BrianGarst.com

There’s no doubt that societies change over time. In just the last half century or so we’ve witness a dramatic change in social norms and attitudes on a variety of issues (as documented first instance by this photography portfolio of vintage toys).

Not every change in this regard is good (though growing tolerance of diverse demographics certainly has been), and certain people and groups are prone to taking things to an absurd, politically correct, excess.

Appropriate attire for celebrating the Non-Denominational Winter Solstice

Hallmark has decided that “gay” should no longer describe the holiday apparel that we don.

In defending itself, Hallmark pointed out that the lyrics for “Deck the Halls” were translated from the Gaelic way back when.  So the “gay” of the 1800s isn’t the “gay” of 2013.  Such “multiple meanings,” the company said in a statement, “could leave our intent open to misinterpretation.”

Words change, it’s true, but multiple meanings are common in the English language. The timeless nature of Christmas carols, furthermore, are a major part of their charm.

Hallmark has realized their silly mistake, and in the grand scheme of things such blunders are harmless.

More concerning are the efforts of radical ideologies to eradicate core American values:

According to prevailing progressive “wisdom,” success is just becoming downright… unfair. The University of Georgia’s Student Government Association (SGA) held an unusual “dinner and dialogue” during Social Justice Week in opposition to the notion of “success stories.”

The event “No More Success Stories: Dinner, Dialogue, Making A Difference” was scheduled for October 23rd (pace the flyer), and listed panelists for the “final event of Raise Your Hand for Equality!” Day at the U. of Georgia. The premise of the forum is that minority “success stories” diminish the stature of other minorities. The flyer, for example, features the openly gay CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper in the background, and poses: “1 in a Million Means 999,999 left behind.”

Efforts to de-emphasize the importance of success are not new, forming the basis of numerous misguided fads – such as grade-free schools, or sports without score keeping – of the government monopoly education system. These do a disservice to children, who are left unprepared for what is a decidedly competitive society. “Success stories” do not exist to make people feel bad; they exist to inspire. In life there often are winners and losers, and which you are is usually determined by how hard you work. No number of “dinner and dialogues” will change this truth, but fooling oneself into believing they can is not just silly, it’s dangerous.