Tuesday, April 18, 2006

The power and impotence of words

This is an interesting pop culture reference:

"Floyd fans can't help but feel like children of divorce, getting visits from both parents this year, both bearing special gifts."

I'm not sure how to take this, even after reading the full article. Are we being told that fans are doubly lucky or that, all thing considered, this is really the best anyone can hope for? "There, there, children; surely this makes up for the fact that we're no longer together."

Divorce and rape are words heavy with connotation and bitter associations, yet culturally we seem comfortable applying them to a variety of circumstrances that frankly make a mockery of the situations for which they are most plainly used. The split up of a rock band can hardly have the same traumatic impact as the dissolution of a marriage.

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