General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Carville was right. Here's why it doesn't matter [View all]StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Republicans trade in.
This assumption that uneducated, unsophisticated people can't understand big words or complex concepts or that there is some nobility in "plain speaking" while everyone who speaks in language that reflects education beyond the 10th grade is suspect and can be ignored because they're "talking down to real people" to be pretty condescending and annoying.
And, in my experience, that's often an excuse for some people to continue to ignore the issues of civil rights and social justice. Whenever those subjects come up and people try to talk about them with any depth and insight, regardless how simple and straightforward the language, they are accused of "elitism," "talking down to real Americans." And then the people doing the accusing shut down the discussion because they claim to be insulted and offended and insist they won't engage unless and until they're talked to differently. And they are expected to make no effort to listen or understand or reach out - and if they do or say anything that we find offensive, God forbid we say so because, you know, that's also talking down to them or accusing of being racist.
This assumption that uneducated people can't understand "jargon" - or even that the only way they can possibly be exposed to the need for equality and equity is if Black and Brown people and our allies explain it to them and if we don't explain it just right, they can't be expected to understand it, much less be willing to do anything about it - is bull. These issues are in people's faces every day and every way. If they still can't see it and still can't understand it, it's because they don't want to. And blaming the messenger for their own blindness and using the "I don't like how you phrased it so I'm not going to pay attention to anything you say or care about the issue you're talking about" is really getting old.