Comments on: Satire http://www.edrants.com/satire/ a cultural website in ever-shifting standing Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:01:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nate http://www.edrants.com/satire/comment-page-1/#comment-244705 Nate Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:38:55 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=7612#comment-244705 Digg really isn't a crowded theater. It's more of a zoo. Or a preschool. Digg really isn’t a crowded theater. It’s more of a zoo. Or a preschool.

]]> By: A.R.Yngve http://www.edrants.com/satire/comment-page-1/#comment-244586 A.R.Yngve Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:35:43 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=7612#comment-244586 Ed, I sometimes brood over this terrible dilemma: the power of speech, writing and language over people's minds, over their sanity even -- a dangerous power for anyone to wield. My brooding goes like this: "Oh dear. I could state anything... anything at all... using the full arsenal of language, imagination and sheer gall -- and somewhere, some fanatic or gullible person will take the statement as Truth -- no matter how fake it sounds. In fact, the more outlandish the statement, the more feverishly the believer will accept it. He might even act on it." Language can be a more terrible weapon than the Bomb. What a burden of responsibility this insight brings you! You are no longer able to throw around careless words, because you're painfully aware that mere words can hurt; mere words can breed fanatical followings, lynch mobs, suicidal terrorists, crazed gunmen, endless strife. What to do? We must teach. Teach the world to tell the difference between a word and what it's supposed to represent; that just because you name something the "named" doesn't exist. Ed, I sometimes brood over this terrible dilemma: the power of speech, writing and language over people’s minds, over their sanity even — a dangerous power for anyone to wield.

My brooding goes like this:

“Oh dear. I could state anything… anything at all… using the full arsenal of language, imagination and sheer gall — and somewhere, some fanatic or gullible person will take the statement as Truth — no matter how fake it sounds. In fact, the more outlandish the statement, the more feverishly the believer will accept it. He might even act on it.”

Language can be a more terrible weapon than the Bomb.

What a burden of responsibility this insight brings you! You are no longer able to throw around careless words, because you’re painfully aware that mere words can hurt; mere words can breed fanatical followings, lynch mobs, suicidal terrorists, crazed gunmen, endless strife.

What to do? We must teach. Teach the world to tell the difference between a word and what it’s supposed to represent; that just because you name something the “named” doesn’t exist.

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