Several years ago, in the 1800s, Spain was partially occupied by French forces, under the rule of Joseph Bonaparte, aka Pepe Botella (= bottle) as apparently he loved to hit the bottle in the local taverns. The province of Cadiz resisted and the result was something close to famine. If you’ve been to Spain, you know we love our omelettes, and traditionally (till Pepe), they were always filled with something, chorizo, jamon, potatoes..
Because of the occupation, they ran out of toppings, and this is how an “egg only” omelette came into their existence. To this day if you wish to order a plain omelette in Spain you need to ask for: “Una Tortilla a la Francesa por favor!” (Omelette a la French) which means, no chorizo, no nada.
This simple choice of words reflects a whole moment in history and, most importantly, a community’s temperament. The Greek word for hotel is Xenodoxio (foreigner container). I’ll live the interpretation entirely up to you.
Language is about communication, but also an expression of a culture in a specific moment in time.
As a lover of both, I believe that words do create worlds, and something I have observed in the country I live and respect is the boundless use of “labels”.
Don’t get me wrong, this categorization is effective, it gets to the point and gets the work done. With one word you can define a whole existence, it fascinates me, my millennial (notice millennial please) niece would come home using the most contemporary argot and I would be in awe, brilliant, holy crap, is this a thing? And yes! It was, precisely that…
“A Thing”
The upside: many
The downside: keep reading…
Common Labels:
VEGAN, PALEO, PLANT BASED (for the ones who don’t know yet)
TRUMP SUPPORTER, LIBERAL, I DON’T GIVE A SH…T anymore
YOGI OR PILATES, NOT COMBINABLE…THEN CAME BARRE
HOME SCHOOLING, hippie school (where my child goes) or Ivy League pursuer
Millennial, Generation Z.. BOTOX or DETOX and so on…
If you are in these boxes, I am safe. I can function. There is no risk, no fear of being inappropriate or politically incorrect. I will keep my opinions to Self so I won’t offend you and your choices.
When we place people in boxes, we treat them like objects.
When we place ourselves in boxes, when we strictly label our existence, there is an underlying judgment. I am “this” therefore I am not THAT thing you do, eat, vote, or believe in.
I choose this box because is better than your box, it is actually “The Box”.
and…
What I am really saying is…
I know better…
and Do I?
Much love puppies! Remember feedback comes from a place of love, judgment from a place of superiority
#howyoulifeyourlifematters
#craftingthelifewelllived
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