Thought police is a phrase used in the novel Nineteen Eight-Four (1984). Google reveals that its usage has steadily crept up over the years. In 1984 citizens of Oceania were monitored by the thought police for thoughtcrime infractions. I highly recommend reading the book if you haven’t already. In today’s era chock full of assertive liars, we’re bound to encounter thought police that believe you must submit to their will.
It’s nearly impossible not to get caught up in the personal pronoun debate these days. I started writing this article to talk about her/him/he/she/it/whatever social and English linguistic constructs. As I work through my thoughts, I’ll provide my view on this movement and argue against pronouns entirely.
1984
I recently finished re-reading 1984. Given the current political climate, I thought it wise to brush up on fascist fiction. As many of us have learned, predictions often come from unlikely sources.
Winston, a skeptical and intelligent citizen, has always questioned the status quo in the book. In 1984 the status quo was complete and utter domination of all thought by extreme fascists.
In the modern age, the people most like the English Socialism faction ( Incsoc ) are the extreme left and the extreme right political factions in the United States. During the run-up to January 6th, I was nearly sure that Trump winning would lead us to a new version of the Nazi party, and I convinced myself that fascism was becoming a reality.
Ping Pong
Nowadays, the extreme left is playing the part of Ingsoc. People are being doxxed, admonished, and all but forced to speak and act the same. The thought police are out in full force, and you better not get out of line! 🚨
Extremeism begets extremism. I hope you also see the extreme behavior on all sides as the root of our modern political woes. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. What goes left must go right; what goes up must come down.
It’s challenging to pull back and see reality with a minimally biased lens. We ALL have biases, and that is OK. The world influences us for better or worse. However, as we’re standing in the middle of this ping pong table of life, it is more important than ever to pay attention.
U.S. citizens like winning, as evidenced by our Olympic records. We have grown accustomed to it over the years, so witnessing our decline drives some mad.
I don’t see a problem with being competitive. It’s good for all humanity when we compete, and we often become better versions of ourselves and help others improve. However, extremism is dangerous, and when people fixate exclusively on winning, harm will follow.
As the United States’ culture war progresses, the ping pong table is at risk of destruction. I’m afraid either the extreme left or the extreme right will flip the table if reasonable people don’t step in to regulate the game.
Personal Pronouns
I never liked Mr., Mrs., Miss, Mister, or any gender-specific titles. I don’t care if someone is married or not, and I don’t think it’s anyone’s business. I’m not a fan of following arcane rules of etiquette, and gender-specific treatment introduces double standards that I loathe. I also don’t like culture wars caused by personal pronoun usage enforcement.
Today people are attempting to shove personal pronoun usage down our throats. I won’t use them, and I never will. I don’t believe sharing my gender is essential, and it’s nobody’s business. I don’t have anything to hide, but I don’t have anything to show either.
I don’t exist to validate someone’s gender preferences. We live busy lives with too many tasks to complete, and I won’t add another task to make sure someone isn’t offended. It’s enough to ask someone’s name and call them that, rather than add yet another hoop to jump through.
I’ve seen praise for people who use pronouns. Leaders recite their pronouns before starting a presentation, while others suggest making pronouns standard in communication profiles. The thought police are out in full force, and you better comply.
Comedy
Comedy is under attack in 2021. The thought police don’t want you to talk critically about anyone, and all comedy is critical.
Politics
Political pundits aim to ram their philosophies down our throats. Some believe they are the arbiters of thought, the thought police if you please. They believe they can twist the definition of a Federal Constitutional-Presidential Republic. Voting rights balance federal and state rights while giving Congress veto rights.
Identity politics needs deflating. I’ve had enough us vs. them mentality that dominant parties have consistently fed. I hope another viable party comes along in 2022. I’m getting fed up with both parties and their divisiveness.
Conclusion
I feel pity for people that broadcast their identity. I suppress my Ego whenever possible, and I know Ego blocks us from having a happy life.
Broadcasting our pronoun preferences and asking people to abide by our will may seem innocent, but it’s not. In doing so, people have submitted their will to their Ego, and happiness will remain elusive. Eventually, people will violently reject the imposition on their daily activities. If that happens, everyone loses, and saving the republic will have become much more difficult.