World's Dumbest Phrases

It seems an inordinate number of the World's Dumbest Phrases start with one particular word: "our".

"Our government", "our president", "our military", "our CIA", "our elections", "our police", "our borders", "our schools", or whatever. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

If that seems insulting, good. It's intended to be, and a person probably wouldn't be insulted if they didn't know it's true.

Now, "our" isn't always a dumb word to use. If you and I share real-world ownership in something, "our" is a valid word. Suppose we go in together and buy a sword, and we have an arrangement where we both get to use it. It is our sword.

Something doesn't become "ours" just because you want to impose it on me at my expense when I have no use for it. It's also not "ours" if you're trying to spread the guilt around; smearing me by claiming I share in your guilt. If you want it, and it is harmful, but I have opposed it from the beginning-- or even if I withdrew my support when I got smarter-- you don't get to pin it on me. I disavow your ethical and economic disasters. They are your responsibility. Suck it up.

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