Words hold power
Words matter. Our choice of language structures our thinking and worldview. For example, calling someone a “leftist” or “leftie” achieves two purposes. It categorizes their politics and conveniently associates them with a particular political point of view. It also diminishes them by using a diminutive. It designates them as unimportant and therefore someone who can be dismissed.
If I were to call some a “leading socialist intellectual” instead of a “leftie,” chances are it would change your opinion of the person right off the bat – albeit not necessarily for the better as you might take issue with someone being an intellectual.
In any case, the choices we make in using language – the words we use – can often shape the nature of our discourse. This is particularly true in the public realm and doubly so in politics. It is why dystopic novels often focus so much on language. It shapes our thinking.
Consider Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World.
Published in 1932, it is set in a world in which cloning has produced a genetically based caste structure with alphas, betas, gammas and so on. Each division represents a doubling of offspring from a single egg and a resulting decrease in intelligence. The alphas, being unique individuals, consider themselves superior and rule the world. The lower castes serve them.
In this future society, people don’t read. They ingest large quantities of soma (equate soma with television) and tune out the world. Only a very few at the upper end of the social strata engage in reading and understand their history. John – a young man raised on a reservation and outside of the world caste system – is introduced to this world. He has read only two books – a scientific manual and the complete works of William Shakespeare. His worldview is shaped by the latter and it ultimately leads to his tragic death.
In the novel, Huxley is making a point: our language determines so much of the way we think and feel. Words can be used to control the masses. They can be used to isolate individuals. They can be used to praise and glorify. Words matter.
Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Patricia Forde’s The List all address the power of words – to both liberate and constrain the soul.
Chapter 9 of Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny is entitled Be Kind to Our Language.
It starts with the admonishment “Avoid pronouncing the phrases everyone else does. Think up your own way of speaking, even if only to convey that thing you think everyone is saying.
“Make an effort to separate yourself from the internet. Read books.”
In this chapter, Snyder looks at the use of language by tyrants and wannabe tyrants.
He notes how U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of the words “the people” always means some people and not others. The people are ones willing to believe what Trump has to say.
They are the ones cheering as he declares some members of congress “treasonous” without really considering the consequence of those words.
Trump views any disagreeing point of view as “defamation” or “libel.” Indeed, the U.S. president has often spoken of tightening up the libel laws. He wants to go after the purveyors of “fake news.”
Again, using a diminutive to undercut and dismiss legitimate facts.
Terms such as “Lyin’ Ted” and “Crooked Hillary” are convenient ways to dismiss a person and the things they stand for. Slogans, such as “Lock her up” and “Build the wall” are methods of ensuring citizens don’t think. Language, in the political arena, is powerful and whether it is a “Thousand points of light” or “Yes we can,” politicians and their speech writers understand this.
All of this would be instructive but not particularly important if the only country affected was the U.S.A. Unfortunately, language usage – ranging from “political correctness” to “alt dot right rants” – impacts all countries.
Last week, our prime minister got caught correcting a young women when she used the term “mankind.”
He suggested “peoplekind” was the more appropriate phrase. Out of context, his words seem to paint a very different picture of Justin Trudeau. But in context, his words were clearly meant to be humourous – tongue in cheek so to speak – and certainly not meant the way they have been interpreted.
It would be great if the incident could end there but I am sure we will see endless clips of his correction during the next federal election.
Words matter.
They shape the narrative we tell ourselves about the lives we lead.
They allow us to dismiss people we disagree with by using trite phrases or trivial names.
They enable bonding with like-minded people by uttering the same phrase.
Language is a powerful tool. And like all good tools, for better or worse, it can also be used as a weapon.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
Terms such as “Lyin’ Ted” and “Crooked Hillary” are convenient ways to dismiss a person and the things they stand for.