Red Sage Podcast | George Carlin, Euphemisms | EP009

Americans use euphemisms to avoid facing the truth, which has worsened over time and has negative consequences.

1. 00:00 😡 American English is filled with euphemisms because Americans struggle to face the truth and use soft language to protect themselves from it, which worsens with each generation.

2. 00:22 😮 Combat condition known as "shell shock" in World War I was later euphemized as "battle fatigue" in World War II and further sanitized as "operational exhaustion" in the Korean War, reflecting the gradual removal of humanity and emotional impact from the terminology.

3. 01:40 💡 Carlin suggests that if post-traumatic stress disorder had been called "shell shock," Vietnam veterans may have received more attention and support.

4. 02:31 💡 Soft language, which drains the life out of life, has progressively worsened over time, as exemplified by the replacement of "toilet paper" with "bathroom tissue" without consulting the speaker.

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