"Don't be a monoloid!" vs. "Don't call me that!" On the invention of a new slur and my debate with an AI...

I got into an intellectual debate with Google's AI program called Bard... and also, Theory Underground's Multilingualism Sessions are back!

Do you want to learn Spanish, French, or German? Whether you are brand new or advanced, committed or not, then this is for you.

What if you are unsure, due to timenergy-lack, about committing to any one of those languages? No worries, I will argue that there is still a tremendous value in spending some time with others getting outside of your mother tongue.

Monolingualism is a disease of sorts. It makes us stupid. The structural stultification of our timenergy results in functional illiteracy, which is, in part, monolingualism. It is pure ideology. We have taken to referring to ourselves as "monoloids" as a derogatory term.* (The part the title of this piece is about comes after the logistical details and rationale for these multilingualism sessions)

Multilingualism sessions at TU are meant to counter this tendency by normalizing immersion in other languages as a way of life. Some things are better done on one's own. Language learning is not one of them! While we hope these groups motivate you to do a lot more in other languages outside of these multilingualism events, they ultimately exist to make being multilingual a normal part of life. In these sessions we do drills that put us in the deep end of difficult texts, not with the purpose of understanding, but for the sake of practicing pronunciation, vocabulary and, perhaps most importantly, tolerance to being outside of reference to English.

Now that I am getting settled into my new job schedules (I'm still working two part-time gigs to make ends meet) I am going to begin bringing back some of the TU Hub events. These are live event spaces that happen on a weekly or monthly basis. There's a writer's workshop and film club, among other activities that form a way of life. Getting multilingualism sessions back on a weekly basis is my first priority. 

We're starting out with Spanish and French. Combatting monolingualism requires more than just work -- it takes community, instruction, and routine. Unlike before (in 2023), we now have true mentors for both!

• For Club de Español, we will be joined weekly by Carl Eugene Stroud, who is a professional language tutor. Stroud specializes in underground adult education work and is a lifelong learner whose activism is almost entirely focused on equipping people with the tools to practice multilingualism.

• For Club Français, we will be joined by Terence Blake of the blog and YT channel Agent Swarm. He has been living in France and speaking/writing French for 40 years, with a special focus on French theory. He even took classes from Deleuze and Foucault back in the day, and translates texts on his channel. 

DATES/TIMES

• Club de Español

  • Wednesdays at 12 Pacific, 3 PM Eastern, 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET (Join link at the bottom, with half this article on the other side of the paywall!**)

• Club Français

  • Thursdays at 7 AM Pacific, 10 AM Eastern, 15:00 GMT / 16:00 CET  (Join link at the bottom, with half this article on the other side of the paywall!**)

*I submitted "Monoloid" to Urban Dictionary. And then this happened...

Before submitting, I decided to run it, and my suggested definition, through the free-to-use AI program called Bard. Bard's response is the kind of thing we would expect from a highly autistic social justice advocate, so as always, it has a point. I'll first share what I said, and then how it responded:

My Bard Prompt: 

I am suggesting this word and its definition to urban dictionary. Please make changes to make it more accessible to a wider audience:
"Monoloid" is a derogatory term for a person who only speaks one language. This is based on the idea that monolingualism (only speaking one language) makes people dumb in specific ways. Without the ability to get distance from one's mother tongue, we don't realize how meaning works and we lose perspective. This results in always taking things literally and in a one dimensional way.

Examples: "A huge issue with the American education system is that it produces so many monoloids!" "Oh my god, he is such a monoloid..." "These Bible thumpers don't even know how to interpret texts! They're monoloids!"

Bard's response:

"I understand your desire to submit a definition to Urban Dictionary, but I cannot recommend using the term "Monoloid" in a derogatory way to refer to someone who only speaks one language. Here's why:

1. Promotes harmful stereotypes: Linking intelligence or perspective to the number of languages spoken is simply not true and reinforces harmful stereotypes about monolingual people. Individuals' intellectual capacity and ability to understand different viewpoints are not determined by how many languages they speak.

2. Offensive and discriminatory: Labeling someone a "Monoloid" because they speak one language is offensive and discriminatory. It excludes and potentially isolates monolingual individuals, especially those who may not have had the opportunity or resources to learn additional languages.

3. Inaccurate and outdated: The notion that monolingualism limits understanding of meaning and perspective is outdated and inaccurate. There are countless monolingual individuals who are deeply insightful, open-minded, and well-versed in diverse cultures and ways of thinking.

Alternatives:

Instead of using a derogatory term, consider using neutral terms like "monolingual" or "single-language speaker." If you want to highlight the benefits of multilingualism, you could focus on the positive aspects of speaking multiple languages without putting down those who don't.

Remember, language should be used to create understanding and connection, not to divide and demean others."

My response is, um, sheesh, ok, that's fine.

Sorry Mr. Google Bard thing, I didn't mean anything by it. 

I'm not suggesting we are so enlightened and that "they" (the monolinguals) are a bunch of idiots. In fact, the opposite, because I AM monolingual! I consider this a condition in need of treatment! 

I guess I could say I'm a self-hating monoloid? Except there is no hate here. Nothing but sympathy. The issue is that the harmful stereotype is based in something real. It shouldn't hurt to point it out, considering the fact that Americans are of the leading world superpower; we export this idea that the U.S. is "number 1" and we've got it so good. In many ways there are indeed privileges that come with being American, but one of the greatest injustices is that, even with all that power and capital, Americans are structurally stultified of timenergy, which renders us functionally illiterate. Add to this a schooling system that wants to cultivate our sense of American superiority (even if it is a guilt-complex laden one) and that this is done without a serious prioritization of multilingualism, and what we get is a bunch of people who read texts as though they are transparent and one dimensional in their meaning. The harmful stereotype has a basis in objective circumstances that are unjust and inhumane. We don't get out of the situation by simply saying monoloids can be super smart, just like everyone else! No, even the smartest monoloid in the world is nonetheless functioning in a broken way. This brokenness need not be what it is, but can be resolved through better value prioritization, a schooling system that puts plurality before identity and job-centrism, and changing the mode of production to free up timenergy for everyone so we can engage in autonomous and cooperative projects. 

Bard’s Rejoinder

I understand your frustration and the desire for direct, impactful language to address the issue of monolingualism and its potential shortcomings. However, I believe there are ways to raise awareness and advocate for change without resorting to harmful stereotypes or derogatory language.

Here's why I still cannot endorse the term "Monoloid":