The corruption of language and totalitarianism.

[KlatooBNikto]

In his classic essay on the link between the two, George Orwell states
that corruption of language ( lack of clarity, obfuscation, increased use of jargon,euphemism) etc.,are the symptoms of an increase in the tolerance for totalitarian methods in society.

When we hear the words "Mistreatment of Koran" when the simpler words
flushing the Koran down the toilet would have been direct, we see evidence of corruption of language.

When we hear the words "Abuse of prisoners" instead of the tortures at Abu Ghraib, the same phenomenon is at work.

When Rumsfeld says "The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" when it would be more direct to admit "we could not find any WMD's in Iraq" the same idea exists.

How are these incidences connected to totalitarianism? Can you imagine Rumsfeld getting up in front of the cameras and saying "I ordered the torture of prisoners"?Case closed.

The very best evidence I can offer is Scott McClellan.Can anyone even understand why this guy exists? Is it possible for a George Galloway and a Scott McClellan to exist simultaneously in the universe?

[EST]

1. McClellan is an essential item

The foul demon of putrescence must sit on the gatekeeper's perch, spouting his creepy doublespeak which the hopeful hero must decode or the demon eats his brain. What a job the WH press corps(e) isss drawn to - the ssiren'sss sssong isss sooo sstrong...

[knowbody0]

2. McClellan has the most monotone voice

catapulting the propoganda

[EST]

6. S'probably the disease...

[bennywhale]

3. "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder

respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"

George Orwell

Orwell is a hero of mine and i wish he was around to dissect the collapse of democracy around the Western world today.

How many political phrases or quotes can we come up with that are along these lines?

I'll start "Collateral damage" "Terrorist" "precision weapons" "Operation Iraqi freedom" "monitoring the situation" "Patriot act"

[donkeyotay]

4. "...to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"

Orwell would just die all over again. Beam me up Scotty:

We are monitoring the situation. I have not received the documents, but I am sure that whatever steps are necessary will be taken. Democracy, democracy democracy. Freedom. Freedom on the march. Freely elected free democratic governments invited us to send a few bad apples to Abu Ghraib... Guantanamo.... Afghanistan...

Really. Why even have a WH press corpse. It's a total waste. They should just STFU and finish ruining the world without pretending they need our permission.

[Book Lover]

5. The essay in its entirety

"Politics and the English Language" http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

[omega minimo]

7. When we hear the words "President Bush"

we see evidence of corruption of language.

Doublethink.
Hey, they've been blatantly doing this to Americans since the words "President Reagan" corrupted the language.

To Book Lover: thanks for the link. I need a dose of clarity. :applause:

[sweetheart]

8. Oy, it was shit in 'is teeth, i tell ya!

Mclellan is a butt-smelling shit-eater. It comes out in every syllable,
and is so incredibly offensive, this animus of stinky satsifaciton he
gets from the warm fuzzy hairs of Georges unwashed bum. :-)

Language is what we make it, and even its corruption is a sort of code
of what is essentially beyond code, life itself. The human arrogant
presumption is that we know anything at all, at all, or even... yes,
at all. Life is self evident, and language is art.

Everything else is enslavement.