Language and the Uprisings: a revolution of the mind? -By Wilkine Brutus (
http://www.vanguardelement.com)
“Language is a window into social relations.” –Steven Pinker
Uprisings! In the past few months, the world has witnessed political uprisings, protests, and revolutions in Northern Africa and in the Middle East. Al Jazeera news has been credited with amazing coverage of the upheavals. The rage is a surprise to those tuned out of foreign policies; however, I would argue that every country has resentment bubbling under the soft surface, beneath the façade of solidarity. As humans, we’ve made communication easier to spread…in regards to that obvious ease, why is it easier to overthrow governments than it is to lessen or eliminate the profound consequences of ethnocentrism, racism, sexism, and many other causes of oppression?
Concrete vs abstract? Yes. Unemployment, living conditions, and health care are directly felt or easier to grasp in order to gather the masses. Other causes of oppression aren’t necessarily abstract; they just can be easily veiled. The hate toward bureaucracy in governments is common in many countries, yet as a people, we’ve shamefully failed to acknowledge the bureaucratic behavior embedded in our daily conversations, debates, hate driven feuds, and gossip. Every race, ethnicity, and culture is guilty of this.
Online immaturity! Take for example the ramblings we see online. If you’re an average online browser/netizen, then you’ve definitely ran into your unfortunate share of irrelevant and bigoted comments on videos and articles. Our fast digital world has created a culture of anonymous hate and lack of logical debates. We’ve also illogical debates in television and radio. When it comes to politics, sex, ethnicity, and race our conversations and debates fail miserably. They fall into ad hominems, ad populums, a matrix of semantics, out-of-contexts, and gibberish. They resort into direct insults and blatant falsehood. Do we need a revolution of the mind? Yes, we do!
Respect for ones background is the greatest sign of progress.
Revolution of the mind! Anti-government protesters took aim at their governments by utilizing their mutual knowledge of resentment. How can the children of the future solve issues by working together in similar fashion? Well, we must first look into how we communicate our similarities and differences and be conscious of those that obstruct progress. Nationalism and racial or ethnic pride has its limitations, especially when those proud groups or individuals fail to realize how interconnected (economically) countries really are. The “international community” is one example of our interconnection.
2. We must also force people and the media to showcase both sides to every story. We’ve undoubtedly have had more coverage on anti-government sentiment than we’ve had for pro-government supporters. I think an “even” amount of coverage should allow outsiders to better assess the issues. Still, I’m all for freedom and I understand the overwhelming amount of the one-sided coverage by the media. Moreover, my cry for equal coverage translates to a cry for equal representation of race, culture and ethnicity. People from all walks of life should be able to walk in any country with the benefit of doubt hovered over their head.
3. I think schools systems around the world should put a more emphasis on logical debate and economic classes. This would eliminate some of our bureaucratic ways of communication. Unfortunately, people must be entertained, which explains our sensationalism in the news outlets. It takes films to capture the dark depths of our being and it takes literature to remind us of the characters we portray every day. Its how one read between the lines that separates the informed and ill-informed.
I’m fully aware of the façades we put on…combine that with a great marketing campaign that extends globally and one race or culture can easily claim to be more significant than the other. Language, right now, is a system of symbolic love, hate, unity, and war.
Below is a hilarious and very informative video that goes into depths of how we communicate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-son3EJTrUHere are a few random notes that I’ve taken from the video above:-indirect speech act, veiling our real intent (countries and people with great facades)
-Bribes, A polite Request, Seductions, Solicitations, and threats are often veiled even when both parties presumably know what they mean.
-Relationship type…reading between the lines
-Alan Fiske said there are three major human relationship types across the world’s cultures. Dominance, Communality, Reciprocity (I’ve used these three in during my time in South Korea)
Dominant culture, I must adhere to what they do. Communiality, if I learn the Korean language or share similar philosophical views, the relationship is easier. Reciprocity, put on a great façade and do my job… Reciprocal altruism)
-things we don’t understand or cultural misunderstandings can lead to awkwardness.
-Sexual innuendos, indirect conversations vs overtures or veiled overtures.
Economists and Logicians call: Individual vs Mutual knowledge…great example for the African and Middle Eastern uprisings. “Profound consequences”
“Explicit language is an excellent way of creating mutual knowledge.”-Steven Pinker
With overt language, you can’t take it back. It’s out there. So, it becomes mutual knowledge and consequences, profound consequences, stems from mutual knowledge.
Check out more thought-provoking content at The Vanguard Element. The site also includes a Korean blog. http://www.vanguardelement.com
