Name Calling

One thing that seems to be a big part of most any political discussion these days is calling whoever it is you don't like an unpleasant name. Names that Glenn has heard recently include "liberal", "feminazi", "red neck", "rino" and "Fascist". Name calling looks like a hold over from the school yard. It serves to obscure and misdirect our political discussion towards stereotypes and away from reality. It also gives people who otherwise feel powerless a way to feel powerful, i.e. "Take that! You (fill in your favorite)!".

This is not a good way for adults to carry on the political discussion that is vital to the continuation of the American enterprise. You would think some one would have pointed this out a long time ago. Unfortunately, most of the folks in a position to do so appear to be too busy calling each other names to recognize the futility of it.

The media seems unmotivated to address this issue. It makes good copy, and good copy is what sells newspapers and TV commercials. The media is interested in selling newspapers and TV commercials because that's how they profit. There's nothing wrong with profit. It is important to keep in mind that the only reason the media exists is to generate profits for it owners. No profits, no media. And no help.

There is another reason for name calling and that is to distort the language. There's nothing really new here. Do you remember when "gay" was a synonym for "happy"? That change was made by a group that wished to recast its own public image.

A more recent happening has been to change the word "liberal" from a description of someone's political philosophy to a synonym for "stupid and ignorant". In this case, it appears to be an attempt by one group to deny a good name to another group. Again, this technique is not new. It was clearly spelled out by George Orwell in his book 1984 as one on the main reasons for the creation of Newspeak. Orwell wrote,

• " The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible. "

This is a very dangerous trend in current political discussion. When the voters are aware that it is happening, they then have a choice to allow it or to stop it.