The importance of language

[Terrace58]

Last night at dinner we were laughing at some of the warning labels on products and it got me thinking.

Spray cleaner: do not spray in eyes
Plastic packaging: not a toy
Microwave Ready meal: tray may be hot

We live in a society where people are assumed to be completely incapable of basic understanding of function. A society where not spraying chemicals in your eyes needs to be written on the product; A society that assumes people lack the most basic knowledge. Yet we also have official entities saying phrases like “anyone with cervix” or “people who menstruate” are perfectly acceptable ways to reach out with public health messages.

Babies don't come with an instruction manual, and they certainly don't have a care label attached. Maybe midwives need to attach the following labels:

Male: comes with penis, vaginas cannot be retro-fitted.

Female: subject to misogyny.

And, of course, for both sexes:

Handle with care.
Slippery when wet.

Being serious, though, the reason for the ridiculously obvious "do not spray cleaning chemicals in your eyes" warnings is simply arse-covering. At some point somebody sued them (or a competitor) for not warning them about the bleeding obvious.

It's all about the £££££

ATM companies think that being seen to be woke brings in money. The moment somebody sues - and wins - and it becomes an economic risk to fudge language, this will change.

This is why some women boycott companies which act misogynistically. But I think that is a drop in the ocean. Not big enough for them to feel it in the bank account.

I still like best of all the warning label on a Swedish chainsaw:
Accidents with chainsaws are rarely trivial.

It was in English, but not in Swedish. I find that this improves my view of the Swedes' common sense, on the whole.