Entry Five: Froxhibition
This is a reflection, I will spare you the cult speak for now (might include a bit at the end). Mainly, this exhibition made me think about is the word “Indianer”. This is something from my childhood, as I fondly remember both, my grandpa telling me stories about Old Shatterhand and Winnetou and also him telling me not to cry with the ingenious killer argument “Ein Indianer kennt keinen Schmerz”. All of this how to raise children, gender norms and stereotypes aside, I really remember this fondly and even though it might have had a negative impact on me in some way, I guess it kind of worked out in the long run. Anyway, getting back to “Indianer now” – I always wanted to be one. I always wanted to be what Winnetou was, a red skin, a crazy wild person and whatever else they were described as by this horribly racist author Karl May (who did write exciting stories though and was a nazi). Hence, “Indianer” is a term that I used for years, burned into my active vocabulary and it took some time to get it out again. I stopped using the term when I realised it was offensive. My grand aunt didn’t however and I’ve head numerous discussions about a plethora of other terms with her too. She recently complained that “Jedermann” in the theatre had breasts – she doesn’t get “all this political correctness”. After going to the exhibition though, I think I realised something. I don’t think the terms we use and/or are used as tendentious terms are helping at all, I guess this is in a way a language barrier just as much as a cultural one. While my grand aunt doesn’t get is that this thing she complains about is nothing else than what she taught me to have when I grew up.
Respect
This is a term she can work with. Something she gets. Because even if my neighbour decides to get a new phone and I don’t agree with the phone choice, that’s ok, there is no reason to tell them. And even though this is a very apathetic example (by design btw.) – the same applies in all the situations my grand aunt complains about vividly. Mind your own fucking business, be nice, respect your surroundings.
There were also a few frogs spotted at the exhibition and I promised some cult speak:
By the union of the croaking amphibians, we doth standeth steadfast in allegiance to our chieftain - the illustrious, enlightened and sagacious one.
Frog
