Can you feel that? It’s a rant coming on. Oh yeah, definitely a rant. Here it comes. Brace yourself, Erma …
Have you ever watched those goofy “reality” shows that feature designers or chefs or ‘singers’ or models, etc.? These shows take people and pit them against one another in silly, unrealistic competitions to determine who is “best” in their respective fields. That’s all fine and good with me, truly. It’s mindless entertainment which ultimately leads to children losing their imaginations and reinforces the family’s dependence on the boob-tube; but, that’s America. There’s one thing though that bugs the peedoodle out of me: when these shows (or anyone for that matter) take a common thing and artificially inflate it by giving it a special, technical, pseudo-professional name.
Case in point: I was watching top designer today (reruns) and noticed that they keep referring to a room as a “space.” Come on, gimme a break. It’s a room, call it a room. There’s no need to rename it and say “space” like you’re some sort of snobby elitist. Oh, wait. Maybe you are.
At any rate, there’s no need to rename common things. I run across this in church all the time. When a person stands up on a stage in a bar, a well-known song playing in the background which has the words removed (i.e. just the soundtrack) and sings the words, it’s called karaoke. When a person does the exact same thing in a church it’s called “singing with an accompaniment tape.” Whatever, it’s karaoke in church plain and simple. There’s no need to complicate things.
If the President of the United States stands behind a podium and talks to an audience it’s a speech. When a pastor does that it’s a “sermon.” Whatever, it’s a speech, on a certain topic. Call it what it is.
Interesting side note: I once attended a church service where we all sang “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel. The funny part was listening to the 60-somethings sing “Koo-koo-ka-choo.”
