Language and Obfuscation

[ubermaus]

I always assumed that Freegans did so through choice (like vegans do) rather than through necessity.

 

IF it's through necessity, they are not freegans, they are destitute.

 

Although freegan is a lifestyle choice and a movement, you could also be destitute and freegan.

 

---------- Post added 15-05-2015 at 08:49 ----------

 

But there are such things as freegans. They aren't necessarily poor though they may choose to get some of their food that way. The key word there being choice, freegans choose, the poor don't.

 

Sofa surfing is one of those terms used to obscure the fact that someone is hidden homeless. As in they aren't on the streets because they can rely on friends to use their floors or settees to sleep safely but they don't have a permanent address.

 

We use language to obscure truth all the time - date night between couples or spouses is an interesting one. You can't date someone you're married to, you married someone so you don't have to date. In fact we're british we don't date at all. The term date night is just used to try to inject a dose of pathetic excitement into a tedious relationship and so you can get some imaginary internet point when you tell people about in on facebook, theres literally no other reason to call it that.

 

Thats the problem with labels. We all use them, yet often its inaccurate.

 

---------- Post added 15-05-2015 at 08:54 ----------

 

It's an aside, sorry - but as a linguistic trick; how does one steal from a bin? It's discarded by the very nature of being in the bin. It's the height of small minded petty thinking.

 

"You stole it!"

"Sorry, it was in the bin. Did you want to keep it?"

"Well, no. But ... I didn't want you to have it either."

 

It suits the large supermarkets. I mean if anyone could walk in and take discarded food, they would be selling us less of their crappy over priced products wouldnt they?