By Virginia L. Beach
Seems like nowadays “isms” are all the rage. I can hardly read a blog these days without coming across an ism of one kind or the other.
When we were all talking about the Gallaudet Protest last fall, some of us were applauding the students’ activism, while others were condemning their barbarianism.
There were and continue to be accusations of racism, favoritism, sexism… and I’m sure there are a bunch of other isms I’ve left out.
There are those who question Gallaudet’s isolationism, others who wonder about its elitism, and then we all gotta worry about its credentialism.
And of course, we discuss audism and deafism on a regular basis.
Now, lest everyone think that “isms” are limited merely to the Deaf Community, allow me to assure you that I’ve noticed them creeping up practically everywhere I go…
Mention our nation’s economy and I’m soon subjected to an interesting dialogue on the dangers of capitalism.
I’ve got plenty of friends out there ready argue about that shrub in the White House and his bureaucratism.
And with all those folks vying to become the next resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we’ll all soon be debating political liberalism vs. conservatism.
Gee whiz! All this talk is enough to give me an aneurism.
The other night, I was curled up on the couch, watching a movie, compliments of Netflix. I’m a sucker for them old black and white classics of yesteryear, and this one fell into that category – “You Can’t Take It With You,” a light-hearted Frank Capra comedy starring Lionel Barrymore, Jean Arthur, and a young Jimmy Stewart. Filmed in 1938, it won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture. It deserved it…I was rolling in laughter through most of the film.
But it was one particular scene that really got to me, and started this whole post in the first place. It’s a scene in which Grandpa Martin Vanderhof (played by Lionel Barrymore) is having a conversation with his daughter Penny (played by Spring Byington), while reading the paper and enjoying his evening pipe. Penny is busy at her typewriter, attempting to write a play about her heroine Cynthia, who has entered a monastery:
Grandpa: Penny, why don’t you write a play about ism-mania?
Penny: Ism-mania?
Grandpa: Yeah, sure. You know – communism, fascism, voodooism. Everybody’s got an “ism” these days.
Penny: I thought it was an itch or something.
Grandpa: Well, it’s just as catching. When things go a little bad nowadays, you go out and get yourself an “ism,” and you’re in business.
Penny: I’ve got it. It might help Cynthia to have an “ism” in the monastery.
Grandpa: Yes, it might that. Only give her “Americanism.” Let her known something about Americans. John Paul Jones, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Edison, Mark Twain… when things got tough with those boys, they didn’t run around looking for “isms.” Lincoln said “With malice toward none, with charity to all.” Nowadays they say “Think the way I do, or I’ll bomb the daylights out of you.”
Now, don’t get me wrong, folks – I’m not saying that all isms are bad, or that we shouldn’t be paying attention to them. I’m well aware that racism, favoritism, sexism, ageism, audism and all those umpteen other isms do exist…and that we need to address such issues and deal with them.
But at the same time, I can’t stop wondering if we haven’t gone a bit stir-crazy with our usage of isms. Seventy years later, we’re still running amok, looking for an ism to put us in business. They’re still just as catching as the common cold, and as itchy as that rash I keep scratching. Not to mention that they still seem to get used as our excuse to bomb the living daylights out of one another.
Hmmmm…maybe Grandpa Vanderhof was right.
I think I will go write that play.
Virginia L. Beach (the person, not the place!) is a Gallaudet graduate currently residing in the Midwest. When she’s not discussing feminism, studying druidism, or engaging in sesquipedalism, Virginia can be found curled up on the couch, watching one of those cinematic classics she enjoys so much.
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Hilarious!
I agree that “ism” is a term that can, and has been, easily bandied about. If you ask me, this falls under the “Politically Correct” umbrella. Or it could be an attempt to pack something that’s so irregular in a neat package and sell it! Ah, if I’m rambling, forgive me…it’s Friday after all!
*grins* Brilliant!
I see this is very old news. I remember reading it in Ann Lander’s column years ago about the cows. It’s an animal humor.
Two examples:
http://sharpgary.org/Cows.html
http://www.geocities.com/Heart.....nment.html
Wanna more examples? Let Google do the work for you.
funny! I always liked those. My favorite one (after Bushism, of course) is surrealism. Which definitely fits the themes of the UFG protests.
Great post, Virginia. Thanks for the laughs!
There was absolutely *nothing* barbaric about the civil disobedience of the UFG protest. The true barbarian was Jordan, who tried to keep reporters off campus at times in order to continue to supress the students’ speech and access to the media.
The whole protest was necessary because of Jordan’s outrageously oppressive tactics and manipulations.
i call this “toomuchemotionalism” or with a dash of “ultrasensitivism” or even better!!! “needstogrowapairism.”
a little practicalism never hurt anyone. =)
(not directed at virginia at all, directed to the very post it’s inside of)
How can anyone be “too emtional” about a university president who rigs the selection of his successor, and then he forbids the media to enter the campus when the students try to explain to the world what their president is doing?
because the students react like you do and cause mass confusion of the public.
like for example, the entire riot by militants regarding the SLCC, such as Amy and this fabulously misguided fellow http://www.savegallaudet.org/?p=80 .
YOUR “deaf hero’s” wanted IKJ in the presidental office of Gallaudet in the first place. He tried his best for a decade or two, yet all his work and dedication is spit on by people like you who construe astounding flights of fantasy to work in their favor.
dude… there’s better things to do with your time like munch on a Hershey’s bar or get developing a family.
good luck to you =)
Ms. Penelope “Punky” Brewster, a fictional television character (played by Soleil Moon Frye) who was abandoned by her parents at the age of 7, or an actual person with a psedonym,
I am used to be called by many names, and for you to call me as a militant, that was bit out of line here. It is another first for me to called by that name. I still find this very interesting how you still perceive me like this.
I only can hope that you can try to communicate with me directly before making judgments about me in a public forum.
I wouldn’t do that to you and I’d appreciate you to do the same by refraining calling me names.
Thank you very much.
Amy Cohen Efron
Amy,
I think you should make your next vlog, dressed in combat greens, your left hand covering your ear completely and your right hand fisted in the air, like a one armed stallone (rocky movie) “I made it!” move, and scream DEAF POWER!!!!!
Punky,
In your dreams… I’m lefty, so I need to use my right hand to cover my ear, and use my left hand with a y-shape handshape indicating the signed word, “SAME” as if we are both Deaf.
Only if you get to know me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that I am not what you think I am.
I was raised with my hearing family who does not sign, (still is…) and went to oral deaf day school at my young age, then mainstreamed, as a solitaire most of my academic years without an interpreter and minimal support services. Finally, I enrolled high school with a critical mass of deaf and hard of hearing peers (60 of ‘em). Learned sign language (SEE at age of 17). Was going to enroll NTID majoring medical technology as my parents thought it was best for me. I hesitated.
Somehow, I met the first deaf family through my deaf friend and the same family who gave me the book, Deaf Heritage by Jack Gannon which changed my life. My friend enrolled Gallaudet and she invited me to visit. I fell in love and enrolled there in ‘84. Stayed there, earned three degrees and working as a school psychologist.
I define myself as an empowered, and passionate individual who will do anything that will benefit the community as a whole.
Feel free to contact me anytime and we can chat.
Hope you can vlog soon, then I can tease you as you do for me. *wink*
Amy Cohen Efron
Okay, I’ll bite… I can CLEARLY see the “passionate” part.(trying to restrain)I understand your need to grasp and hold on tight to ASL and hope it blossoms all over the united states.
Gallaudet is a place where ASL can thrive and be used constantly. It has become the prime identifier of the culture. Furthermore, the sign language does not have a written form, and it takes the written language of the specific country, land, origin, whatever. Sign language has been used to close the communication gap between those who can speak and those who cannot verbalize well enough to communicate. The basic language has always been the primary language of the land, in this case, english. As accessibility and technology grow and it’s becoming very mainstream mind you, I don’t see (maybe not 50 or 100 years from now) ASL being as necessary as it is today. The same thought goes for institutes for the deaf.
yes, the culture is beautiful, but just like the rest of the cultures of the world, it has it’s bad sides. Unfortunately, the deaf communities worse side is the fact that it isolates itself too great an extent.
lets call it, following the topic of this blog, idealism. Some take it far too seriously….. (wink). SSLC intentions are not to try and dissolve ASL.
To Amy Cohen-Efron,
I am glad you came to Gallaudet! Not only does Gallaudet need you but also Deaf Americans need you! Exactly where did you live in Brooklyn? First, I lived in Canarsie. Later, I moved to Park Slope before moving to Washington to teach at NWC in 1983.
Hi Jean,
Oh my gosh, we were practically neighbors! My parents lived in Brooklyn most of their lives. East Flatbush and Canarsie were my neighborhoods. I lived next to Ralph Avenue, and my father’s business was located on Church Avenue. I was at Northwest Campus in 1983 when my deaf friend invited me for a week. I frequently patronized at Kings Plaza - our shopping mall in Canarsie area.
Oooo Brooklyn! You can take a person out of Brooklyn, but you cannot take Brooklyn out of a person. Har! har!
Damn right, Amy about Brooklyn.
Other than going to school in East Parkway, (I don’t live in Brooklyn though :)), I have such fond memories of my time with my grandparents in Brooklyn throughout my childhood. They lived less than 2 blocks from the Coney Island. They’ve taken me to the beach, rides, to the aquarium and take a walk on the boardwalk. While I’m not sure if I’ve been to Kings Plaza, I have often seen my grandparents and their friends talk about their time there.
Because a lot of words with “ism” have been mentioned, could we start a “Brooklynism”? ;-)
Hmmm ~
Brian, your comment makes me think of the song “We Are the Future People of Tomorrow” by Mr. T Experience:
“We fight oppressionism for the revolution…”
Oops…there goes another ism.
Virginia…you left out my favorite “ism” - “Optimism”!!! Now if only that “ism” were as contagious as the others.
And since you brought up “that shrub in the White House”…lest not we forget about our troops still fighting the war on terrorism.
Wonderful entry! I giggled at times while reading what-ism here.
There is no formal definition of disablism and it will be a popular word yet to come. It was finally coined a few years ago by UK. Rather than focusing on Audism on a micro-level, I think we need to view ourselves reflected on disablism if we are to achieve anything on the macro (policy) level. See my blog on my inquiry on disablism.
Once upon a time, I was a fan of hedonism. Now I’m more into discussing consequentialism. While a debate like that might cause a case of defeatism, I’m also a fan of optimism. In today’s world, I think we should strongly consider internationalism, even though here at Deaf DC (which is a great forum of intellectualism) we discuss Audism.
That said, this was a fun read, though I understand you are a student of Druidism? ;)
Not to mention Polytheism, Animism, Pantheism, and Anthropomorphism (doing on-line studies in Alternative Religions). I’ve written a paper on Transcendentalism and we’re currently discussing Existentialism.
;)
in my case, antagonism. =) (just making a joke)
and when we’re done, we can then discuss conformism? ;-)
how about Fanaticism, instead. =)
(btw, thanks be to Virginia for this blog.. I’ll to my best to behave.)
Wow! This blog post rocked!
Good job! Enjoyed the comments. What a stir! ;)
~ LaRonda
http://www.earofmyheart.com
Hey DeafDC gang…
I “heard” you were curious about my friend Virginia and if she talks like this in real life.
Having been a student of Virginia’s for about 7 years (studying Paganism, and symbolism, of course), I can attest to the fact, yes - she does talk like this in real life, with the same sense of humor.
And often when we were discussing a certain study topic, Virginia would send her students out on a quest to find some fun quotes related to the topic at hand…so my mentor and friend…here’s a quote for you -
“Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your sould goes up to the roof and gets stuck”
~ George Carlin
ooops…that was supposed to be “your *soul*”
Forgive me, my fingers are freezing!
I love George Carlin quotes… hadn’t seen the frisbeetarianism one before. That’s great! *laughing*
Ahh, the ISM label!! I had to laugh when reading your blog and thanks for writing it with your great perspective!
It is not necessarily a negative label but it depends on which word does ISM belong to. You know, I call my blogspot Deaf Progressivism and it is all based on process, action and practice so that makes me one of them going stir-crazy with this term, heh! Yes, you are right, we still got work to do to eliminate oppressivism. Excuse me, I got to apply the cream on my rash. *(itching*itching*)
“Formalism, by being an ‘ism,’ kills form by hugging it to death” (Peter Viereck).
I’m gonna cheat here.
Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_isms
Good blog Ocean.. oops, Virginia :)