It is annoying to hear people use “I” to sound classy when grammar calls for “me.” Similarly, “myself” is often used instead of “me” for the same pretentious reason.
I rather like the use of one, as a nice weasel word to allow one to state an opinion, for example, without actually committing to it. Gives a nice sense of faux objectivity or distance. "One should believe in common decency and honesty," said Donald Trump.
Rather than discuss what Gene has written, I just want to brag that when I saw the phrase "Genuine Class," I immediately thought of Alec Guinness -- because I remember it was one of the winning entries (maybe THE winning entry?) in the New York Magazine Competition (forerunner of The Style Invitational) back in the day. My other favorite entry was the Piet Mondrian anagram "I Paint Modern."
In 1972, I met Dick Cavett, because he was doing a show on a story I wrote for New York Magazine. He told me this anagram, and later used it on his show. I never knew, before now, that he stole it from NYM.
I heard anecdotes about Sir Alec- that he wasn’t sure of taking the “Kwai” role because of its turnaround, nor the Obi Wan role because it was silly and he felt pathetic. But grew to understand that they had value.
I'd forgotten about the Barney Fife one-bullet policy. I would love to see that policy applied to local cops today. They are all trained to unload the chamber -- the thinking being that cops never fire their weapons in the first place unless it's already been determined that they are facing a lethal threat that must be killed with all certainty. It's insane.
Barney, who was Andy’s cousin, had to keep the bullet in his shirt pocket. Andy didn’t pack. He was a sheriff without a gun.
Barney eventually became acting sheriff and ran for sheriff in a 1986 reunion show. Andy was a former postal inspector who retired back to Mayberry. Barney asks for voters to write in Andy’s name instead. Andy wins and appoints Barney his deputy in a blatant act of nepotism.
—
I had an idea for a dark, gritty reboot of the show. Newly elected Sheriff, Opie Taylor, swears vengeance against the meth traffickers who took out his father and first cousin once removed. He vows to clean up Mayberry once and for all. (Ron Howard directs himself to an Emmy).
In keeping with the recurring theme here of "Weingarten and the Examined Life," a kind of Dr. Seuss for (mostly) adults approaching their "Best if Used By" dates --- or is it Monty Python? In any event, I (or, one) was struck by your comment, the very last, in the previous "Pool" Q&A.
"I am not sure cool is obsolete, but being obsolete myself…, " you self-deprecated.
Now, now. Enough with the wistful humility (I'll assume "wistful humility" is what you were going for and still are). Anyway, if it helps, I consider you the brain that wouldn't die. Not that I picture you exactly as the disembodied brain or head beloved of horror flicks. Close, but not exactly. If anything, I prefer "quaint" from time to time, rather than "obsolete." And while I don't always agree with your choices, I am willing to pay through through the nose to allow you to make them --- speaking of obsolete turns of phrase. And yes, in turn, you may think of me as the modern-day Voltaire --- as if he did actually say something or other about defending your right to say something or other; much classier than thinking of me as the person who did say Voltaire could have said that something or other. See, I have this quaint notion of public service. Probably not the definition of "servicing" (public or otherwise...) that would immediately come to your mind, but with the Barbarians constantly at the gate, trying to climb the gate and tunnel under the gate these days, you (and the royal couple in general) provide a welcome defense --- feeble though it may seem. So accept this grudging compliment with wistful humility, set aside any concerns that "The Gene Pool" is yet one more chapter in a misbegotten life and do stop self-deprecating (at least in public).
Speaking of "classy..." Apart from RFK Jr. suspending whatever it was he's been doing for the last year or so, as the latest episode of "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Uranus" --- the otherworldly saga of a group of mutant aliens, formerly known as Republicans --- largely (and mercifully..) ignored by the media, was a badly disguised Mike Lindell and his partner in bankruptcy and comedy, Rudy Giuliani, who showed up outside the DNC for some reason. After being schooled by a 12-year-old, Lindell, and Giuliani, mumbling something about communism, departed the scene, having made some point --- to be determined. Maybe.
I think Notes is Substack's version of Twitter, and is being promoted as an alternative to Twitter. So, if you share it as a Note, you're probably broadcasting it to your Notes followers. I think.
I have no objection to "one" and "oneself" in certain circumstances, but the cardinal rule (which occasionally eluded even my English-teacher mother) is that, once one has started down the "one" path, one cannot deviate, no matter how cumbersome it may become. If one switches to "you" or some other pronoun, all the "class" is dispelled.
Correcting your prepositions and punctuation: “received from, or given to, another person.” As in: “I, too, am an idiot with, and terrified of, money.”
It is annoying to hear people use “I” to sound classy when grammar calls for “me.” Similarly, “myself” is often used instead of “me” for the same pretentious reason.
Fats Waller: "One never knows, do one?"
The best example of third person use.
I rather like the use of one, as a nice weasel word to allow one to state an opinion, for example, without actually committing to it. Gives a nice sense of faux objectivity or distance. "One should believe in common decency and honesty," said Donald Trump.
Rather than discuss what Gene has written, I just want to brag that when I saw the phrase "Genuine Class," I immediately thought of Alec Guinness -- because I remember it was one of the winning entries (maybe THE winning entry?) in the New York Magazine Competition (forerunner of The Style Invitational) back in the day. My other favorite entry was the Piet Mondrian anagram "I Paint Modern."
In 1972, I met Dick Cavett, because he was doing a show on a story I wrote for New York Magazine. He told me this anagram, and later used it on his show. I never knew, before now, that he stole it from NYM.
You know, Gene, I suddenly realize -- Cavett told you the truth! I now remember seeing/hearing him say that on his show! Mea culpa, Gene -- and Dick!
(But the Mondrian one was definitely in NYM. Don't let Cavett claim credit for his one.)
I heard anecdotes about Sir Alec- that he wasn’t sure of taking the “Kwai” role because of its turnaround, nor the Obi Wan role because it was silly and he felt pathetic. But grew to understand that they had value.
I'd forgotten about the Barney Fife one-bullet policy. I would love to see that policy applied to local cops today. They are all trained to unload the chamber -- the thinking being that cops never fire their weapons in the first place unless it's already been determined that they are facing a lethal threat that must be killed with all certainty. It's insane.
Barney, who was Andy’s cousin, had to keep the bullet in his shirt pocket. Andy didn’t pack. He was a sheriff without a gun.
Barney eventually became acting sheriff and ran for sheriff in a 1986 reunion show. Andy was a former postal inspector who retired back to Mayberry. Barney asks for voters to write in Andy’s name instead. Andy wins and appoints Barney his deputy in a blatant act of nepotism.
—
I had an idea for a dark, gritty reboot of the show. Newly elected Sheriff, Opie Taylor, swears vengeance against the meth traffickers who took out his father and first cousin once removed. He vows to clean up Mayberry once and for all. (Ron Howard directs himself to an Emmy).
It's really refreshing to see Mayberry fan fiction here. There should be more Barney Fife references in the world.
I, however, think we should nip all these Barney Fife references in the bud.
In keeping with the recurring theme here of "Weingarten and the Examined Life," a kind of Dr. Seuss for (mostly) adults approaching their "Best if Used By" dates --- or is it Monty Python? In any event, I (or, one) was struck by your comment, the very last, in the previous "Pool" Q&A.
"I am not sure cool is obsolete, but being obsolete myself…, " you self-deprecated.
Now, now. Enough with the wistful humility (I'll assume "wistful humility" is what you were going for and still are). Anyway, if it helps, I consider you the brain that wouldn't die. Not that I picture you exactly as the disembodied brain or head beloved of horror flicks. Close, but not exactly. If anything, I prefer "quaint" from time to time, rather than "obsolete." And while I don't always agree with your choices, I am willing to pay through through the nose to allow you to make them --- speaking of obsolete turns of phrase. And yes, in turn, you may think of me as the modern-day Voltaire --- as if he did actually say something or other about defending your right to say something or other; much classier than thinking of me as the person who did say Voltaire could have said that something or other. See, I have this quaint notion of public service. Probably not the definition of "servicing" (public or otherwise...) that would immediately come to your mind, but with the Barbarians constantly at the gate, trying to climb the gate and tunnel under the gate these days, you (and the royal couple in general) provide a welcome defense --- feeble though it may seem. So accept this grudging compliment with wistful humility, set aside any concerns that "The Gene Pool" is yet one more chapter in a misbegotten life and do stop self-deprecating (at least in public).
What REALLY gets me is when I’m on the phone and my husband tries to talk to me…and he won’t stop. I could *almost* kill him.
Speaking of "classy..." Apart from RFK Jr. suspending whatever it was he's been doing for the last year or so, as the latest episode of "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Uranus" --- the otherworldly saga of a group of mutant aliens, formerly known as Republicans --- largely (and mercifully..) ignored by the media, was a badly disguised Mike Lindell and his partner in bankruptcy and comedy, Rudy Giuliani, who showed up outside the DNC for some reason. After being schooled by a 12-year-old, Lindell, and Giuliani, mumbling something about communism, departed the scene, having made some point --- to be determined. Maybe.
They showed up outside the DNC, having become lost on their way to Four Seasons Landscaping.
I keep wondering what "Also share as a note" means/does, but I'm too chicken to check the box.
I think Notes is Substack's version of Twitter, and is being promoted as an alternative to Twitter. So, if you share it as a Note, you're probably broadcasting it to your Notes followers. I think.
Makes sense. When I clicked on the Notes link, I got a page with lots of Redditors.
I have no objection to "one" and "oneself" in certain circumstances, but the cardinal rule (which occasionally eluded even my English-teacher mother) is that, once one has started down the "one" path, one cannot deviate, no matter how cumbersome it may become. If one switches to "you" or some other pronoun, all the "class" is dispelled.
Posh people in the UK use "one" as a sort of posh euphemism for "I".
Princess Anne uses that all the time. Sounds very ponderous.
Correcting your prepositions and punctuation: “received from, or given to, another person.” As in: “I, too, am an idiot with, and terrified of, money.”