1. The "pop" psychology interpretation of "empathy"
implies caring about the feelings of another ("I can feel
your pain...") as if that person is personally loved or
important. In fact, however, no such explicit positive
projection is actually inherent in the dictionary
definition of "empathy" (1904).
This narrative takes advantage of that omission to present
(false) empathy as a weapon
that is often used to exploit naive associates,
"friends", and even family members. Thus, it becomes a
one-sided tool and a fraud. It can be recognized through
the typical (implied) statement "if you loved me, you
would do (or buy) this for me ... ". (A responsible
adult, however, should be doing these things for self by
determining goals, setting priorities, planning and
scheduling the necessary tasks, and doing the actual work
required.)
2. The free-form listing of "what if" entries was written
in "spoof" (1897) style. However, "between the lines" a
serious message can be found about the "singles scene"
love and family life on and off college campuses.
3. The ideas are couched in double entendres, euphemisms,
American idioms, and American slang blended together in an
amorphus composition that mirrors today's alienated youth.
Pre-adolescent children and those with a limited English
language vocabulary won't "get it" at all.
"Politically correct" college administrators will join
with the theocratic right
in denying that this harsh satire presents a fair picture
of a frightening sub-culture, which is already out of
their control.
4. High school and college students now use the words
"friend" and "relationship" in creative ways that are
ambiguous and obscure to "outsiders" (and elders, of
course). (In a conversation with Alice in "Through The
Looking Glass", Humpty Dumpty demonstrated a similar
non-definition of words".) In this current narrative,
"friend" and "relationship" are shown in quotes. The
reader must make a subjective interpretation that may or
may not be what the author was thinking. Have fun!
5. In the entries, the male-female roles are interchanged
and/or mixed. First one, then the other. Often the final
determination is subjective.
6. No particular individual is implied as the subject of
any entry, so don't play the game of "does this shoe fit
me". Most of the entries are derived from actual
observations of human activity over several decades. Some
single entries represent combinations of observed behavior
of two or more individuals, or even many individuals when
the activity is common in an age group or social class.
7. For some of the entries the author was thinking about
the cartoon character "Moonbeam McSwine" from the popular
"Li'l Abner" series drawn by Al Capp about fifty years
ago.
This lovely brunette was dressed only in discarded rags
and made her bed with the hogs. The cartoonist implied
that pigs were her best friends, so naturally she would
object to wallets made from pigskin.
8. Note that "pray" and "prey" are two different words.
9. "Room 101" is the infamous torture chamber in the book
"1984" by George Orwell.
10. For one entry the author remembered that "sack" and
"bag" are different regional vernacular expressions which
have the same meaning. To avoid confusion, the word
"pillow" was substituted.
11. "STD" is an English-language acronym for "Sexually
Transmitted Disease". There are more than 20 different
STDs, and up to 50 percent of adolescents and young adults
have been or are infected. Some of these diseases aren't
easy to detect or diagnose, and others besides AIDS are
incurable. Even those that are curable are becoming more
resistant to antibiotics and other specialized drugs.
Scientists race against time to develop new medicines to
replace those that become ineffective. As always, the
best cure is prevention.
Some American tourists in Southern Europe and North Africa
pick up nasty infections caused by parasites.
It has been whispered that a few military people returning
from Southeast Asia brought home "presents" for which
there is no known cure. There were even rumors that some
of these diseases are so deadly that the military has
hidden such "victims" on secluded islands, never to be
heard from again!
In the male some non-specific infections come back again
and again, even after apparent successful treatment with
antibiotics. In the female some viral infections can lead
to cancer (and possible death) many years later. Others
can cause blindness in newborn infants.
One ancient disease was a problem for Columbus, and can be
passed on to innocent babies and deform them. It can be a
trickster by going into a latent stage lasting many years.
Then it can cause paralysis, insanity, and death. A
notorious victim of this disease was Al Capone, the
Chicago gangster.
The American Social Health Association (ASHA) is a private
organization funded by donations. ASHA operates the
National STD Hotline under contract with the Division of
STD Prevention at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a
federal research agency. Links to both organizations and
several STD sites are included with the "Medical Reference
Sources" shown below. Ominous case statistics are shown
at these sites. Irresponsible young people who risk
getting STDs are careless because they are oblivious to
the danger. They do not realize that some STDs have
always been incurable, and that others are becoming
incurable except by heroic treatment methods, because
formerly powerful antibiotics are beginning to fail. The
organisms are mutating faster than pharmaceutical research
laboratories can design new antibiotics.
12. The expression New Orleans "fancy girls" refers to the
pre-Civil War era (about 1812) practice of selling the
beautiful daughters of miscegenation through the slave
markets in New Orleans. From there they were recruited
into upper-class bordellos catering to rich men.
The author had a North Carolina ancestor who named his
wife, eight sons, and four daughters as heirs in his Will.
The Will was recorded in 1854. The following bequests are
quite revealing:
-
"... one ... woman named Sara and child Channy,
-
.... .... ... ... also the increase"
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"... one ... girl named Caroline."
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"... one ... girl named Senith and her increase,"
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"... one ... girl named Ginne and her increase,"
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"... one ... girl named Sara,"
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"... one ... boy named Harris,"
The boy and two of the girls (and the "increase" of one of
them) were given to three of the male heirs. Apparently
there were no adult male slaves.
Most likely these historical figures felt "empathy" toward
their female slaves. Thus, there is nothing new about
mutual exploitation, but in those days it was formalized
into a brutal class system defended by political power,
self-serving law, and naked force. However, in practice
the strict rules of segregation broke down in the bedroom
and behind the barn.
Perhaps the sickness of society today is a direct
descendant of the slavery system. It is a demonstrated
fact that most fathers still "sell" their daughters into a
life of slavery and poverty. Beginning at an early age,
most mothers still "prepare" their daughters for that life
by teaching them how to manipulate all males for money,
gifts, or outright lifetime support as a "dependent". The
current legal system still encourages and enforces that
fantasy. (See the link to "Slugs In The Garden" below.)
Copyright 1998, 2002 by John B. Horne