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The good/bad Paradox of Language
The good/bad Paradox of Language
Is the following true, and does it represent a problem to species that is quickly needing to recognize the importance of its home planet?
In the English language there seems to be a deficiency of words that one can used to describe things that are the opposite of good; things like what is currently going on with corporate America can be described as one of two things: things that denote religious ideas and things that denote a certain harmfulness (to the world). In the latter case, words like harmfulness, the words simply do not denote the breadth and length of the matter. These words, on the negative side of the spectrum, as right and wrong are concerned, are many, but very few--if any--will actually move an audience in the way that the other side of the spectrum will (the other side of the spectrum in this case being words like evil, denoting religion in some fashion). So, for instance, if I were to say: "corporate America is the most evil thing imaginable," it would surely get an overwhelming feeling on the part of listener. If I were to, however, try to say the same thing without religious connotations, as in "corporate America is the most bad thing imaginable," the reaction wouldn't carry the same force to it as the former. In English, when dealing with words like these, the speaker is forced to either use words that do not inspire the listener to action or use words with religious connotations. Thus, if a speaker wants to move the listener he must appeal to a higher power, god, and this simple intrinsic fact is why we never get away from religious notions of good and bad and why we never can move a listener, in clear succinct terms, to action without using or calling to religion.
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Now reading:- Douglas Adams - Mostly Harmless
[formerly jp]
Private Joke
O I loath the symbolism of the Corvette quarter;
It says, look how in bed we are with corporate!
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