5 things – including “Income Inequality” – that are just another word for something else…

KRISTOFFERSON’S FAMOUS OBSERVATION: “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose, Nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’, but it’s free.”        Kris Kristofferson        American songwriter, musician and actor         Lyrics from the chorus of his song “Me and Bobby McGee” (1969), made even more famous by Janis Joplin’s cover version on her posthumously-released album Pearl (1971)

THE AMAZING “INCOME INEQUALITY IS GOOD” PITCH: “The Democrats’ current campaign against income inequality is puzzling, if you think about it. Income inequality is a wonderful thing. In fact, a society without income inequality would scarcely be worth living in. No income inequality means no promotions; no advancement; no reward for training, education, hard work or experience; no benefit to being talented, creative or innovative...Income inequality is just another word for opportunity.”        John Hinderaker        American lawyer and conservative political writer        In his April 21, 2014 column on the Conservative PowerLine blog        (“Wealth Gap” by Walt Handelsman)

WISDOM FROM WALLY: “Freedom is just another word for people finding out you’re useless.”        Wally          The guru of work avoidance in Scott Adams’ Dilbert comic strip        Explaining one of his timeless insights to Asok, in the April 11, 2008 Dilbert comic strip        Also used by Scott Adams as the title of a book of Dilbert cartoons in 2009

PATTI’S PUNK ROCK VARIATION: “I wouldn’t go on Dick Clark because I’d be required to lip-synch. I showed armpit hair on the cover of my EASTER album, and it was so disturbing to people, which I still don’t understand, so they wouldn’t rack it in the South...To me, those people didn’t understand punk rock at all. Punk rock is just another word for freedom.”        Patti Smith        American musician and author        In an interview in the January 10, 2010 issue of New York magazine

A LIBERAL’S VIEW: “For the ascendant, post-9/11, populist right-wing, freedom is just another word for low taxes and an invasive, religiously correct authoritarianism.”        Wendy Kaminer        American lawyer, writer and free speech activist        In an opinion piece posted on the liberal blog Spiked (September 8, 2011)

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Related reading and listening…

Just another word for…what!?! — The TV Killers Counterquote Edition

FAMOUS KRIS AND JANIS QUOTE: “Freedom's just another word for nothin’ left to lose, Nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’, but it’s free.”        Kris Kristofferson’s song “Me and Bobby McGee” (1969)        Made famous by Janis Joplin’s cover version on her posthumously-released album Pearl (1971)

SERIAL KILLER SHOW COUNTERQUOTE: “Freedom’s just another word for one more way to get f**ked.”         Officer Gerard (actor Scott MacDonald) on Dexter        In the “Love American Style” episode (2006)

VAMPIRE KILLER SHOW COUNTERQUOTE: “Can I say somethin’ about destiny? Screw destiny! If this evil thing comes, we’ll fight it and we’ll keep fightin’ it until we whup it. ‘Cause destiny is just another word for inevitable, and nothing’s inevitable as long as you stand up, look it in the eye, and say, ‘You're evitable!’”        “Fred” Burkle (actor Amy Acker) on Angel        In the “Offspring” episode (2001)

KILLER VAMPIRE SHOW COUNTERQUOTE: “Just ‘cause you understand the mechanics of how something works, doesn't make it any less of a miracle...which is just another word for magic. We’re all kept alive by magic, Sookie.”        Bill Compton (actor Stephen Moyer) on True Blood        In the episode “Mine” (2008)

COUGAR SHOW KILLER COUNTERQUOTE: “Cougars. It would be nice to ignore this zeitgeisty American term but it keeps cropping up...Is it a term of empowerment or just another word for harpy? Should we celebrate the rise of the wild cats or try to kill a mocking word?”        New Zealand journalist Rebecca Barry        Commenting on the TV show Cougar Town        In her New Zealand Herald column, Jan. 26, 2010

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Comments? Questions? Corrections? Post them on my quotations Facebook group.