Words have become so loaded from their use in the "framing" of "messages" that simply using the words themselves often results in a total cognitive shutdown by the hearer. This actually reinforces their beliefs, regardless of the content of the argument containing the loaded words.
Therefore, I feel it is appropriate to coin new terms where this phenomenon interferes with rational discussion.
This is the first of several such coinages.
I propose that henceforth a person's refusal to accept the evidence of their own senses should be referred to by forms of the verb "to Gribble" (Gribble, Gribbled, Gribbling, etc..)
This term refers to the character Dale Gribble from the animated series "King of the Hill" by Mike Judge, creator of Beevis And Butthead.
The character Dale Gribble is a dysfunctional exterminator, prone to conspiracy theories, avid gun nut, etc.. What defines this character, and the reason I have chosen his name to illustrate this particular form of denial, is that his wife has been having an affair with a Native American gigolo named John Redcorn throughout their entire marriage. Dale's son is obviously the child of John Redcorn, and everyone on the show is aware of this situation.
Except Dale Gribble. His son looks just like John Redcorn, he constantly walks in on his wife and her lover in suspicious states of undress, etc., but never sees anything amiss.
This situation is a frequent plot device on the show, and entire episodes have been devoted to it. In one of them, a character stated that Dale must never let himself see what is going on because it would destroy him. And indeed, aside from his family, he has nothing much in his life.
Anyone familiar with the show knows immediately what I mean when I say someone is "Gribbling".
They are refusing to accept a truth that would cost them too much personally to believe. Admitting they were wrong would do too much damage to their self image.
Technically it is a form of denial. But the word "denial" is so weighted by its use in reference to drug/alcohol problems that using the word results in its immediate dismissal as something that could never apply to the person in question.
Therefore, I feel it is appropriate to coin new terms where this phenomenon interferes with rational discussion.
This is the first of several such coinages.
I propose that henceforth a person's refusal to accept the evidence of their own senses should be referred to by forms of the verb "to Gribble" (Gribble, Gribbled, Gribbling, etc..)
This term refers to the character Dale Gribble from the animated series "King of the Hill" by Mike Judge, creator of Beevis And Butthead.
The character Dale Gribble is a dysfunctional exterminator, prone to conspiracy theories, avid gun nut, etc.. What defines this character, and the reason I have chosen his name to illustrate this particular form of denial, is that his wife has been having an affair with a Native American gigolo named John Redcorn throughout their entire marriage. Dale's son is obviously the child of John Redcorn, and everyone on the show is aware of this situation.
Except Dale Gribble. His son looks just like John Redcorn, he constantly walks in on his wife and her lover in suspicious states of undress, etc., but never sees anything amiss.
This situation is a frequent plot device on the show, and entire episodes have been devoted to it. In one of them, a character stated that Dale must never let himself see what is going on because it would destroy him. And indeed, aside from his family, he has nothing much in his life.
Anyone familiar with the show knows immediately what I mean when I say someone is "Gribbling".
They are refusing to accept a truth that would cost them too much personally to believe. Admitting they were wrong would do too much damage to their self image.
Technically it is a form of denial. But the word "denial" is so weighted by its use in reference to drug/alcohol problems that using the word results in its immediate dismissal as something that could never apply to the person in question.