I’m reading Evan Thomas’s eponymous biography of John Paul Jones (“Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy”) and came across a passage that reminded me of the phrase in English that I hate most of all:
Elders and Betters
As in, “Respect your elders and betters,” the corollary to the phrase “Children should be seen and not heard”.
I have no problem with the ‘respect your elders’ piece, but ‘betters’ irks me. I hold, and always shall hold, that there is no one in this country intrinsically ‘better’ than anyone else–No lords, laidies, dukes, vicars, or kings, nor pope.
I will gladly salute those who’ve earned my respect, but will utterly rebel against any notion that anyone is my ‘better’. Such feudal ideas died when we kicked the British out of this country (twice).