4 ms·

That it is. Every time some new videos comes out, I'm like yep no surprise. However, there is a significant percentage of Americans who refuse to listen, they

• causi 4y ago
  People who use the "bad apple" phrase like that are using it to mean the exact opposite of what it actually means and it drives me crazy. The phrase is "one bad apple spoils the bunch."
  • dotancohen 4y ago
    It's all phrases, like there is some "reclamation" of language to mean the opposite of its original intent. I was recently talking to someone who called himself a "pacifist" so I began the phrase "Si Vis Pacem..." (If you want peace... note that the word pacem is the root of the word pacifist), but even after explaining to him that the ancient phrase ends with "para bellum" (prepare for war) he still defended his draft dodging as "for peace".
    • causi 4y ago
      Was he using the phrase or just calling himself a pacifist?
      • dotancohen 4y ago
        He was calling himself a pacifist. But he had no idea what the word "pacifist" actually means - the people who use it today use it without knowing the actual meaning. I did actually ask him to tell me in our language (not English, but he was using the English word) what "pacifist" means and he could not tell me. It's an excuse, not a belief. But I'm not ranting about pacifists. I'm ranting about how many words are phrases are being redefined. Another one is the word "shame" in my country. Those is favour of judicial reform are using the word as if it has a positive connotation for the past few weeks.
        • causi 4y ago
          There is nothing in the etymology of the word "pacifism" that restricts it to use in the context or support of war or preparations thereof. https://www.etymonline.com/word/pacifism#etymonline_v_2963 https://www.etymonline.com/word/pacifism#etymonline_v_2963
          • dotancohen 4y ago
            I love Etymology online, I use that site often. You need to read between the lines to understand the context that the site provides. The root of the word "pacifist" is "peace", the word means one who promotes or supports peace and peaceful methods. The ancient phrase that I referenced literally means "if you want peace, prepare for war" - meaning that if this pacifist really believes in peaceful methods, the way to persuade for the other side to use peaceful methods is to be prepared to wage war. There is a good reason that this phrase has stood the test of the centuries.
            • causi 4y ago
              the way to persuade for the other side to use peaceful methods But being a pacifist has nothing to do with persuading other people to be peaceful. He's describing himself and his own attitude. I agree with the para bellum saying but it has nothing to do with an individual being a pacifist.
              • dotancohen 4y ago
                If his own attitude is to prefer the path of peace to the path of war, history has shown over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again that one must demonstrate that he is prepared to fight back. Hence the well known ancient proverb. And I would argue that it is far more true today than it was in an age when the aggressors couldn't readily determine one's preparedness.
• mjhay 4y ago
  The "a few bad apples" line is always darkly funny to me - a complete 180 of the familiar "a few bad apples spoils the barrel." Most cops are probably not horrible people. However, the current policing system protects the worst, and punishes anyone for speaking out - sometimes violently.
  • someotherperson 4y ago
    I don't think it's a 180. It's to the effect of 'a few bad apples ... spoils the reputation of the bunch and we should be conscious that not everyone is bad.' Not that I agree with it, but that's the angle it comes from at least from what I gather.
    • Arainach 4y ago
      That's not the historical or empirical meaning of that phrase. Rot in fruit literally spreads to adjacent fruit. This isn't a lemon market, it's a literal "a few bad apples cause the rest to rot".