Language is a remarkably powerful thing, one which should never be underestimated. George Orwell demonstrated this in his novel 1984. In it, an oligarchic state endeavours to remove even the possibility of renegade thoughts (thinkcrime) by removing the words needed to express them from the language used. This new language is called Newspeak. Filled with euphemism, oxymoron and far less varied than the language we use today, it is a formidable possibility.
And yet, the words we use have changed and can very easily be manipulated in the media, in politics, and in our own minds.
Take the phrase "collateral damage". To one unfamiliar with it, the combination might might suggest small, unimportant chips to ornaments or glassware as the world moves on. It's a soothing phrase and almost a pleasant one. We can set aside anything which is collateral damage because it's just too small to matter. In short, it's a lie. The phrase is used to subvert listeners' thoughts away from the reality of loss statistics and focus on their own side's (often far fewer) casualties. There might be two hundred thousand people dead as collateral damage, but god forbid that two dozen die from the nation of the broadcaster.
This is just one of the many new terms which are clear attempts to shift public opinion through language. It happens all the time, especially in advertising. Just turn on your television to see it in action. If someone's trying to sell you a product, they just want you to buy it, and they'll make it seem as favourable as possible through the words they use to describe it. A Hungry Jack's (fast-food chain, similar to Burger King) "Whopper" burger is certinally not a large meal.
So I come to a query. Is this shift something to be acutely aware of, and concerned about, or are we better off just going with the flow and ignoring it?
I'd rather be aware and paranoid. The thought of being a puppet to another's words does not appeal to me, especially when that other is selling me something or controlling my life as a government does. Using lies to tell the truth does nothing more than throw a sheet over a dead elephant. It might be a very pretty, well thought out sheet, but sooner or later the corpse will start to smell. In a similar way the facts such as the actual death toll of "collateral damage" become apparent. Unfortunate that action resulting from that does not always occur. The public has every right to know just what it's government is doing so that the government may be afraid of its people, and act humbly, in the best interest of the whole population rather than just the bureaucrats.
And yet, the words we use have changed and can very easily be manipulated in the media, in politics, and in our own minds.
Take the phrase "collateral damage". To one unfamiliar with it, the combination might might suggest small, unimportant chips to ornaments or glassware as the world moves on. It's a soothing phrase and almost a pleasant one. We can set aside anything which is collateral damage because it's just too small to matter. In short, it's a lie. The phrase is used to subvert listeners' thoughts away from the reality of loss statistics and focus on their own side's (often far fewer) casualties. There might be two hundred thousand people dead as collateral damage, but god forbid that two dozen die from the nation of the broadcaster.
This is just one of the many new terms which are clear attempts to shift public opinion through language. It happens all the time, especially in advertising. Just turn on your television to see it in action. If someone's trying to sell you a product, they just want you to buy it, and they'll make it seem as favourable as possible through the words they use to describe it. A Hungry Jack's (fast-food chain, similar to Burger King) "Whopper" burger is certinally not a large meal.
So I come to a query. Is this shift something to be acutely aware of, and concerned about, or are we better off just going with the flow and ignoring it?
I'd rather be aware and paranoid. The thought of being a puppet to another's words does not appeal to me, especially when that other is selling me something or controlling my life as a government does. Using lies to tell the truth does nothing more than throw a sheet over a dead elephant. It might be a very pretty, well thought out sheet, but sooner or later the corpse will start to smell. In a similar way the facts such as the actual death toll of "collateral damage" become apparent. Unfortunate that action resulting from that does not always occur. The public has every right to know just what it's government is doing so that the government may be afraid of its people, and act humbly, in the best interest of the whole population rather than just the bureaucrats.
