Monday, November 5, 2012

Mythological Monday - Can't Never Did Anything

It's time for Mythological Monday again, folks, and it's time to take a look at Can't.
Growing up I heard a familiar rant about the word can't anytime I used it (and I used it A LOT). In fact, to this day I still hear that same rant about can't. Pretty sure I just heard it yesterday. It goes a little something like this:

          Can't never built a bridge.

OR

          Can't never did anything.

OR (in a more recent incarnation)

          Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.

I never subscribed to my dad's theory on can't. Probably because I was a stubborn kid/bullheaded adult and the more you tell me to do something the less likely I am to do it. (A fault? I think not! Ha!) But after meeting a student of philosphy this past year I realized something... can't sure as hell can! He just spells things differently. But he's all snooty and philosophically intellectual so he can get away with it.



Immanuel Kant was a man who could. Born in the early part of the 18th century, he is known to be the central figure of modern philosphy. (In a bit of a paraphrase) He believed in "human autonomy", which basically means that our own understanding of things and the world is what structures our experiences, which MEANS that...

Crap. My dad is right!

Can't never DID build a bridge (unless Kant did, which... I can google that later), Can't probably never did anything, and whether I think I can or I can't, I'm right.(Geez, who knew I could tackle complex philosophical understanding before 8 a.m. on a Monday. Maybe there's something to this early morning...thing...)

Well, people, every once in awhile myths are debunked. Didn't particularly think it would happen to me here, randomly blogging about things that amuse me. But hey... it's Monday. The start of a new week. The potential for a new adventure, a new...misadventure. Plain and simple? A new day.

Myth #2 - Can't never did anything? Debunked. Better luck (to me) next time.

And thanks, Dad. I suppose you WERE right all this time...

Damn you, Kant.

~h

NEXT TIME: Taco Tuesday tomorrow people! And it's a two-fer. Maybe... the second is longish. But at the very least you'll get the lowdown on the Fat Mouth-Breathing Brooklyn Dick...





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