Re:1984: The masterpiece that killed George Orwell
by sliverstorm on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @06:58PM
(#7099572)
To my eyes, that's a sign of a weak rule of law, not anything to do with language.
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Re:1984: The masterpiece that killed George Orwell
by grey-area on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @01:27AM
(#7101137)
To call torture 'enhanced interrogation' avoids the use of the word torture because it has negative connotations, and tries to normalise torture by association with an accepted practice (interrogation), after all interrogation is what you do to prisoners isn't it?
It's a clear distortion of language to hide the truth; it has everything to do with language and the use of it, as it deliberately twists meaning in order to limit the thoughts of people who accept this term to describe certain actions. As Wittgenstein put it:
The limits of my language mean the limits of my world
Re:1984: The masterpiece that killed George Orwell
by PythonicAlpha on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @07:47AM
(#7102248)
Very good point here. Wittgenstein is right: By limiting (or bending) the language, also bending the thinking is done. I also see it in my own country, how language is used to bend the (acceptable) thinking in the society and to brainwash people.
Re:1984: The masterpiece that killed George Orwell
by PythonicAlpha on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @07:31PM
(#7099745)
It is just a question of viewpoint. What they do is, they try to change thinking and confuse what is acceptable in the society. Language aside, it is a sign of a weak society in my opinion, because they are allowed to goon with this.