Auto-Ironic Interpretation

[Sanagi]

It just occurred to me that the word "freedom" has become auto-ironic - that is to say, it automatically compels me to suspect an ironic double meaning, whether intentional or not. I think it was the "freedom fries" fiasco connecting the word to an intolerant "love it or leave it" attitude that put it over the top.

What other words are auto-ironic?

[Archyduke]

"Patriot," for me, mostly stemming out of the same sources as "freedom".

[StoneGold]

And here I thought it was about this.


Warning: Not really work-unsafe, but disturbing enough that I'm providing a warning and not actually posting the picture here.

http://www.ogrish.com/archives/2005/november/ogrish-dot-com-autoerotic_asphyxiation2.jpg

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

How wide spread was the 'freedom fries' business?

Because, really, it was the most ridiculous thing your country had done in a while - at that point.

I mean I think Australia overreacted in it's anti-french stance back in the 90's, but we didn't go that far, and we were pissed because they were nuking near us - not just disagreeing with us, and being, y'know, right!

[Gilda Dent]

What is the "freedom fries" thing? I suppose I must have missed that one.

As for the OP, it's typica doublespeak. Give something unpleasant a name more pleasant or appealing name. Change the Department of War to the Department of Defense. Calling mercenaries "civilian contractors". The Patriot Act. The Death Tax.

"Defense" tends to make me suspect that the intent is to attack, and "support" A tends to actually mean to "oppose" B.

Gilda

[JeffreyWKramer]

What is the "freedom fries" thing? I suppose I must have missed that one. When the French wouldn't support the US in going to war in Iraq, for awhile some reactionary idiots changed "French fries" and "French toast" and "Freedom dressing" to "freedom fries" and "toast" and "dressing."

French kissing was exempt, mostly because few people would want to kiss someone that stupid in the first place.

[Gilda Dent]

When the French wouldn't support the US in going to war in Iraq, for awhile some reactionary idiots changed "French fries" and "French toast" and "Freedom dressing" to "freedom fries" and "toast" and "dressing."

French kissing was exempt, mostly because few people would want to kiss someone that stupid in the first place.

Wow! That is the stupidest thing I've heard in a long, long time.

Gilda

[JeffreyWKramer]

Wow! That is the stupidest thing I've heard in a long, long time.

I think it started with some members of the US House of Representatives, but I can't recall for sure at this point. For awhile the trend was followed at diners, restaurants, etc., mostly in areas strongly pro-Bush. I think it's mostly died out, as it's been harder and harder for people to blind themselves to the fact that Bush and his policies are moronic, and that the French were probably right to not support our going to war in Iraq.

[atoningunifex]

The Wikepdia entry on the Congressional renaming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_fries#The_Congressional_renaming) is pretty darn funny. I hadn't heard the French response to the renaming before.

[Sanagi]

Thanks to the disingenuous spam that fills not only our e-mail inboxes, but also our physical mailboxes and answering machines, the word "important" is automatically interpreted as meaning "waste of time, throw away immediately."