[K9-Lovers]

I've always heard the phrase "there must be something in the water" in cases where lots of people are drawn to or are in the same situation. For example, if several women in an office are pregnant at the same time, or if lots of people act silly . . . people tend to say, "well, there must be something in the water".

It's true that the saying "Don't drink the Kool-Aid" originated from the Jonestown tragedy. So, why don't we all agree to substitute the word "water" for kool aid when talking about TV? Let's dump this hurtful phrase when referring to TV. Then we don't have to discuss it any longer; we don't have to see it in print; there no longer will be a negative impression about TV to newbies on this forum, who naturally will associate the Kool-Aid phrase with Jonestown and wonder why it's being said about TV; and there will not longer be a reminder to those who suffered personally from the actions at Jonestown.

Let's all agree to stop using that phrase and instead say:

There must be something in the water here in The Villages, because everyone who visits wants to stay. I drank lots of that Villages water during my first visit, now here I am a FROG, drinking the water every day and loving it! So, don't drink the WATER or you, too, will want to buy a home in TV!

[Pats2010]

You cannot change an expression of our culture by requesting.

Forcing politically correct language causes resent, therefore resistance.

[K9-Lovers]

If someone decides to resist and resent a call for awareness and compassion, then I feel sorry for them. Those particular individuals must have a hard time keeping friends.

The phrase "there must be something in the water" has been around alot longer than the invention of political correctness.

[bkcunningham1]

There is a water tower in West Virginia, near the Virginia border, where a young man went swimming one night, drunk and alone. He drowned and nobody knew his body was there in the water until the residents near the water tower started seeing cloudy water coming from their taps with an odd smell.

The water treatment plant operators sent someone to the water tower, high on a mountain, and there was the man's truck and clothes. They discovered his decomposing body in the tower. People there were upset when others joked "There must be something in the water," for every little ailment they were plagued with for years after the fact.

[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

Did you know that experts believe that the innocent little nursery rhyme Ring Around the Rosie is about the The Black Death or bubonic plague outbreak that killed more people than any other single pandemic in human history. Some 75–200 million people died as a result of this rosy rash and the bodies were usually burnt to ashes...ashes, we all fall down.

Did you know the term, which I really don't like btw, poor white trash was something started by slaves? In Harriet Beecher Stowe's book A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, there is a chapter called "Poor White Trash." At the time, the phrase was a political statement about the plantation system and how it caused poverty to both blacks and whites who worked the fields.

I think it is all excellent examples of how our language evolves and adapts. Just an observation.

That is very interesting BK. That means that we are just one generation from people, who when they say an expression, will have no idea where it came from.

[grayesun]

Originally Posted by K9-Lovers

I've always heard the phrase "there must be something in the water" in cases where lots of people are drawn to or are in the same situation. For example, if several women in an office are pregnant at the same time, or if lots of people act silly . . . people tend to say, "well, there must be something in the water".

It's true that the saying "Don't drink the Kool-Aid" originated from the Jonestown tragedy. So, why don't we all agree to substitute the word "water" for kool aid when talking about TV? Let's dump this hurtful phrase when referring to TV. Then we don't have to discuss it any longer; we don't have to see it in print; there no longer will be a negative impression about TV to newbies on this forum, who naturally will associate the Kool-Aid phrase with Jonestown and wonder why it's being said about TV; and there will not longer be a reminder to those who suffered personally from the actions at Jonestown.

Let's all agree to stop using that phrase and instead say:

There must be something in the water here in The Villages, because everyone who visits wants to stay. I drank lots of that Villages water during my first visit, now here I am a FROG, drinking the water every day and loving it! So, don't drink the WATER or you, too, will want to buy a home in TV!

You are kidding...right? If not, this is absolutely absurd ...how on earth could this mandate be communicated to all TV folks and newbies still to come...are we to walk the streets carrying banners, publish it in the Daily Sun, hire planes to letter the skies with our newest proclamations of acceptable phraseology...heaven help me...I've got to go whack some golf balls now!

[logdog]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

There is a water tower in West Virginia, near the Virginia border, where a young man went swimming one night, drunk and alone. He drowned and nobody knew his body was there in the water until the residents near the water tower started seeing cloudy water coming from their taps with an odd smell.

The water treatment plant operators sent someone to the water tower, high on a mountain, and there was the man's truck and clothes. They discovered his decomposing body in the tower. People there were upset when others joked "There must be something in the water," for every little ailment they were plagued with for years after the fact.

I have a problem with the phrase "There must be something in the water". As a young child (before I learned how to swim), I fell into the deep end of a swimming pool and almost drowned. As a teenager, I fell into Arctic waters with three layers of clothing and almost drowned. So when I hear that phrase, it reminds me of the times when I "was that something in the water" drowning. And obviously that phrase is hurtful to many West Virginians. Maybe we can use the phrase "There must be something in the Orange Juice". Oh wait a minute... didn't OJ used to live in Florida?

[Yoda]

Shall we now stop singing "Ring Around The Rosey?"

Some people get very hung up on words but really dont give a damn where they come from or what they mean or what dangers they worn us of. If a word or phrase bothers you, dont use it. Otherwise our communication will look like this

I word, t word, y word, a word, i words

Y word

[K9-Lovers]

Yup, it seems there is no solution. No matter what we say or how how we say it will probably offend someone. Even well-intentioned suggestions are misinterpreted to be "mandates" and arm twisting. Makes me smile sadly.

It is interesting to learn the origin of the phrases we use today. Here's one I like:

The word "smooch" as in "to kiss" comes from the word "smudge". When a girl wearing lipstick kisses, it sometimes leaves a little smudge of lipstick or lip rouge. So, the phrase "give me a smudge" eventually became "give me a smooch".

[redwitch]

Y'all are honestly missing the point. It isn't so much about the phrase itself but about the attitude of at least one person and, from reading this thread, the attitude of several others.

The thread to which I was originally referring seems to be missing some parts, so here's a quick rundown of what occurred:

1. Newbie posted about being thrilled that they've purchased and are moving here soon. The last line was a reference to drinking the Kool Aid.

2. The next post started with a comment that there have been previous posts about not using the phrase re Kool Aid and then went on to welcome the newbie.

3. Post #3 gave an account of how the phrase was actually a positive reminder to him of his childhood.

4. Post #4 was downright rude and obnoxious. It truly was in the "neener neener" category. That is, it basically said, "I don't care if you don't like something or if something hurts, if I want to say it, I'm going to say it and you can't stop me." No, those were not the exact words but it was certainly the message conveyed. (And, yes, that poster has responded in this thread a few times; and, no, I won't say who any of the posters were since the original post appears to have been edited and these replies removed.)

My issues were (1) this phrase is hurtful to some (one member of this forum her lost her mother and sister in Guyana -- that's a pain that will never go away); (2) some basic consideration for the feelings of others costs you nothing. I would never do a post asking someone to not use a phrase because it brings up personal issues to me -- that's my problem, not theirs. My issue was and is with the poster who blatantly let it be known that the feelings of others was irrelevant and s/he would say whatever s/he wanted.

So, I created this thread for two reasons: (1) as a way to let those who didn't know or had forgotten the modern-day connotation of the phrase; (2) to hopefully get people to not deliberately say something hurtful and hateful just because they can as was done by poster #4 in the newbie thread. It was not even meant that people should not use the phrase -- that is up to each individual.

I did not intend that people take this as it is politically incorrect to say they drank the Kool Aid. I intended it as a reminder that the phrase can be truly painful to some and, more importantly, there really is no excuse for someone to deliberately and obnoxiously say something they know is hurtful just to prove they can.

And, hopefully, this is now the end of this.

[bkcunningham1]

I like to look up words in an etymology dictionary. You can find a few online.

Also, K9-Lovers, I'd like to say that I know you were well intentioned with your diplomatic approach with offering other ways to say something Red finds offensive. There's always many different ways to see things.

In one sense, it's good that people who don't understand what you were attempting to say/do are bold enough to say they don't want to just blindly follow and obey. That is really what happend that started the "phrase" being used in the first place.

Blind obedience isn't good. People should question and make up their own minds based on their own beliefs. Said with much kindness and hoping you understand. Your friend, bk

[Pturner]

The saying, "there must be something in the water," conveys no sense of marvel or awe, magic or mystery. It is downright anti-lyrical, rolling off the tongue like a ton of bricks.

The saying, "drink the Kool-Aid" did not originate from the Jonestown tragedy.

I agree with GG and many others on this one.

[diskman]

Is this honestly how i am going to spend my day, being involved with a RANT stated by a fellow talk of the village person. I mean for g-d sake. Red Witch made her statement. It is her feelings. That's it, nuff said are you all going to find a phrase of words that offend you.
Life's too short, get on with it!

[ssmith]

Ok, so I agree that the term "Drinking the....."is used in common language. I have heard it often here in Northern Indiana not referring to the T.V. However, if someone is open enough to tell me that they take offense at that term, then out of consideration I don't use it. Sorry for any offense Red. Sorry that other people have little consideration for someone else . No one cannot legislate it, but Red is being open and honest with something that is hurtful to her and others. It was one situation before you knew about the degree of hurt it caused it is another when you know about it.

Reminds me of the speech "All I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten". Part of that speech is about being kind.

Yep, I too have hurtful things in my life and we all need to learn how we will handle them. I personally take offense at taking the name of the Lord in Vain but I am afraid that is another topic.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by ssmith

Ok, so I agree that the term "Drinking the....."is used in common language. I have heard it often here in Northern Indiana not referring to the T.V. However, if someone is open enough to tell me that they take offense at that term, then out of consideration I don't use it. Sorry for any offense Red. Sorry that other people have little consideration for someone else . No one cannot legislate it, but Red is being open and honest with something that is hurtful to her and others. It was one situation before you knew about the degree of hurt it caused it is another when you know about it.

Reminds me of the speech "All I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten". Part of that speech is about being kind.

Yep, I too have hurtful things in my life and we all need to learn how we will handle them. I personally take offense at taking the name of the Lord in Vain but I am afraid that is another topic.

Few things are as important in life as kindness and thoughtfullness. A review of the issue in question might be helpful...

Originally Posted by redwitch

Y'all are honestly missing the point. It isn't so much about the phrase itself but about the attitude of at least one person and, from reading this thread, the attitude of several others.

The thread to which I was originally referring seems to be missing some parts, so here's a quick rundown of what occurred:

1. Newbie posted about being thrilled that they've purchased and are moving here soon. The last line was a reference to drinking the Kool Aid.

2. The next post started with a comment that there have been previous posts about not using the phrase re Kool Aid and then went on to welcome the newbie.

3. Post #3 gave an account of how the phrase was actually a positive reminder to him of his childhood.

4. Post #4 was downright rude and obnoxious. It truly was in the "neener neener" category. That is, it basically said, "I don't care if you don't like something or if something hurts, if I want to say it, I'm going to say it and you can't stop me." No, those were not the exact words but it was certainly the message conveyed. (And, yes, that poster has responded in this thread a few times; and, no, I won't say who any of the posters were since the original post appears to have been edited and these replies removed.)

My issues were (1) this phrase is hurtful to some (one member of this forum her lost her mother and sister in Guyana -- that's a pain that will never go away); (2) some basic consideration for the feelings of others costs you nothing. I would never do a post asking someone to not use a phrase because it brings up personal issues to me -- that's my problem, not theirs. My issue was and is with the poster who blatantly let it be known that the feelings of others was irrelevant and s/he would say whatever s/he wanted.

So, I created this thread for two reasons: (1) as a way to let those who didn't know or had forgotten the modern-day connotation of the phrase; (2) to hopefully get people to not deliberately say something hurtful and hateful just because they can as was done by poster #4 in the newbie thread. It was not even meant that people should not use the phrase -- that is up to each individual.

I did not intend that people take this as it is politically incorrect to say they drank the Kool Aid. I intended it as a reminder that the phrase can be truly painful to some and, more importantly, there really is no excuse for someone to deliberately and obnoxiously say something they know is hurtful just to prove they can.

And, hopefully, this is now the end of this.