Posted by Dinah on August 3, 2002, at 16:37:44
OK, first of all I want to make clear that this has nothing whatsoever to do with anything said or done here, except that the phrase was used and now I can't get the thoughts out of my obsessive little mind. I did a google search and everything, to no avail.
Whenever I hear that expression (and believe it or not, I tend to hear it more than you would generally expect to hear it - grin), the thought that always pops into my mind is "Holier than who?" It never fails. That expression never makes me feel guilty, it just brings up this whole internal dialogue on what it means.
Holier than Hitler? OK, yeah. Holier than Mother Theresa. No, definitely not. Holier? Why holier anyway? Usually it isn't used in a religious context. I mean I guess it's possible (although I find it unlikely) that Pol Pot was a pious man (Ok maybe not Pol Pot, but you get the idea). And holy is hard to judge by anyone but God. Is that why it's used? And why thou? Am I remembering correctly? Isn't thou sort of like tu as opposed to vous in French? In other words an intimate pronoun? So does it mean more pious than those you deeply care for?
Why don't people just say "Better than everyone" or what they really mean "Better than me". That would make a whole lot more sense, be easier to answer, and most importantly, leave my brain a lot quieter.
Oh my stars and garters. I must be getting better if I'm obsessing again. But can you imagine living INSIDE this brain? I know it's annoying enough from the outside.
poster:Dinah
thread:27967
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020728/msgs/27967.html