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Unspeak - Steven Poole
In Iraq, the war is far from over. Since victory in 2003, the coalition forces who liberated the nation have been fighting another war - against terrorists, extremists opposed to freedom.
All this, of course, is extremely well designed bullshit. Crucial words in any argument which, as Poole writes, accomplishes many one-sided rhetorical tasks without actually saying them, and does it in a way which instantly negates any rhetorical opposition, literally unspeaking opposition.
Coalition? All very diverse and co-operative for an unpopular war lead primarily by America and Britain. "Liberated?" "Terrorists?" "Extremists?" "Freedom?" These words are like bullets of pure ideology shot right into your brain - you absorb them, never question them, and get caught in the ideological trap.
The term "pro-life" denigrates its opponents as "anti-life," or worse, "pro-death."
If you oppose the "Friends of the Earth," are you an "enemy of the Earth?!"
Unspeak is an incredible book that takes you right into the heart of the abuse of language. Funny, incisive, and gripping. And cheap on Amazon!
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Much of the urge to ban is driven, just like Puritanism, by the fear that some people, somewhere, may be enjoying themselves; the rest by the terror of politicians and bureaucrats who fear that if they don’t do something, anything, we might begin to wonder why we pay them. Tim Worstall, (2007)
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