Words and Analogies

Today is the third day of Diabetes Blog week.  Each day we have a prompt and are called to post a response.  You can read all responses at my friend Karen’s site Bitter~Sweet.  Also, please remember RABlog week will occur in September.  I hope you join the fun then as well.

Language and Diabetes – Wednesday 5/18 – There is an old saying that states “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I’m willing to bet we’ve all disagreed with this at some point, and especially when it comes to diabetes. Many advocate for the importance of using non-stigmatizing, inclusive and non-judgmental language when speaking about or to people with diabetes. For some, they don’t care; others care passionately. Where do you stand when it comes to “person with diabetes” versus “diabetic”, or “checking” blood sugar versus “testing”, or any of the tons of other examples? Let’s explore the power of words, but please remember to keep things respectful.

An OP-ED

On May 2, 2016, the Nobel winning economist Paul Krugman wrote an OP-ED piece in the New York Times titled the “The Diabetic Economy”.  The item was written in response to the publication on April 21, 2016, of a letter by another noted economist Narayana Kocherlakota titled “Easy Money Is Like Insulin.”

Interestingly, it is not the message I take exception to.  In fact, my political leanings would generally have me in support of the monetary policy both men are exposing, chiefly that in times of negative inflation (deflation) that central governments needs to spend money to right the ship. It is a complicated argument and yes since economics is the study of things that happened in the past there is room to discuss the pros and cons of any future looking action.

Analogies and words hurt

What I object to is the use of analogy in the first place. Both men toss the words diabetic and insulin in a prerogative fashion.  As if being a person with diabetes or the use of insulin is somehow something to dread.  If it is something to dread, then there must be steps one can take to escape its clutches.  Of course, we know the truth; there is nothing a type 1 person with diabetes could do to avoid the disease.  We are blessed with an immune system that attacks our little beta cells and bingo we have diabetes.  People with type 2 diabetes are blamed unfairly for diabetes, and these pieces are even more derogatory concerning type 2 diabetes.

The truth is that words hurt as do analogies.  I hate that my brothers and sisters who are type 2 are abused with words.  I hate that people with type 1 are unfairly tossed in to increase the cannon fodder of a society which values perfection above contribution.  I am not a perfect person; I was not perfect before I was diagnosed and I certainly am not now.  I have three choric diseases: Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).  I will never be the picture of health that is portrayed in magazines, on TV or in movies. Nor will I ever be the face of pity and fear that apparently these chronic diseases engender.

Making fun isn’t fun

I am after all Rick and as Rick I may not be the picture of health that both of these men write about.  But just the same, I do have things to contribute.  When they use words like comparing a sick economy to me, they do me and all of my brethren a great disservice.   I inherited the diseases Diabetes and RA and AS when I was born with an autoimmune system that decided to attack my body.  So far, my autoimmune system has left my brain intact, and while I may not be able to do everything I would like, I will never succumb to the idea that I am to be pitied.  Instead of pity and analogies of weakness, these two economists should have turned the table and said that if the central banks of Europe fought half as hard, took half the calculated risks or were willing to endure half of the pain that people with diabetes endure then Europe’s economic woes would not be an issue.

You see like my brothers and sisters who are in the same boat; I am first and foremost a fighter, a survivor.  So Dr. Krugman and Dr. Kocherlakota stick to economics and stop using diabetes as an example of poor performance.  Yeah, words matter to me, and your choice of words is inappropriate.

-30-

Rick

Take away for May 18, 2016

• Using diabetes as an analogy is not ok
• Words hurt as do analogies
• Using the word diabetes as a derogatory term is offensive
• Even very intelligent people are not exempt from bad judgement