Hi Dr. Hurd: I read your "Daily Dose" column and am getting a kick out of these "excuses" and "toxic euphemisms." One such excuse I have in mind is that of Borderline Personality Disorder. Translation: "I am a jerk and expect everyone to cater to my needs." I know what I just said is very controversial. I do think that Borderline is very serious (especially when it leads to self-harm) and needs to be treated as such. I'm just beyond frustrated seeing fellow mental health professionals operate on this mentality that Borderline is a "maladaptive way of life." It is, but holding "support groups" and building a whole "culture" around Borderline identity only FEEDS it, not help the person work through it.

Dear Reader: Well put and don't apologize, even slightly, for your views! People who fit the criteria for borderline personalities are generally nothing more than bullies. They're bullies who get away with it, and because they get away with it, they bully all the more. People tend to keep doing what works for them, whether what they do makes rational sense or not. The best way to "help" a borderline personality is to stop putting up with it. You have to set strict and firm, consistent limits and boundaries with these kinds of people. It's the only way they'll ever learn, and it's the only hope they have of ever becoming remotely happy. You can't go through life treating people like dirt and then expecting to have meaningful, productive relationships with those people you continuously step on. What's more: The people who let themselves be stepped on are not usually the best and brightest to be found.

Sadly, most bullies don't change. In fact, I don't know that any of them I have ever encountered or heard about really want to do so. The best you can hope for is to make it as hard as possible for them to be bullies by being prepared to have nothing whatsoever to do with them at all, at least until they change. And people CAN change. The best way to assure that they won't change is to claim they have an illness they don't have, when their problem is actually related to character, choice and habit. Talking in terms of the psychiatric "medical model" as is all the rage today lulls these people (and their victims) into a false sense of security that all this therapy and medication will have an impact when it won't, not if the person doesn't first want to stop being a bully. The Borderline does not need to "work through" anything. The Borderline simply needs to stop being such a nasty, toxic and hateful baby.

Readers, keep these examples coming! I'm impressed with how smart an audience I have, and it's more gratifying than I can say. I'm printing as many of these as I can. The world has mostly gone insane, but there are plenty of reasonable and bright people out there. The light of reason, although not the great bonfire it deserves to be, is not yet out.

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As the late George Carlin used to say, "It's all B.S. -- and it's all bad for you." Such is the state of American culture at this point in time. Readers continue to send in great examples of toxic euphemisms that illustrate just how sick our intellectuals and "leaders" have become. Here are some from what passes as the field of education:

What they say: "... create a climate where students are 'actively engaged' in meaningful learning experiences."

What it means: Pet and coax students to complete assignments. (And misuse scare quotes often as a means of emphasis.)

What they say: "... produce learning experiences suited to the grade level and to the student developmental level that will enhance student achievement."

What it means: Make sure everyone passes.

What they say: "Identify, select, and modify instructional resources to meet the need of students with varying backgrounds, learning styles, and special needs."

What it means: Keep assignments easy, making allowances for students' lack of knowledge.

What they say: "Approach situations with a student-centered attitude and flexibility that promotes student success."

What it means: Dumb down the curriculum to ensure that "learning experiences [are] suited to the grade level and to the student developmental level [to] enhance student achievement."

What they say: "Proactively reach out to students, don’t wait for problems to approach them."

What it means: Write sentences with dangling modifiers so their meanings are obfuscated. In this case, be sure that problems don't get near the students. (Those darn problems can be dangerous stalkers.)

What they say: "The full time instructor will be evaluated based on [his] ability to accurately and effectively resolve behind pace and schedule issues."

What it means: Make sure to shovel out the exercises on schedule, whether the students grasp the material or not. However, if you create "a climate where students are 'actively engaged' in meaningful learning experiences" that "produce learning experiences suited to the grade level and to the student developmental level that will enhance student achievement" and "meet the need of students with varying backgrounds, learning styles, and special needs," you won't face that problem.

(And be sure to avoid using masculine personal pronouns least you be revealed as a male sexist pig. Of course, the student will follow your lead, meaning that s/he will misuse the plural pronoun in their (oops) compositions.)

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Dear Dr. Hurd: In the Aug. 23 Daily Dose of Reason, you asked us to send in psychobabble euphemisms that we've heard, along with our translations. Here's mine:

My ex-therapist: "You're suffering from childhood trauma."

Translation: "I've rooted out a sob story about you that I can use to whip up your shame and insecurities, convince you that you have big problems that you can't deal with on your own, and keep you coming back into my office."

"Childhood trauma" was the explanation that my ex-therapist gave for my fibromyalgia. I was skeptical, and indeed, I found the physical explanation and the cure after a couple of years of diligent searching. I became a participant in the cohort study (it is now in Phase 3 trials), had the self-discipline to comply with the treatment, and today I'm getting my life back.

Dr. Hurd comments: Another great story! Keep them coming in and I'll publish as many as I can. Kudos to this reader for having the self-esteem to put one's own mind and objective reality above the claims of a credentialed -- but wrong -- professional!

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