Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Damn Paradigm Shift

Thats it..I am officially creating a list of words i do not wish to hear..or read..ever again..and wait for my browser to include such a capability soon (google browser maybe? its in the plans apparently). First on my list? the infamous "paradigm shift". As a wise pal once observed, albeit cynically, paradigm shift will soon describe my furniture moving efforts. I moved my sofa to the corner of the room and the paradigm shift was phenomenal! bah! am all for newfound lingo mind you..but overuse is painful, be it of new words or my old cushions (jeans are exempt)..my list of peeve words?
Paradigm shift
Global village (who did this one?seriously,who created this term?)
Cutting edge technology

there should be an expiry date to these terms..I am also seriously planning to look into MBA curriculum to see if there is a sneak entry of linguistics 101 where the test is to create a term or phrase that can be silently unleashed onto suspecting (unsuspecting am not) readers and listeners..oooh..how about "Should the cutting edge technology in today's global village expect a paradigm shift?" could everyone please just simplify sentences and let others live?

I have great potential to end up in a "caught in the headlights" mode..there have been many a tongue-biting, head slapping moments..but i've never been caught surprised as i did when visiting my fav restaurant a couple of days back..yeah yeah! i know the hardcore meatlovers hate this place, but good ole southies like moi had to do a high-five to anyone who utters "saravanabhavan", if they can pronounce it that is..
so here i am, seated amidst roaring waves of children-screams..contemplating if i would seem like a glutton or just a food connoisseur when the waiter hops along to take moi order..i begin with my appetizer choice, when i hear a murmer from the guy..i blink rapidly, but proceed to the entree..and then sure as hell, i hear him right..he is excitedly applauding my choice with the top three favorite southie words "excellent! marvelous!beautiful!" umm..hello? i know there would be training days for waiters in the name of patience et al, but positive feedback for customer choices was a tad too much you think? what am i supposed to say at the end of my order? thank you for your feedback?the man is positively jumping around applauding my choices for god's sake! some MBA out there methinks, devising a customer interaction module for these fellas that includes an element of "applaud your customer choices" ..think of the effects of such a trend my friend, what if the grocery fella applauded your choice of tomatoes? or worse still, criticized your choice of junk food in the name of feedback? you are being judged dude, along with moms dads and siblings, along with bosses and unknown friends, you are being judged by the attendants, waitresses, store clerks and icecream vendors.screeeech!!

judgementally,
sapna


2 comments:

Karlo said...

The term "paradigm shift" pretty much expired from my vocabulary list after I used in on a paper in college only to receive a Shrubesque smirk from my professor.

Reshmi said...

was reading up on ur page today

LOL @ paradigm shift will soon describe my furniture moving efforts
luv ur sense of humor :-D