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[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

One thing that's long struck me as creepy is the expansion of the use of possessives as a way to subtly express value judgments.

Consider "have you gotten a flu shot?" vs. "have you gotten your flu shot?". The latter formulation is extremely common among members of the medical establishment and their shills. In it, possession of the flu shot by a certain person is already assumed. It is not a shot, it is your shot and you'd better go and claim it.

I submit that this usage should be considered erroneous. Use of the possessive case for some hypothetical thing in no way possessed or even identifiable is meaningless. Who else's flu shot would I get?