A quick tip for your essays

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

The same could be said for the phrase/applicants that OP was blasting in the first place.

He wasn't blasting the phrase. He was blasting the use of the phrase in a professional essay. There is a difference between those two that you are either not seeing or refusing to see because of either your assumptions about the OP or intense feelings you have on the subject. That happens sometimes with topics we feel strongly about. OP has in fact said a number of times that he is not expressing his feelings on the phrase itself (and actually I happen to know that the assumptions you're making about him are incorrect), but that using those phrases in a professional application is unprofessional. And it is.

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[Detective SnowBucket]

At first glance, I thought OP was specifically targeting African Americans by telling them they’re drinking too much kool-aid (stereotype) and to stop saying “check your privilege”. But matthew9thirtyfive came to the rescue with that clarification. Seems there are multiple groups of people that need to be more considerate of what they write.

drinking kool-aid has nothing to do with africian americans. It isn't even from America. It is a common phrase and not his fault if you misinterpret it and are offended by what you think he means. There's no need for him to be more considerate of his writing.

 

[deleted972488]

wow that was a huge block of text you quoted and I'm not sure what you were referencing with your reply.

All of it? The first paragraph was about a phrase and the second part was about people.

 

[deleted972488]

He wasn't blasting the phrase. He was blasting the use of the phrase in a professional essay. There is a difference between those two that you are either not seeing or refusing to see because of either your assumptions about the OP or intense feelings you have on the subject. That happens sometimes with topics we feel strongly about. OP has in fact said a number of times that he is not expressing his feelings on the phrase itself (and actually I happen to know that the assumptions you're making about him are incorrect), but that using those phrases in a professional application is unprofessional. And it is.

OK, and I agree that using the phrase in an application is unprofessional and I didn’t do it. I also think this entire thread was unprofessional, including and especially the OP.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

drinking kool-aid has nothing to do with africian americans. It isn't even from America. It is a common phrase and not his fault if you misinterpret it and are offended by what you think he means.

I agree with the second part of your post, but there is an association in America between Kool-Aid and black people.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

the act of drinking kool aid may be but the saying "He done drank the Kool-aid" is not

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

OK, and I agree that using the phrase in an application is unprofessional and I didn’t do it. I also think this entire thread was unprofessional, including and especially the OP.

OP has nowhere been unprofessional, what do you feel attacked over?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

OK, and I agree that using the phrase in an application is unprofessional and I didn’t do it. I also think this entire thread was unprofessional, including and especially the OP.

You're free to think that. Being passive aggressive and looking for ways to be offended aren't professional either.

 

[907914]

At first glance, I thought OP was specifically targeting African Americans by telling them they’re drinking too much kool-aid (stereotype) and to stop saying “check your privilege”. But matthew9thirtyfive came to the rescue with that clarification. Seems there are multiple groups of people that need to be more considerate of what they write.

Wait....kool aid is racist?

Legit aside, like....is this a stereotype of some sort I am not aware of? Wouldn’t be the first time regional dialects and slurs have been a roadblock for me having grown up in the rural part of WA state lol

 

[beattheprocess]

Wait....kool aid is racist?

Legit aside, like....is this a stereotype of some sort I am not aware of? Wouldn’t be the first time regional dialects and slurs have been a roadblock for me having grown up in the rural part of WA state lol

Never heard of it being racial. It’s a phrase about being brainwashed and ignorant regardless of race.

 

[vomitcom]

> Mad because someone used a buzzword in their essay
> Uses buzzword/phrase in a post complaining about it
> Gets recognized for hypocrisy
> Calls people recognizing the hypocrisy sensitive
> Denies that they, themself is the sensitive one
#logic

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Never heard of it being racial. It’s a phrase about being brainwashed and ignorant regardless of race.

Just looked up the etymology of “drink the kool aid.” It comes from Jim Jones and the whole cult group suicide thing done via drinking powdered drinks + cyanide.

 

[theKingLT]

Wait....kool aid is racist?

Legit aside, like....is this a stereotype of some sort I am not aware of? Wouldn’t be the first time regional dialects and slurs have been a roadblock for me having grown up in the rural part of WA state lol

Yup its a black stereotype but when someone says quit drinking the coolaid or something along those lines i always thought it came from the Jonestown Massacre. Like the idea that drinking the punch is associated with mindless cult-following behavior

Edit: looks like the poster above me beat me to the punch (pun intended)

 

[IsleyOfTheNorth]

people wanna say "SJWs" are sensitive/get triggered, but look at how easy it is to rile people up with the mere mention of identity politics.

I was quoted there as an example. For the record, the closest I ever got "riled" was "amused".

At first glance, I thought OP was specifically targeting African Americans by telling them they’re drinking too much kool-aid (stereotype) and to stop saying “check your privilege”.

Drinking the Kool-Aid has its roots in the Jonestown Massacre when cult members drank Kool-aid tainted with cyanide. It has nothing to do with race, whatsoever.

Edit: The two above me beat me to the punch... bowl.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

> Mad because someone used a buzzword in their essay
> Uses buzzword/phrase in a post complaining about it
> Gets recognized for hypocrisy
> Calls people recognizing the hypocrisy sensitive
> Denies that they, themself is the sensitive one
#logic

I can’t tell if comprehension skills are just in shortage nowadays, but the OP isn’t “mad” perhaps “exasperated” at an applicants lack of professionalism, but the idea that they’re mad seems to be a fabrication to suit your narrative.

 

[vomitcom]

I can’t tell if comprehension skills are just in shortage nowadays, but the OP isn’t “mad” perhaps “exasperated” at an applicants lack of professionalism, but the idea that they’re mad seems to be a fabrication to suit your narrative.

They were exasperated enough to post about it!

 

[Steve_Zissou]

They were exasperated enough to post about it!

The more charitable interpretation would be that they saw an ill-advised usage of buzzwords and wanted to warn prospective students to avoid their usage as it is unprofessional and will likely be interpreted as unprofessional.

 

[vomitcom]

The more charitable interpretation would be that they saw an ill-advised usage of buzzwords and wanted to warn prospective students to avoid their usage as it is unprofessional and will likely be interpreted as unprofessional.

It beggars belief that it was completely detached from the OPs visceral reaction to someone challenging their worldview. But that's just me.

 

[Cornfed101]

This thread be like

 

[Steve_Zissou]

It beggars belief that it was completely detached from the OPs visceral reaction to someone challenging their worldview. But that's just me.

Charity principle, friend, charity principle.

As an aside, I am politically left and would recommend against admitting a student if they had buzz words/phrases for either side in their PS.

 

[vomitcom]

This thread be like

View attachment 284351

Nothing makes a post quite like meta-posts complaining about it but actually adding more to the chaos

 

[dr_kateb]

It beggars belief that it was completely detached from the OPs visceral reaction to someone challenging their worldview. But that's just me.

“no u.”

Great argument.

 

[vomitcom]

“no u.”

Great argument.

LOL

 

[deleted962973]

And for the record, "drinking the kool-aid" is an extremely common phrase in the military that just means you've bought into the company line. It is sometimes used to be derogatory, as in "he drank the kool-aid and is off the deep end" or something, but it just as often is used neutrally or in a positive sense, such as "if you just drink the kool-aid a little, it will make you a better person."

I know the cool thing is to find things to get offended at in everything, but blasting someone for being condescending about not seeing other people's perspectives while simultaneously dismissing a huge part of their life that might have shaped the phrasing and language they use (outside of obvious racist/sexist/etc things) demonstrates a real lack of self awareness. That is not directed at anyone in particular, but if it offends you then maybe you should rethink the assumptions you make about people.

This was very obviously directed at a comment I made but I know that if I respond, mod powers could be abused. So I’ll leave it. All I’ll say is that maybe you should consider that phrases have different connotations outside the military, which SDN certainly isn’t a part of. In popular usage, it just means someone who is delusional or fanatic, so it can be offputting if someone describes you as “drinking the kool aid”. This whole thread is about how phrases can be misinterpreted by people from backgrounds that differ from yours, so I was just pointing out the irony of using such a phrase.

And thanks for the info on military culture, but MemeLord managed to directly educate me on the matter, so I’m good.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

phrases have different connotations

The only reason the kool-aid phrase would have a different connotation is if you don't know it. It is not linked to the military exclusively
re: If you don't know the phrase, the world will not stop using it for your benefit.

 

[710118]

Some people on SDN get offended FAR too easily. The OP was not being rude, unprofessional or anything. Just telling it how it is.

 

[electropartyogram]

This was very obviously directed at a comment I made but I know that if I respond, mod powers could be abused. So I’ll leave it. All I’ll say is that maybe you should consider that phrases have different connotations outside the military, which SDN certainly isn’t a part of. In popular usage, it just means someone who is delusional or fanatic, so it can be offputting to people if someone describes them as “drinking the kool aid”. And thanks for the info on military culture, but MemeLord managed to directly educate me on the matter, so I’m good.

I have noticed the phrase thrown around here in SDN, usually as "drinking the academic Kool-Aid", which to me sounds like Kool-Aid is a general term for the lifestyle/benefits/duties of someone in academic medicine. Like Kool-Aid tastes good. A life in academic medicine seems to be good. They've given in to the sweetness.

In the context of the OP, "drinking the Kool-Aid" is a phrase for giving in to the societal norm, using phrases that are new, drinking the Kool-Aid, doing it because everyone else is doing it, and they are led to believe it is the best thing to do.

 

[FISTMCLARGEHUGE]

My impression of the average emotional maturity/resiliency on SDN

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

My impression of the average emotional maturity/resiliency on SDN

I'm personally offended by this

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This was very obviously directed at a comment I made but I know that if I respond, mod powers could be abused. So I’ll leave it. All I’ll say is that maybe you should consider that phrases have different connotations outside the military, which SDN certainly isn’t a part of. In popular usage, it just means someone who is delusional or fanatic, so it can be offputting if someone describes you as “drinking the kool aid”. This whole thread is about how phrases can be misinterpreted by people from backgrounds that differ from yours, so I was just pointing out the irony of using such a phrase.

And thanks for the info on military culture, but MemeLord managed to directly educate me on the matter, so I’m good.

It wasn’t just directed at you actually. And my comment was exactly your point. OP used a phrase that has different meanings to different people, and people flipped out on him for using that phrase, slapping all kinds of meaning onto it that weren’t there. His blasting of another phrase had nothing to do with the meaning, but the professionalism of using slang. I doubt he wrote things like “drink the kool-aid” in his med school essays. So your point is a good one, but sort of misses the mark when sent that way.

On another note, accusing me of being willing to abuse my moderator powers is a serious charge. Unless you have some evidence that I have done so in the past, I would ask you to not let your emotions get the better of you and refrain from passive aggressive insults like that, as we take our responsibility as mods seriously, myself included.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

My impression of the average emotional maturity/resiliency on SDN

 

[907914]

All I’ll say is that maybe you should consider that phrases have different connotations outside the military, which SDN certainly isn’t a part of

@Matthew9Thirtyfive I pointed out this statement on the thread earlier as well so we do understand it, however didn’t you and I just have this conversation of military language being used outside of military context (^see current probation status).

You and I know @HomeSkool meant no harm, but they do not.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

@Matthew9Thirtyfive I pointed out this statement on the thread earlier as well so we do understand it, however didn’t you and I just have this conversation of military language being used outside of military context (^see current probation status).

You and I know @HomeSkool meant no harm, but they do not.

Yeah I posted because you responded directly to someone and I was more just addressing the group. And I won’t get into details, but your phrase was objectively offensive to people outside the military given the words you used. Big difference.

But I do agree with your point.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

(^see current probation status).

Link plz, where's the good stuff

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Link plz, where's the good stuff

It’s in a PM lol.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I'll be filing a FOIA now @Matthew9Thirtyfive

 

[Cornfed101]

Nothing makes a post quite like meta-posts complaining about it but actually adding more to the chaos

There’s so much chaos, but this is why I love SDN. Internet people are crazy and awesome. It’s a beautiful thing.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'll be filing a FOIA now @Matthew9Thirtyfive

I’ll be waiting.

 

[Goro]

If this is a dig at me, I happened to do quite well on CARS and have done pretty well this application cycle, too.

Even after clarification, the condescension in the original post was pretty uncalled for. Not everyone here hero worships him and that doesn’t make us any less intelligent. In fact, being able to think for oneself is a trait I would expect to see in an intelligent person.



Again, if this is directed at me, you are making a very weird and untrue assumption about my background.

It's time to get off SDN for awhile.

 

[deleted972488]

It's time to get off SDN for awhile.

Go ahead.

 

[907914]

To diffuse tensions, here is a really long chicken:

 

[Goro]

drinking kool-aid has nothing to do with africian americans. It isn't even from America. It is a common phrase and not his fault if you misinterpret it and are offended by what you think he means. There's no need for him to be more considerate of his writing.

FYI...I remember this event very well, as I was a senior in college.

Drinking the Kool-Aid - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[deleted859689]

Y’all are crazy.

 

[deleted915325]

I'm so out of the loop that I didn't even know "check your privledge" was a common phrase ... And I go to a school located in debatebly the most underserved city out of all US schools that also just happened to win the AAMC award for service. My point being that people on the front lines working with underprivledged populations don't really care about one phrase. It's about the context of the essay as a whole. People who condemn an applicant simply because of a phrase are likely not the ones who work with underprivledged populations regularly. In fact, after reading this thread and now knowing what the phrase means, I realized that I am forced to "check my privledge" everyday. If I wasn't "checking my priveledge" after seeing the adeversity and suffering of others, then I would be a souless human being with inability for self-reflection.

 

[RNthenDoc]

FYI...I remember this event very well, as I was a senior in college.

Drinking the Kool-Aid - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

You were a senior in 1978?

 

[deleted804295]

You were a senior in 1978?

View attachment 284371

So he's what... 63? Just as I had expected. But not too much older than my dad

 

[Goro]

So he's what... 63? Just as I had expected. But not too much older than my dad

This assumes that I went to college at age 18.

 

[907914]

This assumes that I went to college at age 18.

@Goro did you go high school, to military’, then undergrad?

Goro is 67 and did a tour in nam’ confirmed.

 

[SeaHusky]

“damn, 100+ comments? This must be one hell of a ti-“

 

[deleted480308]

I'm so out of the loop that I didn't even know "check your privledge" was a common phrase ... And I go to a school located in debatebly the most underserved city out of all US schools that also just happened to win the AAMC award for service. My point being that people on the front lines working with underprivledged populations don't really care about one phrase. It's about the context of the essay as a whole. People who condemn an applicant simply because of a phrase are likely not the ones who work with underprivledged populations regularly. In fact, after reading this thread and now knowing what the phrase means, I realized that I am forced to "check my privledge" everyday. If I wasn't "checking my priveledge" after seeing the adeversity and suffering of others, then I would be a souless human being with inability for self-reflection.

That’s a weak straw man, and a self-righteous one at that