When I grow up, I want to be a Quaker!
"All the world is queer, save thee and me...
And sometimes I think thee a bit queer too."
-Old Quaker Proverb
Well, ahem. At the time that was written, it made perfect sense, albeit in a rather mutually-exclusive manner. Here is this perfectly serious QuakerOats testimonial advertisement-type person, making a very serious statement about how everyone on the planet has lost their marbles EXCEPT you and him...but wait, he's about to do the flip-flop and change his mind and YESSSS!!! There he is, coming up to the finish line...and he's saying: it seems you have lost a few marbles as well. This, naturally, leaves only him with all his intact...so it's probably oat-fallout. Along with all that fibre to keep you regular, then, it would seem QuakerOats also help you hang on to your marbles.
Today, it's a whole different macro-environment, where the intrinsic meanings of words are more inclusive, in many instances expanding into rather more substantive applications, wherein marbles have little to do with it. Or wotevah. But it's still a brilliant quote and it still cracks me up every time I read it. I've set it as my screensaver, so if you hear hysterical cackling at odd times, that would be me because my computer's been idle for 3 minutes and the screensaver's kicked in.
But seriously. All you need to do is flip back in time, revel in the somewhat archaic texture of the "thee", and exult in the word "queer", which is actually a rather wonderful word that immediately conjures up all sorts of oddball-personality-type mind pictures. You know the sort? Here's a little help from Webster.com to get your cerebro-projector cranked up (my personal preferences are 'mildly insane' and 'touched'):
Main Entry: queer
Pronunciation: 'kwir
Function: adjective
Etymology: origin unknown
1 a : WORTHLESS, COUNTERFEIT b : QUESTIONABLE, SUSPICIOUS
2 a : differing in some odd way from what is usual or normal b (1) : ECCENTRIC, UNCONVENTIONAL (2) : mildly insane : TOUCHED c : absorbed or interested to an extreme or unreasonable degree : OBSESSED d (1) often disparaging : HOMOSEXUAL (2) sometimes offensive : GAY 4b 3 : not quite well- queer·ish /-ish/ adjective- queer·ly adverb- queer·ness
Over the past two decades, an important change has occurred in the use of queer in sense 2d. The older, strongly pejorative use has certainly not vanished, but a use by some gay people and some academics as a neutral or even positive term has established itself. This development is most noticeable in the adjective but is reflected in the corresponding noun as well. The newer use is sometimes taken to be offensive, especially by older gay men who fostered the acceptance of gay in these uses and still have a strong preference for it.
Well, go figure. Time for us all to learn to be more politically correct, then? For my part, I have begun to ensure I turn off the screensaver when I'm expecting gay friends (particularly older gay men). Easier than having to explain that it IS really an old Quaker proverb and NO, I didn't make it up and really, it doesn't mean THAT kind of queer. Marbles, anyone? Oh shoot, hang on a second…I seem to have misplaced mine somewhere...
And sometimes I think thee a bit queer too."
-Old Quaker Proverb
Well, ahem. At the time that was written, it made perfect sense, albeit in a rather mutually-exclusive manner. Here is this perfectly serious QuakerOats testimonial advertisement-type person, making a very serious statement about how everyone on the planet has lost their marbles EXCEPT you and him...but wait, he's about to do the flip-flop and change his mind and YESSSS!!! There he is, coming up to the finish line...and he's saying: it seems you have lost a few marbles as well. This, naturally, leaves only him with all his intact...so it's probably oat-fallout. Along with all that fibre to keep you regular, then, it would seem QuakerOats also help you hang on to your marbles.
Today, it's a whole different macro-environment, where the intrinsic meanings of words are more inclusive, in many instances expanding into rather more substantive applications, wherein marbles have little to do with it. Or wotevah. But it's still a brilliant quote and it still cracks me up every time I read it. I've set it as my screensaver, so if you hear hysterical cackling at odd times, that would be me because my computer's been idle for 3 minutes and the screensaver's kicked in.
But seriously. All you need to do is flip back in time, revel in the somewhat archaic texture of the "thee", and exult in the word "queer", which is actually a rather wonderful word that immediately conjures up all sorts of oddball-personality-type mind pictures. You know the sort? Here's a little help from Webster.com to get your cerebro-projector cranked up (my personal preferences are 'mildly insane' and 'touched'):
Main Entry: queer
Pronunciation: 'kwir
Function: adjective
Etymology: origin unknown
1 a : WORTHLESS, COUNTERFEIT b : QUESTIONABLE, SUSPICIOUS
2 a : differing in some odd way from what is usual or normal b (1) : ECCENTRIC, UNCONVENTIONAL (2) : mildly insane : TOUCHED c : absorbed or interested to an extreme or unreasonable degree : OBSESSED d (1) often disparaging : HOMOSEXUAL (2) sometimes offensive : GAY 4b 3 : not quite well- queer·ish /-ish/ adjective- queer·ly adverb- queer·ness
Over the past two decades, an important change has occurred in the use of queer in sense 2d. The older, strongly pejorative use has certainly not vanished, but a use by some gay people and some academics as a neutral or even positive term has established itself. This development is most noticeable in the adjective but is reflected in the corresponding noun as well. The newer use is sometimes taken to be offensive, especially by older gay men who fostered the acceptance of gay in these uses and still have a strong preference for it.
Well, go figure. Time for us all to learn to be more politically correct, then? For my part, I have begun to ensure I turn off the screensaver when I'm expecting gay friends (particularly older gay men). Easier than having to explain that it IS really an old Quaker proverb and NO, I didn't make it up and really, it doesn't mean THAT kind of queer. Marbles, anyone? Oh shoot, hang on a second…I seem to have misplaced mine somewhere...
posted by Priya Tuli at
2:33 PM
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