kd5kfl
08-11-2007, 05:31 AM
I googled Thought Limiting Speech. Not one post on the whole ninnynet. Strange. I believe that this terminology should be better known. A tool for perceiving the world around you. Like reading Machiavelli, or Sun Tzu, or Eric Hoffer. The world makes more sense when you can are aware of thought limiting speech.
Thought limiting speech: Speech calculated to prevent others from disagreeing with you. Plenty of it here. Doesn't seem to work.
There is an old unattributed saying, the gist of which is:
"He who controls the vocabulary controls the debate."
One group says Pro Choice and No Choice. The other side says Pro Life and Pro Abortion. The theory is that you can prevent undecided individuals fom thinking wrong thoughts by labeling your position as the belief of a thoughtful person, and the other sides beliefs as unthinkable. The problem with this theory is that in reality you only limit your own thoughts.
Examples:
Businessmen become Fat Cat Businessmen.
Liberals renamed Knee Jerk Liberals.
Democrats rechristened Tax and Spend Democrats.
Conservatives are labeled Neokons. Whatever that means.
A foreign country you like has a government. A foreign country you don't care for has a regime.
Loyal and Patriotic American. Over the course of half a century I have been told I am not a Loyal and Patriotic American because I am not a member of the "In-awr-aye", the "Ky-Ky-Ky" or the "Jawuhn Burch Sassi-uh-tay". If someone could explain the link between extreme right wing beliefs and the inability to pronounce vowels correctly...
Thought limiting speech does not reinforce a point of view. It does not refute an alternate point of view. It is meant to reduce the likelihood that an undecided person will adopt the other point of view.
Old Bedouin nomad expression:
"When buying a camel, look more to the seller than the beast".
I believe that many who use this tactic do not perceive it as a weak and counterproductive tool, are unaware that the technique exists and has a name, do not know that they come across as a person unable to articulate a lucid and cogent argument for their cause. Selling you a camel by bad mouthing the other camel dealers products.
A suggestion: When reading the political posts here, pay attention to which posters use thought limiting speech to belittle alternate points of view. Then put those posters on your PHNML - your "pay him no mind list".
Gets real quiet real quick, when you do that.
Thought limiting speech: Speech calculated to prevent others from disagreeing with you. Plenty of it here. Doesn't seem to work.
There is an old unattributed saying, the gist of which is:
"He who controls the vocabulary controls the debate."
One group says Pro Choice and No Choice. The other side says Pro Life and Pro Abortion. The theory is that you can prevent undecided individuals fom thinking wrong thoughts by labeling your position as the belief of a thoughtful person, and the other sides beliefs as unthinkable. The problem with this theory is that in reality you only limit your own thoughts.
Examples:
Businessmen become Fat Cat Businessmen.
Liberals renamed Knee Jerk Liberals.
Democrats rechristened Tax and Spend Democrats.
Conservatives are labeled Neokons. Whatever that means.
A foreign country you like has a government. A foreign country you don't care for has a regime.
Loyal and Patriotic American. Over the course of half a century I have been told I am not a Loyal and Patriotic American because I am not a member of the "In-awr-aye", the "Ky-Ky-Ky" or the "Jawuhn Burch Sassi-uh-tay". If someone could explain the link between extreme right wing beliefs and the inability to pronounce vowels correctly...
Thought limiting speech does not reinforce a point of view. It does not refute an alternate point of view. It is meant to reduce the likelihood that an undecided person will adopt the other point of view.
Old Bedouin nomad expression:
"When buying a camel, look more to the seller than the beast".
I believe that many who use this tactic do not perceive it as a weak and counterproductive tool, are unaware that the technique exists and has a name, do not know that they come across as a person unable to articulate a lucid and cogent argument for their cause. Selling you a camel by bad mouthing the other camel dealers products.
A suggestion: When reading the political posts here, pay attention to which posters use thought limiting speech to belittle alternate points of view. Then put those posters on your PHNML - your "pay him no mind list".
Gets real quiet real quick, when you do that.