Re: Covid protocols
From: Diana Carroll (dianaecarrollgmail.com)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2021 08:37:18 -0800 (PST)
That ship has sailed.  It isn't Ann's group that is using it...it's the
whole US. Whether I use a different term at home or not, my kids are part
of the world where "socially distant" is a phrase that is part of
everyone's vocabulary and will become a part of theirs.

Surely as an English teacher, you understand that language evolves.  I
don't think the phrase "socially distant" changes the DIFFERENT meaning of
the word socially. It's now a phrase, a neologism, and it no more dilutes
the concept of being socially connected than saying "Hey, that's cool"
dilutes the concept of something with a low temperature.

Mostly I think harassing a fellow cohouser because she uses the same phrase
that everyone around her in the whole world is using is annoying and
condescending.

Should society have chosen the phrase physically distant instead of
socially? I guess, sure, but that's not what evolved and...hey, that's cool.

Diana
Mosaic Commons
Berlin, MA

On Sun, Feb 28, 2021 at 11:17 AM Melanie G <gomelaniego [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Ann, I find your posts so useful, and super helpful.  And yet, I find
> the use of the truly regretful meme of "social distancing" extremely
> depressing to see coming from a group that specifically has the intention
> of social connecting.
>
> I have lived through all this alone so far, and I can say as both an ex
> English teacher, and a seeker of community, that it is just demoralizing to
> see this meme used in nearly every single covid protocol item in your
> community.
>
> Words are super important to the legacy we support and leave behind.  All
> the children who learn this meme, and not likely question it, and will
> become very different adults than the adults we experience now.  I don't
> want to write a long diatribe about this again.  But it will continue to
> bite us all in the butt, mark my words.
>
> And no, it is not accurate to ask people to "socially" distance.  Social
> distance is very likely to be heard and misperceived as shunning of
> others.  Which is also why those rules can be interpreted as people like,
> and will.  And why you needed to clarify at least in one instance that it
> means 6 feet.
>
> This is a meme that merits intense scrutiny, especially by those of us here
> who care so much about the social fabric.  I hope people here will
> reconsider the possible harm of unquestioningly and repeatedly using this
> "social distancing" meme in community.
>
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you take this in the spirit it is meant,
> a spirit of deep care and concern.  And yes, "physical distancing"  can be
> used to refer to living beings.  Just like physical education, for
> example.  Besides, we collectively have much more creativity to come up
> with alternatives to "social distancing".
>
> with deep concern,
> melanie
> seeker
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