Few in the blawgosphere are willing to post anything that might offend anyone. God forbid that a potential client or referral source is made to feel badly about himself, resulting in a loss of revenue to the writer. “Well, he’ll never get a case from me!”
There’s a name for such people, and Dan Hull at What About Clients? isn’t afraid to say it out loud. They’re weenies. They come from Generation Weenie.
What is Generation Weenie?
Being “just a copy” is outlawed. I just left Los Angeles, where it’s tough to offend anyone about anything. Like NYC, LA is not for everyone. No one cares what you think in either city. It’s wonderful. My take: both LA and NYC these days make even Chicago seem like an effeminate Alan Alda-land. PC and unoriginal thought are frowned upon in America’s two most important cities. LA and NYC tend to look down on Weenies. If you live somewhere else, try not to be a Weenie.Yes, this covers a broad swathe of people. While the Slackoisie, because of its narcissism, will likely think he’s writing about them, he’s not. Generation Weenie is not about an age group but an attitude group. Weenies come in all ages. They even have a website about them, which comes with its own caveat: If it offends you, then you are a member of Generation Weenie.
Frankly, I’ve been running into a lot of Weenies these days–from cultural liberals who keep surrounding themselves with no one but like-minded people, to religious educated white collars too afraid or too lazy to think anymore on their own, to “professionals” who always reserve the right to do third-rate work. They have this in common: they are highly emotional about keeping to their low aspirations and narrow views of the world.
They’ve stopped growing–and they are very happy with that, thank you very much. These people have children. It’s worrisome.
Some people say that I’m mean. Mike told me the other day that sometimes I’m a “dick” in some of my responses to comments. One might suppose that was a weenie thing to say, but Mike’s no weenie. He was just being accurate, and I took no offense. The problem is that Generation Weenie is offended by anything that challenges its self-esteem and entitlement to be weenies.
We even train young lawyers to be weenies. Rather than toughen them up so they won’t cry in the courtroom the first time a judge doesn’t give them a trophy, they’re taught that totally wrong answers are just differently correct. Law student weenies have no clue that they are weenies. Tell them that they are weenies and they will tell you that you are mean and bitter. That way, they won’t have to face up to their weeniness, taking sanctuary within the bosom of their fellow members of Generation Weenie.
Generation Weenie supports its members, one coming to the aid of another to support and enable each to be a weenie. They use words like “I feel” and “I believe” and “I am confident” as if the world was about their emotions. When you prick one, they all bleed. Then they all moan about it, sharing in the pain.
It’s much easier to be a member of Generation Weenie than to be your own person. I wonder how many of you I’ve offended today?
Discover more from Simple Justice
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
You are a dick. I read the blog for refreshing, not assuaging.
I don’t see what makes them a “Generation.” Weenies are weenies.
I do disagree that NYC and LA are somehow weenie-less. As far as I’ve seen, most hardcore NYC’ers and LA’s have made much of their personality dependent upon believing that they are working harder, having more fun, experiencing more, etc, than everyone else in the world. Even those who do little more with the cities than explore the bars.
Weenies.
I assume you know the difference between mentor and tormentor.
“Weenie Generation” does not work for me either.
Ain’t nothing wrong with being politically correct.
In any event, I’m having trouble seeing how this relates to the current state of the legal profession. I guess you could generalize and connect the increase in political correctness to the current crisis in the legal profession. But that is a serious stretch..for which no one has provided any evidence, anecdotal or otherwise.
Forgive me, Venkat, if I am missing the irony in your comment, but there is an infinitude wrong with being politically correct. The very term is an Orwellian abomination. Except in a one-party system, there’s no “correct” in politics.
We are probably working with different definitions of politically correct. I’m using it in the traditional sense. If people want to get together and put pressure on society to act a certain way and to not offend others (or not use certain phrases or expressions), and if people respond to this social pressure, I don’t see the problem with this. Just seems like the free market in action?
And if someone makes the choice to conform to some of those pressures I don’t think you can draw any conclusions of significance about this choice.
Maybe I’m missing something?
You’re not missing anything. You’re seeing the world exactly as a conformist would.
Moo. Some of y’all don’t get point. PC = not good. Unoriginality = not good. Having the thoughts of others by default = not good. Moo.
The stews on the Lufthansa flight I was on all night were mean, fat, out-of-shape and old; felt like I was shortchanged. (Fatness isn’t a suspect classification yet, is it?) I should have something better to look at in business class. Not one great behind.
My secretary Nadine back in the states thinks it’s a problem, too. The airlines are out of control. Too many ugly and fat mean women = not good.
And hey not one shot glass on the whole plane. Just snifters. Not good.
In Italy, at least, you can watch a sultry, thin, and evil-looking woman walk down the street. You can take in the small of her back joining the rest of her as she sways–with appreciation and more–and without getting investigated by NPR for possibly being male. You can yell at her from down the street, and call her a tart–and she might even laugh.
No Anita Hills. No Nina Totenbergs. Just the juices of real life: all running real high, and flowing too fast on a very hot day. Too good. Dang.
I note that some jet-lagged Boomer Neanderthal stole my identity. Fine–but the point is the disease of hysterical Weenie-ism is cross-generational. people are getting emotional out there if they can’t keep it all dumb downed and The Same 24/7.
People are getting dumber–and prouder of it–every day. I know. I see it. I travel. I talk to people. I do the Antler Dance with them. I keep ears/eyes open. Most of you don’t ever get out of Elkhart, Pittsburgh, Falls Church, Sacramento. Please leave your bubbles.
Think hard folks. Think out loud a bit more. Get in the game. Quit being a copy unless you have thought it through.
Don’t worry about offending people so much. Get a spine. Be man. Be a woman. Think fresh.
Do the Antler Dance with me. (Just no fatties please.)
Have something to talk about in the Big Locker Room when it’s all over.
Time is running out. You were warned.
so funny… dude, seriously, you’re in the wrong profession.
Marc: Just tightening up–like Archie Bell and the Drells. No one else will dance with me. Now let that guitar part in.