Let's extinguish the word...

[RP]

"If I'm being honest" as opposed to "I usually lie, but I'll try responding with the truth."

[PHJim]

During each inauguration we hear the words, "a more perfect union." as part of The Preamble to the United States Constitution.
This always bothers me. "Perfect" is an absolute, meaning without flaws. If something is perfect, it can never be more or less perfect. There are no degrees of perfect.
If it has no flaws, how do we make it "more" perfect?
In order to make it less perfect, we must introduce one or more flaws, in which case it will no longer be perfect at all.

[RP]

Originally Posted by PHJim

During each inauguration we hear the words, "a more perfect union." as part of The Preamble to the United States Constitution.
This always bothers me. "Perfect" is an absolute, meaning without flaws. If something is perfect, it can never be more or less perfect. There are no degrees of perfect.
If it has no flaws, how do we make it "more" perfect?
In order to make it less perfect, we must introduce one or more flaws, in which case it will no longer be perfect at all.

My interpretation of striving for something that is "more perfect" is like an asymptote in geometry in that perfection is not possible but the goal is to come as close to perfection as possible...

[Don W]

I'm a "far out" kind of guy. I am also from Massachusettes...here we say "pissah"

[AmericanEagle]

Originally Posted by Don W

I'm a "far out" kind of guy. I am also from Massachusettes...here we say "pissah"

Yup
Wicked Pissah

[hubcapsc]

Originally Posted by PHJim

During each inauguration we hear the words, "a more perfect union." as part of The Preamble to the United States Constitution.
This always bothers me. "Perfect" is an absolute, meaning without flaws. If something is perfect, it can never be more or less perfect. There are no degrees of perfect.
If it has no flaws, how do we make it "more" perfect?
In order to make it less perfect, we must introduce one or more flaws, in which case it will no longer be perfect at all.

I read that as: they had a union, they were striving for one that
was more like the unobtainable "perfect" one...

-Mike "I like the asymptote graph "

[Rmccamey]

I have, like, a Gazillion guitars...

[Rmccamey]

My peeve the last few years is "pleaded". While technically correct, it just sounds odd for someone to have pleaded innocent instead of pled innocent.

[PHJim]

Originally Posted by PHJim

During each inauguration we hear the words, "a more perfect union." as part of The Preamble to the United States Constitution.
This always bothers me. "Perfect" is an absolute, meaning without flaws. If something is perfect, it can never be more or less perfect. There are no degrees of perfect.
If it has no flaws, how do we make it "more" perfect?
In order to make it less perfect, we must introduce one or more flaws, in which case it will no longer be perfect at all.

Granted it would be better to say, "a more excellent union"

Similar to saying, "I'm behind you 110%." This is said by folks who are not very good at math.

[Tnfiddler]

Great! Let’s make people talk like we want them to versus how they want to! Surely nothing bad will come from that! Get over your big, bad selves and move along! There’s enough controlling people going on now, so please don’t try to bring it on here! Grammar police are the ABSOLUTE worst and my biggest pet peeve! Trying to force your intelligence on others isn't cool, in any shape, form or fashion! Our individuality(including the way we talk and the words we use) is the one thing that keeps us from being mindless, little sheep all walking the same path towards an unreachable place! I know some in the thread have posted in jest, but too many are serious! Lighten up and don’t sweat the small things! I think my rant was AWESOME, GROOVY, GNARLY, RAD, SICK, THE BEE'S KNEES, KILLER AND TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS!!!

[Kh1967]

Positivity - Nails on a chalkboard for me.

[hubcapsc]

[tinnitus]

"Hey, Tinnitus, can I use your pen?"

"Here."

"Awesome!"


Getting rid of that word (perhaps for anything less spectacular than an orgasm) would be Outasight!

Actually, the one that's been bugging me lately, specifically on cooking shows, is the incessant use of "elevated."

[birdsong]

Can't eradicate that word yet - I just received this in the mail (courtesy of AARP).....

[birdsong]

Originally Posted by Rmccamey

My peeve the last few years is "pleaded". While technically correct, it just sounds odd for someone to have pleaded innocent instead of pled innocent.

Hey now, this belongs in the "Pet Peeve" thread......