New York – Impressions XIII

Yes or n’t

With Walter Cândido colaboration

Sometimes, the negative sentences are hard to get for a newcommer in the studies of the english language. The fact that almost all the negative phrases can be shortened only makes things worse. But that abbreviation may have been the capital matter for the prosperity of the nations that had grown under the language of Shakespeare.

Begining with the thought that say “He didn’t know that it was impossible, and made it.” Some english speaking heros didn’t take notice of the diference between can and can’t, is and isn’t, should and shouldn’t.

Maybe everything began when other big european countries told England “It isn’t possible that one little island with only 50,346 sq mi could become the most powerfull nation in the world.” And maybe George II - the King in the begining of the Industrial Era - understood “It is possible”, and England became the most powerfull nation until the II War, when the quick development of the USA took place.

Speaking about the USA, when James Madison, John Adams and Thomas Jeferson got together to do the constitution, someboby would say “something so small will never work”, but they’ve just listened “will ever work.” Few years later, somebody told Abraham Lincoln “black people aren’t free”, but he was inattentive and didn’t get the T, and did are free. Perhaps Omar Bradley himself - the last Five stars of the United State - after the invasion of Normandia, said to General Patton “we can’t march so fast”. And the Old Blood and Guts, as he was called, fast as ever just heared “CAN” and dominated 2 thousand kilometers of land on France in a short period of time.
French artist also could have told Jackson Pollock and Andy Wharol in the 60’s “american can’t make an important art movement. But, as it was true for Pollock, Wharol, Lietchestein and many others, they CAN. The frenchs perhaps told Lance Armstrong that americans weren’t good on bycicle racing -- but he was so fast that dind’t have time to listen that. As well as Phelps, that couldn’t understand under water that an human being would never win eight gold medals in the same olympic games.

Maybe because of that Obama began his victory speech with these words. “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive, in our time (...) tonight is your answer.”

On the other hand, not understanding the NO can bring one a lot of problems. Bush either understood when the especialists told him that there weren’t nuclear bombs in Iraq, or maybe he didn’t want to understand. The brokers of Lehman Brothers Bank also didn’t listen when the guys of Goldman Sachs said that they had to have a credit analysis to lend money and they understood haven’t or maybe they just wanted to hear the songs of the coins. And it’s important also to advise Rap clips’ directors that girls aren’t excited all the time, because these guys think they are.

Ignoring the “NO” could aproximate us to our dreams, mainly when someone is trying to convince you that they are not possible. But we gotta pay attention to the NO when the danger is coming in our direction.