Fighting words
I’m for fewer Americans infatuated with fame and wealth
As a former English teacher and a retired member of the judiciary, I have always had a special fondness for words. I have launched a onewoman battle against the loss of the word “fewer” from the American vocabulary. If items can be counted, the word “fewer” should be used; if it’s an amount, the word “less” should be used. However, we now use the word “less” in all situations. It should be fewer carrots and less mashed potatoes. Alas, I think I’m losing, but I shall not concede.
There is another battle for words that I am fighting and this one is even more important. We are losing the value of the words integrity, honesty and responsibility. Fame, wealth and power have replaced those qualities. In fact, we don’t treat those words like qualities at all; we treat them like ideals and in some cases, unattainable ideals. Integrity, honesty and responsibility are moral values. Integrity is incorruptibility; honesty is truth-telling and responsibility is being trustworthy and accountable.
However, if one is famous, wealthy and powerful, we Americans don’t seem to care if one lacks integrity, honesty and responsibility. Take the easy way out; don’t stand on principle; just don’t get caught and, if you do, lie or blame someone else. It appears to be easier. After all, there are no awards or rewards for those qualities, at least here on earth.
One of my favorite poems is “If” by Rudyard Kipling. Kipling captures the essence of those qualities in his descriptions of what one who possesses them would do in certain situations. He ends the poem by stating that the possessor of these qualities would be “a man, my son.” Of course, those qualities go far beyond maleness. They are qualities distinctive of human hood: integrity, honesty and responsibility.
Please join me in the fight for these words. We must keep them in our lives and in our vocabularies. Then we will have “fewer” problems.
We are losing the value of the words integrity, honesty and responsibility.