sentences might be somewhat related, but the light bulb was perfected by Thomas Edison and has little if anything to do with Ben Franklin or the wide-spread use of electricity. Go figure.
Also in the Hilltop there was a review of the movie Annapolis. Toward the end of this review was the following sentence: "Aren't their any boats in this man's Navy anymore?" My mom calls criticizing that sort of thing nit-picky. I try to be understanding with the general population, but if my English teachers could be nit-picky with me, why can't I be nit-picky with those who have made English their profession? Repeat after me: "They're over there in their yard."
One final example: In church a few weeks ago we had a combined service which incorporated many elements of both the traditional and contemporary services. This included the people. Two older ladies sat behind me and at the end of the service I heard one say to the other, "Have you ever heard of John Back?" "John Back?" "Yes, John S. Back." No, who is he?" "He's a composer. He wrote this beautiful anthem that I heard the other day..." Mom and I both walked away laughing when we realized they were discussing Johann Sebastian Bach.
Every week the Community Press (for me that's the Hilltop Press) interviews a local so that we readers can 'get to know our neighbors.' This week the interviewee (is that not a funny looking word?) was 73-year-old John Schnehain of Colerain Township. He owns a TV & radio shop. The first question he was asked was "What do you think is the best invention ever?" His answer: "Well, I think it would be the light bulb. Benjamin Franklin was the best in his day. Think of all the things run by electricity." Hum, well. The last two sentences might be somewhat related, but the light bulb was perfected by Thomas Edison and has little if anything to do with Ben Franklin or the wide-spread use of electricity. Go figure.
Also in the Hilltop there was a review of the movie Annapolis. Toward the end of this review was the following sentence: "Aren't their any boats in this man's Navy anymore?" My mom calls criticizing that sort of thing nit-picky. I try to be understanding with the general population, but if my English teachers could be nit-picky with me, why can't I be nit-picky with those who have made English their profession? Repeat after me: "They're over there in their yard."
One final example: In church a few weeks ago we had a combined service which incorporated many elements of both the traditional and contemporary services. This included the people. Two older ladies sat behind me and at the end of the service I heard one say to the other, "Have you ever heard of John Back?" "John Back?" "Yes, John S. Back." No, who is he?" "He's a composer. He wrote this beautiful anthem that I heard the other day..." Mom and I both walked away laughing when we realized they were discussing Johann Sebastian Bach.
1 Comments:
I may have recommended it to you before, but, just like the broccoli and cheddar soup from Panera Bread, EATS, SHOOTS, AND LEAVES by Lynne Truss deserves mentioning more than once. You must read this book. It's superb. Or as they say in French...tres superb.
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