9 Comments

I agree with and respect the moral lesson in this piece...but all that's really stuck in my head now are the lyrics to Barbara Ann. "Bar bar bar....Barbara Ann."

Thanks, Andrew!

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I almost can't believe I didn't think of this!

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Liar. I'm convinced you've analyzed all the possible openings and their viral potential, concluding that the "Bar-bar-bar" similarity to "Ba-ba-ba" was simply too tempting to ignore.

How barbaric of you.

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"Barbarous" is also the root of the noun "Barbarian", used to describe both unsophisticated people and suspicious foreigners or foreign looking people, as well as some fictional characters, such as Robert E. Howard's adventurer character Conan.

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True, and it's typically used as an insult. Then again, Conan clawed back some credibility, didn't he? I loved Howard's book when I read it, probably some time in high school.

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I do think your writing invites curiosity, and stay curious is a pretty good philosophy for living. Any time we think there's just one way, we're almost doomed to be proven wrong.

And when I think of the people who tend to use the word barbaric, they're usually trying to prove their moral ground or justify their own bad behavior.

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Ever watch this channel?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH4BNI0-FOK2dMXoFtViWHw

Dude always signs off with "stay curious."

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In Spanish, "bárbaro" has the negative connotations you mention but also can be used to say something is excellent, magnificent, extraordinary. We also have a phrase, "qué bárbaro" to express amazement, admiration, and surprise. I've always thought this is interesting.

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That's really cool! Someone "took back" the phrase. I like that.

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