In the past 12 months, I've read about 6 similarly slanted blogs on the subject of cancer metaphors and in particular their use in describing cancer experiences with the words 'fight', 'battle' and other 'military' sounding terms. The authors say that perhaps this is not the best language to use. I just read another yesterday where the author used the term 'violence' to describe these type of metaphors. What utter nonsense and recklessness.
Let me put my cards right on the table as I would hate to twist the meaning of words or the inference of any metaphors I might use. I don't like Cancer - it attacked me, it attacked my family, it attacked others I know, it has killed people I know....... it has killed millions of people and changed many lives. I'm 'fighting' Cancer. I'm in a 'battle' with Cancer.
Clearly I need help in my fight with Cancer but I have access to 'reinforcements' and 'allies'; and their 'weapons'. Using these 'weapons' and deploying them both strategically and tactically, I can put up the best fight possible and by adjusting the disposition of my 'forces' when required, I can delay the advance of the enemy or force it to change its course or retreat.
Not happy with infiltrating your body, Cancer also wants to take advantage of your fragile state by playing with your mind. It does this by creating the illusion of an uncertain future, makes you worry about your family and makes your family and friends worry about you. I'm therefore also deploying psychological warfare to counter this threat. Can't have Cancer thinking it's winning!
If it finally gets me, I know I'll have tried my best and that others will carry on the 'fight' in my absence until it is defeated (and it will be defeated).
One of the arguments used by these 'trendy' bloggers against the use of what they perceive to be 'military' or 'violence' metaphors, is that people die of Cancer and therefore they are seen to have 'lost' their battle or fight. It's always sad when anyone dies of any illness, particularly at a young age before their time. However, I believe people naturally 'fight' in their own way and there are even parts of the human anatomy whose job it is to fight illness and infection without us even realising they are doing it. In fact, to 'fight' has many contexts and not just the contrived ones used in the blogs to which I refer. If you check the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries, you will see that 'fight' has numerous meanings including "to struggle to overcome, eliminate or prevent" or "to strive to achieve or do something".
As for me, I have no intention of ceasing the use of words such as 'fight' and 'battle' in my war of words with Cancer. In fact, this has stirred me into increasing the tempo of that particular campaign.
Ronny
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