The meaning article reminds me a little bit about something I saw Rabbi Norman Lamm say, that each generation needs to create its own religious vocabulary, because ultimately words get debased and become cliched and meaningless. So, he says that words like "encounter" and "dialogue" are now so overused as to be useless; I would say in our generation that applies to "tikkun olam" and "spiritual" and perhaps also to "meaningful". Though I know that's not exactly what Brooks was saying.
The meaning article reminds me a little bit about something I saw Rabbi Norman Lamm say, that each generation needs to create its own religious vocabulary, because ultimately words get debased and become cliched and meaningless. So, he says that words like "encounter" and "dialogue" are now so overused as to be useless; I would say in our generation that applies to "tikkun olam" and "spiritual" and perhaps also to "meaningful". Though I know that's not exactly what Brooks was saying.
ReplyDeletePrincess Lea, are you familiar with the book:
ReplyDeleteWhere the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak?
It is a children's book, but a classic.
DS: Yes, words in our world certainly can get twisted. As each individual's "truth" varies, so does what "mesiras nefesh" and "kiddush Hashem" vary.
ReplyDelete