20191029
What do you call a language that is designed to hide and twist the facts? What do you call a language that manipulates the facts into something it later claims to be the truth?
The Language of Politics.
We are all politically biased, that is inevitable. Taxes become ‘redistribution of wealth’ or ‘confiscation of earnings’ depending on your political leanings. And all issues are political issues.
But the language in politics is used to deliberately mislead to hide unpleasant facts or to highlight and claim pleasant ones; often both at the same time, always trying to appease both sides of the argument, at least not to alienate any of the sides. ‘We successfully managed to reduce the cost base and restructure the company’.
At its most dangerous the language in politics is used to fan the flames of hate and appeal to basic instincts of war and survival. Them against us. Immigration rethoric examples abound.
The most successful politicians were the ones that navigate the fine line of political language for the longest before they are found out. Over the past few years it has become acceptable to polarize the bases with blunter and bolder language, getting closer and closer to the danger zone of politics.
It is imperative that we all educate ourselves in understanding the use politicians make of language. It is not a very difficult task, but it takes a bit of effort.
I suggest starting by breaking our own echo chambers and try to read two newspapers from opposite sides of the political spectrum. Only when you read both sides of the same story, you can start to see the facts in the middle and make up your own mind.
(286 words)
(This is my post relating to the task "Journal post and comment" proposed by Manuel on edmodo)
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ReplyDeleteI have to say that your post makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteAll over the world we can see how the language used by politicians have an influence on people. We can take the president of US as an example or here in Spain, these past weeks some politicians have been using words like MENA as a political weapon and to inspire fear among the population.
I agree with you up to a point when you talk about educate ourselves in understanding this use of language. This is true but I also think that politicians must choose their words carefully due to their powerful poisitions. Using language in the way ´Them against us` brings nothing good.
But at the end, I think it is extremely important (and could solve a lot of misunderstandings) what you say in the last part of the post, we have to try to know both sides of the same story, although sometimes it is an arduous task.
Thank you so very much for your insights! :)
DeleteThe language of politics in pretty much on all our minds, today...
ReplyDeleteIn the first post I wrote, and which disappeared (courtesy of Safari) I played Devil's Advocate and tried to defend politicians a bit. It is true the speak like they do, but what would happen if the didn't? Journalists and people are always asking them complicated questions from which they expect simple and likeable answers. Imagine someone that always answered our questions and always told us the truth: he/she would never get elected for office. Much as I dislike distortions of reality, rethoric is the price we pay for living in democratic societies where politicians need to get a sizeable portion of people to agree with them.