1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,500 Have you ever considered that the very words we use daily, every day, I guess that's what 2 00:00:05,500 --> 00:00:12,100 daily would mean every day, might be shaping our reality in ways that we can't even begin 3 00:00:12,100 --> 00:00:13,740 to fathom? 4 00:00:13,740 --> 00:00:16,700 Think about the words you hear every day. 5 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:17,900 How do they impact you? 6 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:20,340 How do they make you feel? 7 00:00:20,340 --> 00:00:25,660 After all, they are just sounds uttered from our vocal cords and then we assign meaning 8 00:00:25,660 --> 00:00:33,380 to them in our brain and based on what we assign as meaning, we often react emotionally 9 00:00:33,380 --> 00:00:35,660 to the mere sound of the utterances. 10 00:00:35,660 --> 00:00:45,580 Hmm, that's pretty interesting and profound. 11 00:00:45,580 --> 00:00:49,420 Welcome to Life Unscripted, the podcast that challenges the notion that everything we've 12 00:00:49,420 --> 00:00:52,820 learned is an illusion and that life has no scripts. 13 00:00:52,820 --> 00:00:54,620 I'm Allen Stafford, your host and guide. 14 00:00:54,620 --> 00:01:01,500 In this episode, we're diving into a topic that is as ubiquitous as it is powerful, language. 15 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:07,500 Join me as we unravel how language influences our thoughts, behaviors and social structures 16 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:13,740 and discover how understanding this power can empower us to navigate the world more consciously 17 00:01:13,740 --> 00:01:14,740 and effectively. 18 00:01:14,740 --> 00:01:21,460 You know, it's been one of mine. 19 00:01:21,460 --> 00:01:22,860 It's been one of mine. 20 00:01:22,860 --> 00:01:30,780 It is, it's one of my areas of fascination, the words that we use, the utter, the history, 21 00:01:30,780 --> 00:01:37,100 the etymology of the word and how it's come to mean what it means and the evolution of 22 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:44,060 words over time and how they change over time and how they spark or trigger emotional responses 23 00:01:44,060 --> 00:01:45,060 in our heads. 24 00:01:45,060 --> 00:01:47,860 I mean, along with symbolism, but that's a whole different topic. 25 00:01:47,860 --> 00:01:48,860 We're going to talk about words. 26 00:01:48,860 --> 00:01:50,820 Words can be symbols as well. 27 00:01:50,820 --> 00:01:56,460 So you know, so why is it important to understand, you know, this role of language and how it 28 00:01:56,460 --> 00:01:57,460 shapes our realities? 29 00:01:57,460 --> 00:02:02,260 And it's, it's so important to understand and it's, it's something we take for granted 30 00:02:02,260 --> 00:02:07,020 because we're so used to just uttering sounds out of our mind based on what we've learned 31 00:02:07,020 --> 00:02:10,820 and experienced and assigning a meaning to it. 32 00:02:10,820 --> 00:02:13,900 I mean, have you ever really deeply thought about that? 33 00:02:13,900 --> 00:02:15,780 It's pretty profound. 34 00:02:15,780 --> 00:02:21,580 After all, isn't a word just a word and its meaning transcends time and never changes? 35 00:02:21,580 --> 00:02:28,060 I mean, aren't words ordained by some universal deity and once created, their meaning is entirely 36 00:02:28,060 --> 00:02:29,060 objective? 37 00:02:29,060 --> 00:02:32,100 Of course, this is all sarcasm. 38 00:02:32,100 --> 00:02:33,100 There's no such thing. 39 00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:36,300 Words are just utterances that are made up over time. 40 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:41,740 They transform into from one meaning to the next meaning and we assign these emotional 41 00:02:41,740 --> 00:02:46,740 reactions and thoughts and ideas and beliefs to just a word, a sound, and then we even 42 00:02:46,740 --> 00:02:51,780 wage war, wars, not just war, wars over words. 43 00:02:51,780 --> 00:02:56,420 So in this episode, we're going to dive into the fundamentals of language. 44 00:02:56,420 --> 00:03:00,340 We're not going to get too deep, but we're going to get deep enough so that we have some 45 00:03:00,340 --> 00:03:04,700 understanding and understand that words are just words and they only mean anything if 46 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:06,060 we assign that meaning to them. 47 00:03:06,060 --> 00:03:10,220 If we really want to get emotionally triggered by them. 48 00:03:10,220 --> 00:03:11,220 So what are words? 49 00:03:11,220 --> 00:03:13,260 Have you ever thought about what a word is? 50 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:15,660 It's not something that comes up in a daily conversation. 51 00:03:15,660 --> 00:03:17,180 Hey, what's a word? 52 00:03:17,180 --> 00:03:21,180 I mean, you might ask what the definition of a word is and that's pretty common and 53 00:03:21,180 --> 00:03:25,580 that's, you know, I think pretty standard across the board when you're communicating 54 00:03:25,580 --> 00:03:29,540 with someone and you want to know what the definition is or you may not want to ask them 55 00:03:29,540 --> 00:03:33,340 because you don't want to feel dumb, which is in my opinion, not dumb. 56 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:38,140 It's dumb not to ask, but you may look it up in a dictionary. 57 00:03:38,140 --> 00:03:40,500 But words are basically fundamental building blocks of language. 58 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:41,940 I mean, that's all that's all a word is. 59 00:03:41,940 --> 00:03:44,420 It's just it's just the building block for language. 60 00:03:44,420 --> 00:03:48,700 You know, they it's a combination of sounds and letters that convey some sort of meaning 61 00:03:48,700 --> 00:03:50,700 like we've talked about and words. 62 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:54,980 They represent ideas, objects, actions, feelings. 63 00:03:54,980 --> 00:03:58,020 Love, I love you. 64 00:03:58,020 --> 00:03:59,860 What happens when someone says, I love you? 65 00:03:59,860 --> 00:04:04,100 You're like, ooh, they love me. 66 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:05,940 But it triggers an emotion, right? 67 00:04:05,940 --> 00:04:09,740 You might get all goosebumps, but it's just a word. 68 00:04:09,740 --> 00:04:13,340 But that word has a strong meaning to a lot of people. 69 00:04:13,340 --> 00:04:19,500 And I suppose that if words didn't exist, then we could not share thoughts and emotions 70 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:20,740 and information for other people. 71 00:04:20,740 --> 00:04:24,620 We'd be doing, ooh, that would actually be a word would it? 72 00:04:24,620 --> 00:04:27,460 Even if you made a sound and kind of assigned a meaning to it. 73 00:04:27,460 --> 00:04:28,980 I mean, then there's sign language. 74 00:04:28,980 --> 00:04:30,500 Sign language actually has meaning too. 75 00:04:30,500 --> 00:04:32,860 So it's not really a word or is it a word? 76 00:04:32,860 --> 00:04:34,300 It's not a sound. 77 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:35,820 It's a visual word. 78 00:04:35,820 --> 00:04:41,700 The words shape and reflect the culture in which they are used in. 79 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:45,380 And every culture has its set of words. 80 00:04:45,380 --> 00:04:49,940 And some words may cross over into other languages and some don't. 81 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:54,620 They're only exclusive for that particular language. 82 00:04:54,620 --> 00:04:56,780 If I can speak, that would be great. 83 00:04:56,780 --> 00:05:00,740 And whether you think about this or not, words actually influence how we think and how we 84 00:05:00,740 --> 00:05:02,660 perceive the world. 85 00:05:02,660 --> 00:05:05,300 Again, it comes down to emotional reactions. 86 00:05:05,300 --> 00:05:10,940 What we assign to the word impacts the perception that we have on the world. 87 00:05:10,940 --> 00:05:17,660 I mean, take for a moment if you're if you're a politically charged and I bring up politics 88 00:05:17,660 --> 00:05:20,420 in the podcast a lot because that's what's going on in America. 89 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:23,460 A lot of it goes on across the globe right now. 90 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:30,060 But really in the United States, we've got this great what I like to call political divide. 91 00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:32,540 And why don't call that that everybody else does it. 92 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:34,300 But I just adopted it. 93 00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:37,740 They have this great political divide between the right and the left. 94 00:05:37,740 --> 00:05:42,060 And if someone says, for example, Trump's name, it incites people on the left. 95 00:05:42,060 --> 00:05:44,900 Or if they say Biden's name, it incites people on the right. 96 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:47,100 They're just words, their names. 97 00:05:47,100 --> 00:05:51,740 But they're attached to ideologies and belief systems that people on either side don't want 98 00:05:51,740 --> 00:05:52,740 to hear. 99 00:05:52,740 --> 00:05:53,740 They just oppose it. 100 00:05:53,740 --> 00:05:55,740 And they're like, I don't want to hear about Trump. 101 00:05:55,740 --> 00:05:57,140 I don't want to hear about Biden. 102 00:05:57,140 --> 00:05:58,140 And here's the crazy thing. 103 00:05:58,140 --> 00:05:59,540 At least I think it's crazy. 104 00:05:59,540 --> 00:06:01,260 Words evolve over time. 105 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:08,140 I mean, you create a word and that word goes from one meaning at one period of time, and 106 00:06:08,140 --> 00:06:11,100 then it evolves into some other meaning, but the same word. 107 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:16,380 And I'm going to take the word gay, because the word gay fascinates me and how it's transcend. 108 00:06:16,380 --> 00:06:23,540 I mean, how it's evolved from its original meaning of joyful and happy from from I think 109 00:06:23,540 --> 00:06:27,980 it's the French word guy, guy, gay, G.A.I. 110 00:06:27,980 --> 00:06:33,620 Which meant joyful and happy and in middle English, the word gay retained the meaning 111 00:06:33,620 --> 00:06:37,500 of joyful, carefree or bright and showy. 112 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:42,220 So basically it was described, it was used to describe someone with, you know, a cheerful 113 00:06:42,220 --> 00:06:47,020 or lively demeanor, which I can see how it's morphed into what it is today. 114 00:06:47,020 --> 00:06:54,460 But it was really an original originally a term that meant carefree or an indulgent lifestyle. 115 00:06:54,460 --> 00:07:01,620 It wasn't until the mid 20th century that the word gay became used as a euphemism for 116 00:07:01,620 --> 00:07:04,100 homosexuality for same sex. 117 00:07:04,100 --> 00:07:08,380 And the transition from that began gradually over time. 118 00:07:08,380 --> 00:07:16,260 And we saw an increase in that word in the 60s and 70s, which was influenced by the gay 119 00:07:16,260 --> 00:07:17,940 rights movement. 120 00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:24,420 And today gay, the word gay is predominantly used to describe a person who is attracted 121 00:07:24,420 --> 00:07:28,420 to members of the same sex, specifically men. 122 00:07:28,420 --> 00:07:35,380 So the point of using the word gay, it is such a charged word and it has evolved over 123 00:07:35,380 --> 00:07:42,020 time from meaning something as innocent as, Oh, he's such a gay lad as in he's such a 124 00:07:42,020 --> 00:07:46,020 happy carefree person guy to Oh, he's gay. 125 00:07:46,020 --> 00:07:47,540 Well, he's almost sexual. 126 00:07:47,540 --> 00:07:50,220 I mean, that's weird. 127 00:07:50,220 --> 00:07:51,220 Or is it? 128 00:07:51,220 --> 00:07:53,180 And that's not just with the word gay. 129 00:07:53,180 --> 00:07:58,660 There are hundreds of words that have evolved over time and have a completely different 130 00:07:58,660 --> 00:08:01,260 meaning from its original intent. 131 00:08:01,260 --> 00:08:08,140 So my point is words are just sounds and they only mean something when they're assigned 132 00:08:08,140 --> 00:08:09,980 meaning to the words. 133 00:08:09,980 --> 00:08:16,220 So why do people get offended by certain words because they've assigned a meaning to it. 134 00:08:16,220 --> 00:08:17,680 So how do you get unafended? 135 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,820 You just unassigned the meaning to it. 136 00:08:19,820 --> 00:08:22,360 It's a lot easier said than done, right? 137 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,460 But really, I mean, that's that's how you do it. 138 00:08:24,460 --> 00:08:30,660 I mean, I'm not offended by any word because one, I consider the source that's speaking 139 00:08:30,660 --> 00:08:33,340 the word and two, it's just a word. 140 00:08:33,340 --> 00:08:35,580 It doesn't change me. 141 00:08:35,580 --> 00:08:37,580 Doesn't exemplify me. 142 00:08:37,580 --> 00:08:39,620 It doesn't define me. 143 00:08:39,620 --> 00:08:42,980 None of that happens when someone calls me a word. 144 00:08:42,980 --> 00:08:48,180 I go back to that old adage sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt 145 00:08:48,180 --> 00:08:51,260 me or names will never hurt me, something like that. 146 00:08:51,260 --> 00:08:53,740 And it's true, it doesn't because they're just words. 147 00:08:53,740 --> 00:08:56,100 And that's I think that's the way the world should be. 148 00:08:56,100 --> 00:09:02,100 We would have less wars, less conflict if we didn't let the words impact us so greatly 149 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:06,060 and words play a huge role in identity. 150 00:09:06,060 --> 00:09:07,380 They identify us. 151 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:12,500 We use words to identify and label all kinds of groups of people. 152 00:09:12,500 --> 00:09:15,180 You know, their backgrounds, their affiliations. 153 00:09:15,180 --> 00:09:16,740 He's a Christian. 154 00:09:16,740 --> 00:09:18,300 She's a Jew. 155 00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:19,420 He's gay. 156 00:09:19,420 --> 00:09:23,180 She's straight and they're just words. 157 00:09:23,180 --> 00:09:28,540 But then you say the words that they snap an emotion into your mind and in here's the 158 00:09:28,540 --> 00:09:34,280 greatest feature of words in my opinion, because everything here is my opinion, they can be 159 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,300 used to influence, persuade and control others. 160 00:09:38,300 --> 00:09:41,620 Folks, let me say that again. 161 00:09:41,620 --> 00:09:48,460 Words just the sounds that are uttered from your vocal cords can influence, persuade and 162 00:09:48,460 --> 00:09:52,700 control you if you allow it to. 163 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:59,700 It's amazing how a word, a sound can control you because it has a meaning. 164 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:02,220 It triggers an emotional response. 165 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:07,260 And we see that because it shapes public opinion. 166 00:10:07,260 --> 00:10:12,580 It shapes policy and it shapes social norms. 167 00:10:12,580 --> 00:10:21,460 It's the power of a word, a simple utterance can shape just society, can persuade people, 168 00:10:21,460 --> 00:10:26,020 can hurt people, can damage relationships. 169 00:10:26,020 --> 00:10:27,020 But I mean, what is the alternative? 170 00:10:27,020 --> 00:10:29,020 I mean, just kind of like pointing and gesturing. 171 00:10:29,020 --> 00:10:34,580 I guess that could be considered words too, but nonverbal words, the nonverbal communication 172 00:10:34,580 --> 00:10:35,660 in that case. 173 00:10:35,660 --> 00:10:38,580 So what is the point of understanding the impact of language? 174 00:10:38,580 --> 00:10:41,660 Well, it has, it's crucial because it shapes. 175 00:10:41,660 --> 00:10:45,420 It shapes our individual and our group identities. 176 00:10:45,420 --> 00:10:49,660 It serves as a powerful instrument of persuasion and control. 177 00:10:49,660 --> 00:10:56,260 We see it daily on the news, how it influences policy, how it influences people in sites, 178 00:10:56,260 --> 00:11:01,580 ignites, get your feathers ruffled, whatever word or euphemism you want to use to spark 179 00:11:01,580 --> 00:11:04,820 emotion inside of you and get you to do something. 180 00:11:04,820 --> 00:11:09,980 Listen to the political rhetoric in any politics in any country. 181 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:15,540 Listen to how they use words and how they frame conversations to manipulate the masses 182 00:11:15,540 --> 00:11:17,300 and people just buy into it. 183 00:11:17,300 --> 00:11:19,420 They just follow blindly. 184 00:11:19,420 --> 00:11:20,660 That's amazing. 185 00:11:20,660 --> 00:11:26,620 And there's no universal, there's no cosmic entity that established these words and said 186 00:11:26,620 --> 00:11:31,020 this word means this and I'm going to sign this emotion and you're going to do this and 187 00:11:31,020 --> 00:11:33,260 react like that when that word is uttered. 188 00:11:33,260 --> 00:11:34,260 There's nothing. 189 00:11:34,260 --> 00:11:39,500 It's just us creating stuff and trying to live by it and being impacted by it. 190 00:11:39,500 --> 00:11:41,300 We can undo that as well. 191 00:11:41,300 --> 00:11:45,700 We can simply say, I'm not going to believe that that word has or incites me. 192 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:48,380 I'm not going to react that emotionally to the word. 193 00:11:48,380 --> 00:11:54,060 I'm just going to accept the word as it is, consider the source and then carry on with 194 00:11:54,060 --> 00:11:55,060 my business. 195 00:11:55,060 --> 00:11:59,940 It's important to understand how language has been used historically, especially to exert 196 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:02,220 power over its people. 197 00:12:02,220 --> 00:12:03,980 Take a look at the, go back to World War II. 198 00:12:03,980 --> 00:12:07,420 I mean, I'm not saying that you're old enough to remember it or if you were even there, 199 00:12:07,420 --> 00:12:10,140 but you've certainly heard about World War II. 200 00:12:10,140 --> 00:12:12,980 I hope you have, unless you're on a different planet. 201 00:12:12,980 --> 00:12:22,140 But, you know, all the propaganda in the United States, we had posters featuring Rosie Derivator. 202 00:12:22,140 --> 00:12:26,420 Do you remember it was like that lady with the band down on her head? 203 00:12:26,420 --> 00:12:32,140 Now, you know, the fist up in the air, like, you know, showing her biceps with the words 204 00:12:32,140 --> 00:12:34,220 we can do it. 205 00:12:34,220 --> 00:12:38,140 And then don't forget, Uncle Sam wants you, meaning the government wants you. 206 00:12:38,140 --> 00:12:46,340 And basically this encouraged enlistment that promoted war bonds and supported the workforce. 207 00:12:46,340 --> 00:12:53,940 These words basically were charged to get people emotionally moved to support the government's 208 00:12:53,940 --> 00:13:00,340 World War II, which I'm not saying was wrong, but I'm saying the choice of words. 209 00:13:00,340 --> 00:13:01,340 We could do it. 210 00:13:01,340 --> 00:13:02,340 Yes, we can. 211 00:13:02,340 --> 00:13:04,940 You hear that nowadays. 212 00:13:04,940 --> 00:13:06,260 Or even Uncle Sam wants you. 213 00:13:06,260 --> 00:13:07,780 You know, your government wants you. 214 00:13:07,780 --> 00:13:08,780 It needs you. 215 00:13:08,780 --> 00:13:09,780 And you're like, yes, I'm ready to fight. 216 00:13:09,780 --> 00:13:12,500 Give me a gun or weapon or whatever. 217 00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:19,180 And you know, even Roosevelt's fireside chats, he branded it fireside chats. 218 00:13:19,180 --> 00:13:20,180 What does that mean? 219 00:13:20,180 --> 00:13:24,660 How does that make you feel when you hear the word fireside chats? 220 00:13:24,660 --> 00:13:31,060 First of all, those were those were conversations, radio conversations to give reassurance back 221 00:13:31,060 --> 00:13:36,540 to the American people, to the public, you know, and to build a sense of unity and purpose. 222 00:13:36,540 --> 00:13:41,140 But fireside chats, I mean, they were, that sounds cozy, doesn't it? 223 00:13:41,140 --> 00:13:43,300 I say, hey, let's sit down for a fireside chat. 224 00:13:43,300 --> 00:13:47,700 People like, oh, okay, I'll bring the marshmallows and hot chocolate and we'll sit down with 225 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:51,780 the blanket and just cozy up and chit chat a bit. 226 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:53,620 I mean, what else, what else could he have said? 227 00:13:53,620 --> 00:13:56,700 Hey, let's, let's talk about why, you know, we need to build unity. 228 00:13:56,700 --> 00:14:00,140 So I mean, these are words, these words incite some sort of emotional feelings. 229 00:14:00,140 --> 00:14:01,540 So that's why they're chosen. 230 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:06,460 I mean, in the UK, and we use this for some reason that's come back to the United States, 231 00:14:06,460 --> 00:14:08,380 keep calm and carry on. 232 00:14:08,380 --> 00:14:14,740 I mean, that that was designed, that phrase, keep calm and carry on was designed to maintain 233 00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:19,020 public morale during the bombings and wartime hardships. 234 00:14:19,020 --> 00:14:22,580 Can you imagine trying to sell that to the public? 235 00:14:22,580 --> 00:14:24,540 Keep calm and carry on bombs are falling. 236 00:14:24,540 --> 00:14:26,780 You don't got food, but keep calm and carry on. 237 00:14:26,780 --> 00:14:27,780 We're all good. 238 00:14:27,780 --> 00:14:28,780 It worked. 239 00:14:28,780 --> 00:14:30,420 It was a great campaign. 240 00:14:30,420 --> 00:14:34,860 I mean, and the same happened all across the Allied powers, you know, all the propaganda, 241 00:14:34,860 --> 00:14:37,140 even the Axis powers had their own propaganda. 242 00:14:37,140 --> 00:14:42,900 I mean, the Nazis, the Nazis at the time, their propaganda featured very strong heroic 243 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:49,140 imagery of Aryan soldiers and citizens, you know, reinforcing basically the theme of nationalism, 244 00:14:49,140 --> 00:14:50,140 racial purity. 245 00:14:50,140 --> 00:14:56,060 And these visuals are basically language in itself, incited emotions, got people charged 246 00:14:56,060 --> 00:14:57,060 up. 247 00:14:57,060 --> 00:14:58,220 Yes, let's go fight, fight, fight. 248 00:14:58,220 --> 00:14:59,740 What happened in the end? 249 00:14:59,740 --> 00:15:01,780 People realized, well, that was a lot of bull. 250 00:15:01,780 --> 00:15:05,700 But the words, the imagery supercharged them because they allow their emotions to get connected 251 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:06,700 to the words. 252 00:15:06,700 --> 00:15:10,420 Now, I'm not saying don't get, don't get connected to words. 253 00:15:10,420 --> 00:15:12,740 That's not what this whole podcast is about. 254 00:15:12,740 --> 00:15:18,940 It's about bringing your attention to how words can manipulate, how words can incite. 255 00:15:18,940 --> 00:15:24,260 Be aware of the words that are being spoken and why they're being spoken. 256 00:15:24,260 --> 00:15:25,940 Why are they choosing certain words? 257 00:15:25,940 --> 00:15:28,540 Why does the media choose certain words? 258 00:15:28,540 --> 00:15:32,260 I mean, heck, let's take a look at, if you're, if you're not familiar with it, you probably 259 00:15:32,260 --> 00:15:33,260 should read it. 260 00:15:33,260 --> 00:15:36,500 It's a book called 1984 by George Orwell. 261 00:15:36,500 --> 00:15:39,260 He was an author, a journalist, an essayist. 262 00:15:39,260 --> 00:15:45,700 And basically, he used contradictory terms to manipulate the masses in his book. 263 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:50,820 And Orwell demonstrated how language could be manipulated to influence and control thought, 264 00:15:50,820 --> 00:15:53,060 maintaining power over, over the masses. 265 00:15:53,060 --> 00:15:54,060 That's what the media does today. 266 00:15:54,060 --> 00:15:56,580 Anyways, that's what politicians do anyways. 267 00:15:56,580 --> 00:16:00,380 The concept in 1984, the concept of news speak was introduced. 268 00:16:00,380 --> 00:16:05,500 Basically, it's language designed to eliminate rebellious thoughts and enforce orthodoxy. 269 00:16:05,500 --> 00:16:08,580 I mean, slogans, he used slogans like this. 270 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:10,580 War is peace. 271 00:16:10,580 --> 00:16:12,900 Freedom is slavery. 272 00:16:12,900 --> 00:16:14,180 Ignorance is strength. 273 00:16:14,180 --> 00:16:20,180 These all exemplify the use of contradictory language to suppress, to suppress critical 274 00:16:20,180 --> 00:16:21,180 thinking. 275 00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:28,420 Folks, critical thinking is the enemy of those who use words to manipulate critical thinking. 276 00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:32,500 If you can think critically, if you could break it down, break words, break meanings 277 00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:36,620 down into what they truly mean and what's really behind it and who's really speaking 278 00:16:36,620 --> 00:16:42,740 about it, you are the opposition to the person using those words to influence you. 279 00:16:42,740 --> 00:16:44,540 They don't like you. 280 00:16:44,540 --> 00:16:49,940 That's why the government or some governments, and this is not an anti-government rant, but 281 00:16:49,940 --> 00:16:55,100 this is why the media, they all play into your emotions to manipulate you. 282 00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:59,660 That's why you have to outthink them with critical thinking because the words are designed 283 00:16:59,660 --> 00:17:04,260 to incite the emotions which gets people up in arms and then you realize, why am I even 284 00:17:04,260 --> 00:17:05,260 doing this? 285 00:17:05,260 --> 00:17:07,820 Does it really even matter? 286 00:17:07,820 --> 00:17:14,420 And one of my favorite, all time favorites, is the Roman politician, Cicero. 287 00:17:14,420 --> 00:17:21,980 He used rhetoric to navigate these complex political landscapes of the Roman Republic. 288 00:17:21,980 --> 00:17:29,220 His work for oratory, meaning his rules for oratory, are what are still used in today's 289 00:17:29,220 --> 00:17:30,780 political landscape. 290 00:17:30,780 --> 00:17:32,540 And not just politics, people. 291 00:17:32,540 --> 00:17:40,460 I'm talking marketing, corporate rhetoric, anything that requires one to manipulate or 292 00:17:40,460 --> 00:17:42,300 persuade others. 293 00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:52,300 Cicero perfected ethos, pathos, and logos, which basically ethos' credibility. 294 00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:59,380 Pathos is the number one thing, the number one strategy Cicero uses to manipulate or 295 00:17:59,380 --> 00:18:01,980 to get into the minds of the masses. 296 00:18:01,980 --> 00:18:06,220 And that is an appeal to their emotions. 297 00:18:06,220 --> 00:18:12,500 His whole premise was on get into the heads, get into the emotions of the listener, of 298 00:18:12,500 --> 00:18:17,860 the people, and you can persuade them, you can manipulate them into your way of thinking 299 00:18:17,860 --> 00:18:20,380 or into doing things you want them to do. 300 00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:24,940 And we see that in politics, we see that in news, heck, we even see it in marketing a 301 00:18:24,940 --> 00:18:26,660 lot too. 302 00:18:26,660 --> 00:18:34,380 And it works because it connects what the rhetoric is with the person's emotions and 303 00:18:34,380 --> 00:18:38,540 gets them charged up, gets them fired up. 304 00:18:38,540 --> 00:18:43,140 If I said to you in a political speech, hey, we have some people that are undocumented 305 00:18:43,140 --> 00:18:48,900 and are trying to come over to this country and, you know, come into this country, that's 306 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:53,700 not as impactful as saying something like, they're coming over the border, they're killing 307 00:18:53,700 --> 00:18:58,860 your kids, they're raping your wives, your daughters, they're stealing your jobs, which 308 00:18:58,860 --> 00:19:01,060 one has more of an impact? 309 00:19:01,060 --> 00:19:04,980 Cicero would say the latter has more of an impact, which is true. 310 00:19:04,980 --> 00:19:12,140 And that's how he approached his argumentation, his rhetoric by inciting emotion. 311 00:19:12,140 --> 00:19:15,780 And that's what we've seen historically. 312 00:19:15,780 --> 00:19:19,660 Words used to incite emotion to get people to do things. 313 00:19:19,660 --> 00:19:24,660 Now here, what I'm saying is that we need words. 314 00:19:24,660 --> 00:19:26,780 Yes, I mean, it's how we communicate, folks. 315 00:19:26,780 --> 00:19:28,860 I mean, that's common sense, right? 316 00:19:28,860 --> 00:19:35,780 We use words to communicate, but how words are used can be done in a way to manipulate 317 00:19:35,780 --> 00:19:40,940 and for the bad to cause harm. 318 00:19:40,940 --> 00:19:47,860 And as a human, it is our duty, I believe, to learn critical thinking, to see past the 319 00:19:47,860 --> 00:19:55,020 BS, so to speak, to see past the nonsensical sounding words and meanings and make sense 320 00:19:55,020 --> 00:20:01,060 of it all, rather than just allowing it to incite us and to trigger us. 321 00:20:01,060 --> 00:20:06,660 Because really, words are just fictional creations done by man in order to communicate. 322 00:20:06,660 --> 00:20:12,140 And we've perfected it very well through our strategies in delivering, you know, our 323 00:20:12,140 --> 00:20:16,620 rhetoric, delivering our speeches to incite those emotions. 324 00:20:16,620 --> 00:20:19,460 And Cicero, none other perfected that. 325 00:20:19,460 --> 00:20:20,460 He was great. 326 00:20:20,460 --> 00:20:25,420 I never have a chance to pick up a book about Cicero's life in his oratory or his rules 327 00:20:25,420 --> 00:20:26,420 for argumentation. 328 00:20:26,420 --> 00:20:28,500 I highly recommend doing that. 329 00:20:28,500 --> 00:20:29,500 You will be blown away. 330 00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:35,060 You will see a lot of his rules for argumentation in today's politics. 331 00:20:35,060 --> 00:20:41,540 You'll realize the strategy that he set forth is implemented today to basically screw your 332 00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:42,540 mind. 333 00:20:42,540 --> 00:20:45,660 Sorry for the term there, but that's what he's doing. 334 00:20:45,660 --> 00:20:46,940 And that's what they're doing. 335 00:20:46,940 --> 00:20:48,620 Screwing your mind. 336 00:20:48,620 --> 00:20:53,820 So that's, I mean, that's not really all the history of language, but that gives us a general 337 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:59,620 overview of how language has been used in the past and history in order to manipulate 338 00:20:59,620 --> 00:21:06,500 the masses and to convince them that war is okay or this way of thinking is okay, because 339 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:09,980 it's a very powerful tool against humanity. 340 00:21:09,980 --> 00:21:14,340 And if we're not paying attention to it, you know, we can be taken advantage of. 341 00:21:14,340 --> 00:21:15,340 We can be easily manipulated. 342 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:17,820 And if you're thinking, oh, I'm not easily manipulated. 343 00:21:17,820 --> 00:21:19,940 Think about the things that you believe in right now. 344 00:21:19,940 --> 00:21:22,220 How did you get to that belief system? 345 00:21:22,220 --> 00:21:26,140 Words, they spark some sort of emotion inside of you. 346 00:21:26,140 --> 00:21:32,400 But how does language shape who we are, both as individuals and as a group? 347 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:37,020 So what I'm trying to say is let's, let's take a look at the connection between language 348 00:21:37,020 --> 00:21:42,180 and identity and how the words we use define us because we use a lot of words to define 349 00:21:42,180 --> 00:21:43,380 us people. 350 00:21:43,380 --> 00:21:46,980 We're always using words to define us and define everybody else. 351 00:21:46,980 --> 00:21:48,180 Let's take a look at that. 352 00:21:48,180 --> 00:21:51,860 Our language basically shapes our identity. 353 00:21:51,860 --> 00:21:59,140 How often have you used words to identify your personal identity to identify yourself? 354 00:21:59,140 --> 00:22:00,140 Think about it for a second. 355 00:22:00,140 --> 00:22:02,500 I mean, words are used to identify us. 356 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:09,780 I mean, the words and phrases that we use reflect our personal identity. 357 00:22:09,780 --> 00:22:14,660 And this includes, you know, it could be our background, our education, our social affiliations. 358 00:22:14,660 --> 00:22:20,140 I mean, have you ever said to somebody, yeah, I'm an MBA? 359 00:22:20,140 --> 00:22:23,500 Well, I don't know that you would actually go out and say, hey, I'm an MBA. 360 00:22:23,500 --> 00:22:24,900 That'd be kind of weird, huh? 361 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:25,900 Your degree. 362 00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:28,540 Or you can say, yeah, I'm a college graduate. 363 00:22:28,540 --> 00:22:29,540 Okay. 364 00:22:29,540 --> 00:22:34,220 So that identifies you as a college graduate, you know, or I'm a Native American or I'm 365 00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:39,460 a Dutch or I'm German, you know, or what, or about your social affiliations. 366 00:22:39,460 --> 00:22:43,020 I'm a member of the fill in the blank here, whatever it is. 367 00:22:43,020 --> 00:22:46,500 You're identifying yourself using words. 368 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:51,300 Let's say, for example, let's entertain the moment and we'll say something. 369 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:57,060 I am a member of the conservative Republican party. 370 00:22:57,060 --> 00:23:01,100 What do you think that will do to people who are not members of that party? 371 00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:07,220 If you're speaking to, for example, a Democrat, you know, that might send some strong emotional 372 00:23:07,220 --> 00:23:09,260 reactions to their mind. 373 00:23:09,260 --> 00:23:13,860 But yet we use these words to identify ourselves and they're just words, right? 374 00:23:13,860 --> 00:23:18,860 They're just things that help us identify who we are because it's the words, it's the 375 00:23:18,860 --> 00:23:23,660 language that helps us express who we are and how we see ourselves. 376 00:23:23,660 --> 00:23:27,020 I don't really particularly like labels. 377 00:23:27,020 --> 00:23:28,020 You can't label me. 378 00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:29,100 I mean, you can label me. 379 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:30,340 You can say whatever you want about me. 380 00:23:30,340 --> 00:23:35,580 It's not going to impact me, how I think or feel about myself, but I don't label myself. 381 00:23:35,580 --> 00:23:37,340 I don't go around saying I'm a Republican. 382 00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:38,340 I'm a Democrat. 383 00:23:38,340 --> 00:23:39,340 I'm a Jew. 384 00:23:39,340 --> 00:23:40,340 I'm a Christian. 385 00:23:40,340 --> 00:23:41,340 I'm a Muslim. 386 00:23:41,340 --> 00:23:45,700 I don't say anything like that because it's really irrelevant to me on what you call me 387 00:23:45,700 --> 00:23:46,860 or what I call myself. 388 00:23:46,860 --> 00:23:48,500 I'm just a human being. 389 00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:49,500 It's happenstance. 390 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:50,500 I'm a freak of nature. 391 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:51,500 Just like everyone else. 392 00:23:51,500 --> 00:23:52,500 We're just here. 393 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:54,220 You know, we just exist. 394 00:23:54,220 --> 00:23:58,740 Now of course I use words to communicate and to identify things in order to make it easy 395 00:23:58,740 --> 00:24:01,460 for other people to communicate and understand what I'm saying. 396 00:24:01,460 --> 00:24:08,300 But when it comes down to it, I'm not identifying myself with a set of these fictional, created 397 00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:12,780 words so that I can say I'm part of this group or I'm this here. 398 00:24:12,780 --> 00:24:14,820 When someone says what's your nationality, I say human. 399 00:24:14,820 --> 00:24:15,820 They look at me like what? 400 00:24:15,820 --> 00:24:16,820 I'm human. 401 00:24:16,820 --> 00:24:19,460 I'm a human species. 402 00:24:19,460 --> 00:24:22,700 I don't really subscribe to any culture or nationality. 403 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:24,300 I mean, I'm a U.S. citizen. 404 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:27,340 And again, that's pure fictionality because it's made up. 405 00:24:27,340 --> 00:24:28,340 It's subjective, right? 406 00:24:28,340 --> 00:24:31,980 It just happened to be born in the U.S. What does that even mean? 407 00:24:31,980 --> 00:24:36,460 And another fun one with words is it helps identify groups, group identity. 408 00:24:36,460 --> 00:24:43,180 We use these words to form these group identities that we belong to or these sports teams that 409 00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:44,180 we're fans of. 410 00:24:44,180 --> 00:24:45,700 And we do these chants. 411 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:54,460 We yell these slogans and it just reinforces these beliefs within us about a subjective 412 00:24:54,460 --> 00:25:01,180 reality of these words, of these identities of who we are. 413 00:25:01,180 --> 00:25:03,300 And we reinforce that. 414 00:25:03,300 --> 00:25:05,460 You ever talk to somebody and they keep repeating what they are? 415 00:25:05,460 --> 00:25:06,460 I'm a Christian. 416 00:25:06,460 --> 00:25:07,460 I'm a Christian. 417 00:25:07,460 --> 00:25:08,460 I'm a Christian. 418 00:25:08,460 --> 00:25:09,460 I'm a Muslim. 419 00:25:09,460 --> 00:25:10,460 I'm a Muslim. 420 00:25:10,460 --> 00:25:11,460 I'm a Muslim. 421 00:25:11,460 --> 00:25:12,460 I'm a Muslim. 422 00:25:12,460 --> 00:25:13,460 Okay. 423 00:25:13,460 --> 00:25:14,460 Good for you. 424 00:25:14,460 --> 00:25:16,140 But they're reinforcing their identity so you understand who they are and what's the 425 00:25:16,140 --> 00:25:17,140 purpose of that? 426 00:25:17,140 --> 00:25:21,020 Well, they want you to know where they stand religiously. 427 00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:23,740 They want you to know who you're dealing with. 428 00:25:23,740 --> 00:25:29,380 It might be a precursor or a warning to stay away from certain topics with me or it might 429 00:25:29,380 --> 00:25:34,020 be something they're throwing out there to help identify who they are in hopes that you 430 00:25:34,020 --> 00:25:39,220 might be like minded and say, Oh, I am as you are type of thing. 431 00:25:39,220 --> 00:25:44,900 But again, the point I'm trying to draw here is that these are just words that are identifying 432 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:46,260 people's groups. 433 00:25:46,260 --> 00:25:48,340 So they identify with a certain group. 434 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:49,340 They belong to a certain group. 435 00:25:49,340 --> 00:25:52,940 There's a certain ideology in that group and they're giving themselves a label and saying, 436 00:25:52,940 --> 00:25:54,580 This is what I am. 437 00:25:54,580 --> 00:25:58,260 But when the reality of it is, is that what you really are? 438 00:25:58,260 --> 00:26:00,860 Are you really that person? 439 00:26:00,860 --> 00:26:03,900 Or are you just identifying with some sort of belief system? 440 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:08,980 And another powerful use of words is through cultural reflection. 441 00:26:08,980 --> 00:26:13,460 I mean, language reflects and perpetuates cultural values and social norms. 442 00:26:13,460 --> 00:26:18,940 People, it carries our traditions, you know, our beliefs and the practices of our culture 443 00:26:18,940 --> 00:26:26,780 and more specifically, how people in that culture perceive the world and how they should 444 00:26:26,780 --> 00:26:28,100 perceive the world. 445 00:26:28,100 --> 00:26:31,340 So again, you're born a human. 446 00:26:31,340 --> 00:26:32,340 I hope you're born a human. 447 00:26:32,340 --> 00:26:36,780 I mean, I don't know how many cats and dogs are listening to me, but you're born and then 448 00:26:36,780 --> 00:26:42,340 you're thrust into a culture or society which has its own set of a language or has its own 449 00:26:42,340 --> 00:26:46,300 language and set of values and belief systems and words that it uses to identify all that 450 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:47,300 stuff. 451 00:26:47,300 --> 00:26:53,380 And it shapes your perception of reality of the world around you. 452 00:26:53,380 --> 00:26:58,820 If you were born the same person, you in a different culture, you would have a set of 453 00:26:58,820 --> 00:27:04,340 different set of words and values and identities that defined you and who you are. 454 00:27:04,340 --> 00:27:08,620 So really, it's the words that are identifying you. 455 00:27:08,620 --> 00:27:11,180 It's setting you, it's giving you that purpose. 456 00:27:11,180 --> 00:27:13,300 It's giving you that identity. 457 00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:14,580 It's not the person itself. 458 00:27:14,580 --> 00:27:17,700 I don't know if you ever spoke Pig Latin. 459 00:27:17,700 --> 00:27:19,940 It's not a real language. 460 00:27:19,940 --> 00:27:22,540 But it's a language kids tend to speak. 461 00:27:22,540 --> 00:27:23,980 And I don't remember how it goes. 462 00:27:23,980 --> 00:27:28,580 It's like you put the A, you take the first letter or something, put an A at the end or 463 00:27:28,580 --> 00:27:29,580 something. 464 00:27:29,580 --> 00:27:34,460 But in any event, it's a language, it's slang, so to speak. 465 00:27:34,460 --> 00:27:39,340 And it's a language that kids use or would use in order to keep adults from understanding 466 00:27:39,340 --> 00:27:43,060 what they're saying, but they didn't realize this adults created that when they were kids 467 00:27:43,060 --> 00:27:44,060 too. 468 00:27:44,060 --> 00:27:45,900 So we understood it. 469 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:51,380 But what it does is what that slang does, like the Pig Latin or even Ebonics with the 470 00:27:51,380 --> 00:27:59,140 African American cultures in the United States, and it may be abroad, I don't know, create 471 00:27:59,140 --> 00:28:02,060 these languages that help identify their own groups. 472 00:28:02,060 --> 00:28:06,140 So the language itself, the slang itself is like a subculture. 473 00:28:06,140 --> 00:28:10,420 It's like a different set of language to help identify that group. 474 00:28:10,420 --> 00:28:14,740 And for them to communicate amongst each other, I personally don't understand any of it, especially 475 00:28:14,740 --> 00:28:17,900 the slang that's used today with the teenagers. 476 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:20,020 I don't get half of what they're saying. 477 00:28:20,020 --> 00:28:22,780 Even the words, they don't even, the words don't even make sense to me. 478 00:28:22,780 --> 00:28:24,460 They don't even jive. 479 00:28:24,460 --> 00:28:26,060 That was slang jive. 480 00:28:26,060 --> 00:28:29,300 They don't even match with what they're trying to say. 481 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:31,500 It's just some made up words. 482 00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:35,260 So I'm thinking, I don't even know what you're saying, which is probably exactly the point, 483 00:28:35,260 --> 00:28:36,260 right? 484 00:28:36,260 --> 00:28:38,500 The words don't mean anything to me, but it means something to them, which identifies 485 00:28:38,500 --> 00:28:41,300 them as a group, which sets them apart. 486 00:28:41,300 --> 00:28:46,940 So words are used to help express our own identity groups we belong to. 487 00:28:46,940 --> 00:28:48,620 How we identify with the world. 488 00:28:48,620 --> 00:28:51,700 How we identify with other cultures. 489 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:53,540 How we're separate from other cultures. 490 00:28:53,540 --> 00:28:55,100 How we're different, I mean, different separate. 491 00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:56,100 Same thing. 492 00:28:56,100 --> 00:28:59,140 How we are similar to other groups. 493 00:28:59,140 --> 00:29:01,340 You know, what, what makes us unique? 494 00:29:01,340 --> 00:29:03,980 We have to have this sense of uniqueness. 495 00:29:03,980 --> 00:29:06,620 And so we use words in order to identify that. 496 00:29:06,620 --> 00:29:12,700 And these words can carry very emotionally charged meanings oftentimes. 497 00:29:12,700 --> 00:29:17,860 If we don't like a specific group and they identify themselves as that group, we get 498 00:29:17,860 --> 00:29:19,700 emotionally charged over it. 499 00:29:19,700 --> 00:29:25,660 Again, it comes down to the utterances of sounds, which we make or assign meaning to, 500 00:29:25,660 --> 00:29:31,820 I guess the whole point here, folks, the whole point is understanding that words manipulate 501 00:29:31,820 --> 00:29:34,820 words, shape our reality. 502 00:29:34,820 --> 00:29:39,900 And if we were privy to that, if we understood that, if we were better critical thinkers, 503 00:29:39,900 --> 00:29:46,740 we wouldn't get so emotionally charged over these words that identify these groups or 504 00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:52,620 that identify beliefs or, or, or anything else about humanity. 505 00:29:52,620 --> 00:30:00,300 And I think the greatest violator of the greatest violator of using words to manipulate is both 506 00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:07,140 the media and political landscape, how they frame conversations, how they take and twist 507 00:30:07,140 --> 00:30:10,620 using certain words in order to really manipulate. 508 00:30:10,620 --> 00:30:15,300 We touched on that a little bit earlier, especially with Cicero's oratory, his rules 509 00:30:15,300 --> 00:30:22,540 for discussion and language, but how the media and politicians use language, reframe the 510 00:30:22,540 --> 00:30:26,220 language in order to incite, incite the public. 511 00:30:26,220 --> 00:30:28,900 I mean, that's the most fascinating thing to me. 512 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:32,380 And people buy into this, people who listen to it and go, Oh, that's true. 513 00:30:32,380 --> 00:30:33,380 That's true. 514 00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:35,420 But there's no truth or validity to it. 515 00:30:35,420 --> 00:30:36,700 But they buy into it. 516 00:30:36,700 --> 00:30:42,140 The media uses sensationalism and clickbait to hook people. 517 00:30:42,140 --> 00:30:48,020 I mean, they often use sensational language and provocative headlines to capture your 518 00:30:48,020 --> 00:30:52,260 attention and help them drive traffic, especially online. 519 00:30:52,260 --> 00:30:57,700 And what does the sensational language and provocative headlines do to capture your attention? 520 00:30:57,700 --> 00:31:04,860 And they shape public perception by emphasizing certain events or perspectives over others. 521 00:31:04,860 --> 00:31:13,700 And again, I briefly mentioned this earlier, if you hear a news story about illegal immigrants 522 00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:20,820 in caravans coming over the border to kill your family, that's sensationalism because 523 00:31:20,820 --> 00:31:22,820 that's not even the truth. 524 00:31:22,820 --> 00:31:26,820 I mean, some Europe's depending on your political leaning, you're gonna go, Yeah, it is the 525 00:31:26,820 --> 00:31:27,820 truth. 526 00:31:27,820 --> 00:31:28,980 It's not the truth. 527 00:31:28,980 --> 00:31:36,420 But yet media will sensationalize that to get people to act, to incite them, to get 528 00:31:36,420 --> 00:31:41,900 them to click over to their news story and sell them ad space or ads. 529 00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:43,900 And that's really what the headlines and media are for, really. 530 00:31:43,900 --> 00:31:46,380 I mean, they're designed to get you to read their news. 531 00:31:46,380 --> 00:31:49,620 They want to sell more newspapers or they want to sell more ad space or they want to 532 00:31:49,620 --> 00:31:52,220 sell more time on their website. 533 00:31:52,220 --> 00:31:55,900 And they use, I mean, the way they do this is they use emotionally charged words like, 534 00:31:55,900 --> 00:32:01,460 you know, the word shocking or unbelievable or outrage to attract to attract you to their 535 00:32:01,460 --> 00:32:02,700 website. 536 00:32:02,700 --> 00:32:10,500 You know, and these words, these words, shocking, unbelievable or outrage, peak your interest. 537 00:32:10,500 --> 00:32:13,660 They get your curiosity, like, Oh, what's outrageous? 538 00:32:13,660 --> 00:32:14,660 What's unbelievable? 539 00:32:14,660 --> 00:32:15,660 What is so shocking? 540 00:32:15,660 --> 00:32:19,700 And you get this emotional response and you're like, click, click, click, click, click. 541 00:32:19,700 --> 00:32:20,700 Then you're on the website. 542 00:32:20,700 --> 00:32:24,940 Next thing you know, you're sucked into the news story, reading every word for word. 543 00:32:24,940 --> 00:32:28,420 And it's becoming emotionally overwhelmed by it. 544 00:32:28,420 --> 00:32:31,620 Maybe not emotionally overwhelmed, but you know what I'm talking about. 545 00:32:31,620 --> 00:32:36,100 You're getting charged up over the over the word, the language being used when none of 546 00:32:36,100 --> 00:32:38,900 it's really probably that serious. 547 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:46,300 And the media uses language and words over and over and over again to drive their agenda 548 00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:48,260 into your minds, folks. 549 00:32:48,260 --> 00:32:50,300 It's not by luck. 550 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:52,220 It's by design. 551 00:32:52,220 --> 00:32:54,620 For example, climate change. 552 00:32:54,620 --> 00:33:00,340 If a specific news agency, and that's a whole podcast on how the news is run and how the 553 00:33:00,340 --> 00:33:08,820 media is run, but if a specific agency news media wants to push an agenda, they'll do 554 00:33:08,820 --> 00:33:10,980 that by repetitiveness. 555 00:33:10,980 --> 00:33:14,500 They'll constantly repeat the words. 556 00:33:14,500 --> 00:33:15,500 Climate change, climate change. 557 00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:19,140 And again, this isn't the conversation about whether climate change is real or not. 558 00:33:19,140 --> 00:33:21,740 Either way, it doesn't matter for this podcast. 559 00:33:21,740 --> 00:33:28,660 But what I'm saying is they use those terms, they use words that incite to get you to believe 560 00:33:28,660 --> 00:33:31,180 and help change the policy or something. 561 00:33:31,180 --> 00:33:34,260 I mean, the media back in the day, even today, I shouldn't even say back in the day, the 562 00:33:34,260 --> 00:33:41,460 media is America's foreign policy, because what it does, if it wants to change something 563 00:33:41,460 --> 00:33:47,100 in government, it starts putting it out there, inciting the people which help them or which 564 00:33:47,100 --> 00:33:53,780 get them to call their representatives to change laws or to act on something going on 565 00:33:53,780 --> 00:33:55,420 in another part of the world. 566 00:33:55,420 --> 00:33:59,740 They know what they're doing, and they're using you as the masses to do their dirty 567 00:33:59,740 --> 00:34:03,060 work through words, just words that incite you. 568 00:34:03,060 --> 00:34:07,820 And depending on the news that you're listening to or the propaganda that you're listening 569 00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:14,700 to, framing, and we've touched on this earlier, framing is a big thing. 570 00:34:14,700 --> 00:34:20,620 And basically, if you don't understand framing, it refers to how information is presented 571 00:34:20,620 --> 00:34:25,580 to highlight basically certain aspects while downplaying others. 572 00:34:25,580 --> 00:34:30,140 So we go back to the example of the immigrants are coming over the border, they're coming 573 00:34:30,140 --> 00:34:35,540 in caravans to kill your family, you know, they're framing it in a very negative way, 574 00:34:35,540 --> 00:34:40,260 versus they could be saying, well, there's some undocumented workers or 100 of them 575 00:34:40,260 --> 00:34:41,260 coming. 576 00:34:41,260 --> 00:34:42,260 It's untypical. 577 00:34:42,260 --> 00:34:44,740 I mean, it's not it's common for that to happen. 578 00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:47,500 And they're trying to get across the border into America for a better life. 579 00:34:47,500 --> 00:34:52,420 See the difference in the choice of words we use to frame the conversation to get you 580 00:34:52,420 --> 00:34:55,620 to react to get you all worked up. 581 00:34:55,620 --> 00:34:58,060 Another example is for tax cuts. 582 00:34:58,060 --> 00:35:03,140 What is my favorite tax relief tax relief sounds so positive. 583 00:35:03,140 --> 00:35:07,780 It's like the government's given us some sort of relief on taxes when they're not really 584 00:35:07,780 --> 00:35:08,780 doing anything. 585 00:35:08,780 --> 00:35:12,140 They're just cutting some of the taxes that they're taking. 586 00:35:12,140 --> 00:35:15,660 But again, the language, the language is what's important here. 587 00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:19,900 And it's what people assign to it with the, the meaning. 588 00:35:19,900 --> 00:35:23,060 It's what insights them and it's what gets them moving and going. 589 00:35:23,060 --> 00:35:27,980 I mean, in the media and people, not just the media, but even corporations, they use 590 00:35:27,980 --> 00:35:28,980 euphemisms. 591 00:35:28,980 --> 00:35:33,900 I mean, great orators, great communicators and people who give presentations and speeches 592 00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:36,580 and argumentation use euphemisms. 593 00:35:36,580 --> 00:35:37,860 Euphemisms help soften. 594 00:35:37,860 --> 00:35:44,620 You know, they're mild, mild ways of explaining harsh realities or expressions. 595 00:35:44,620 --> 00:35:49,780 For example, instead of saying something like, yeah, there's a lot of casualties in this 596 00:35:49,780 --> 00:35:51,220 military operation. 597 00:35:51,220 --> 00:35:56,060 What's the word they use collateral damage softens it up a bit doesn't make a look sound 598 00:35:56,060 --> 00:35:58,460 doesn't make it sound so bad. 599 00:35:58,460 --> 00:36:03,380 Or when there's a lot of job layoffs in a company or a sector industry sector, what do they 600 00:36:03,380 --> 00:36:05,660 call that downsizing? 601 00:36:05,660 --> 00:36:08,460 Or downsizing that makes it softer. 602 00:36:08,460 --> 00:36:10,780 It's like, we're not going out of business. 603 00:36:10,780 --> 00:36:11,780 There's nothing really wrong. 604 00:36:11,780 --> 00:36:14,940 We're just kind of restructuring and just kind of cutting a, cutting a little bit of 605 00:36:14,940 --> 00:36:17,340 our staff or downsizing ourselves. 606 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:21,260 We're not laying off people, which is untrue. 607 00:36:21,260 --> 00:36:23,940 They're laying off people and slogans. 608 00:36:23,940 --> 00:36:28,100 Slogans are another good one to manipulate the mind. 609 00:36:28,100 --> 00:36:34,380 Basically they're little phrases, you know, and they're used in political campaigns all 610 00:36:34,380 --> 00:36:39,940 the time and they're designed to unify the create this unified identity. 611 00:36:39,940 --> 00:36:41,500 And here's a good one. 612 00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:44,300 Make America great again. 613 00:36:44,300 --> 00:36:47,780 I mean, if you think about it, when was America not great? 614 00:36:47,780 --> 00:36:50,620 When was any country not great to their people? 615 00:36:50,620 --> 00:36:52,500 I mean, okay, maybe there's a few. 616 00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:54,660 I can't say that every country's been great. 617 00:36:54,660 --> 00:36:57,420 But in the United States, make America great again. 618 00:36:57,420 --> 00:37:00,580 I don't know that it was ever not great or if it was ever great. 619 00:37:00,580 --> 00:37:06,540 But the fact that the Trump campaign capitalized on that really incited people to begin to 620 00:37:06,540 --> 00:37:09,740 think, yeah, America doesn't fit what I think America should be. 621 00:37:09,740 --> 00:37:13,940 So let's make it great again, even though they realize that maybe it was always the 622 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:14,940 same way. 623 00:37:14,940 --> 00:37:21,500 You know, but again, these slogans help incite people to get them all worked up, get them 624 00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:24,180 emotionally involved for what? 625 00:37:24,180 --> 00:37:28,700 You know, to change policy, to make a change for who? 626 00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:29,700 Not for them. 627 00:37:29,700 --> 00:37:30,860 But media is no different. 628 00:37:30,860 --> 00:37:36,620 I mean, the drug campaign in America, just say no or ugg to drugs, you know, which are 629 00:37:36,620 --> 00:37:41,460 good because you want to get this into the people's heads and it could be used for good. 630 00:37:41,460 --> 00:37:45,500 So I'm not saying all language and all words are used to manipulate in a bad way. 631 00:37:45,500 --> 00:37:47,220 It could be used in a good way as well. 632 00:37:47,220 --> 00:37:52,740 If it's done, if it's done properly, we don't want people on drugs running around drugs. 633 00:37:52,740 --> 00:37:54,620 Drugs are expensive to society. 634 00:37:54,620 --> 00:37:55,700 They kill people. 635 00:37:55,700 --> 00:37:59,060 So just say no, you know, it was a great campaign. 636 00:37:59,060 --> 00:38:05,500 I mean, aside from the media, the news and marketing, you know, you also have political 637 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:06,500 speeches. 638 00:38:06,500 --> 00:38:11,420 Political speeches use, use rhetorical devices and language to manipulate, persuade, motivate 639 00:38:11,420 --> 00:38:13,220 and maybe even inspire audiences. 640 00:38:13,220 --> 00:38:17,220 Take a look at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s. 641 00:38:17,220 --> 00:38:19,380 I have a dream speech. 642 00:38:19,380 --> 00:38:23,100 I mean, repeated, I have a dream many times in his speech. 643 00:38:23,100 --> 00:38:24,420 And what did that speak to? 644 00:38:24,420 --> 00:38:31,340 That speak that spoke to a group of people who wanted to be part of the freedom that 645 00:38:31,340 --> 00:38:34,260 the rest of the people in America enjoyed. 646 00:38:34,260 --> 00:38:40,700 And this was a dream of Martin Luther King's and it resonated with so many people. 647 00:38:40,700 --> 00:38:43,820 And that's a positive thing, not necessarily a negative thing. 648 00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:51,100 And we see words used differently nowadays throughout all kinds of mediums, whether it 649 00:38:51,100 --> 00:38:57,660 be the media, whether it be, you know, politics, they have one universal theme and that's the 650 00:38:57,660 --> 00:39:05,140 hashtag done on social media, hashtag Black Lives Matters, hashtag me too. 651 00:39:05,140 --> 00:39:11,820 All of these, you see these and you become emotionally aroused one way or the other, 652 00:39:11,820 --> 00:39:16,400 either you like or dislike, and you may be indifferent to it completely. 653 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,240 But that's a different story. 654 00:39:18,240 --> 00:39:25,180 The language and media and politics, they are powerful tools for shaping public opinion. 655 00:39:25,180 --> 00:39:31,380 And it's all in how they use the language, how they frame the conversations, the hashtags 656 00:39:31,380 --> 00:39:41,180 they use, you know, the phrases they use in order to get people to act, to inspire them, 657 00:39:41,180 --> 00:39:44,260 to motivate them for their political gain. 658 00:39:44,260 --> 00:39:49,740 But how does all of this political and media rhetoric impact our minds? 659 00:39:49,740 --> 00:39:53,340 What are the cognitive and psychological aspects of language on our minds? 660 00:39:53,340 --> 00:39:58,900 I mean, that's an interesting question, because I know it manipulates people and it incites 661 00:39:58,900 --> 00:40:01,260 them, it gets them charged up. 662 00:40:01,260 --> 00:40:02,540 But what else does it do? 663 00:40:02,540 --> 00:40:08,300 Well, for starters, it influences our thought process, language, words influence our thought 664 00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:09,460 process. 665 00:40:09,460 --> 00:40:15,060 It shapes the way we think by providing these frameworks through which we process information 666 00:40:15,060 --> 00:40:17,500 and form ideas. 667 00:40:17,500 --> 00:40:18,660 And that's what really drives us, right? 668 00:40:18,660 --> 00:40:22,020 It's our ideas, our ideology, it's our beliefs. 669 00:40:22,020 --> 00:40:31,060 I mean, in the structure of language, the words itself influence our cognitive processes, 670 00:40:31,060 --> 00:40:36,540 which includes our memory, attention, and problem-solving ability. 671 00:40:36,540 --> 00:40:39,380 So it has a powerful impact on our thought process. 672 00:40:39,380 --> 00:40:45,100 And that's without saying, I know you're probably saying, well, no kidding, Sherlock. 673 00:40:45,100 --> 00:40:50,380 But again, the point I'm driving is depending on the words, depending on the language. 674 00:40:50,380 --> 00:40:56,740 For example, people who speak two languages, bilingual people, they often report different 675 00:40:56,740 --> 00:41:01,700 emotional responses and decision-making patterns based on the language they're using, which 676 00:41:01,700 --> 00:41:08,860 basically demonstrates the cognitive impact of linguistic context, language context, in 677 00:41:08,860 --> 00:41:10,340 which the words are used. 678 00:41:10,340 --> 00:41:12,540 So that's significant. 679 00:41:12,540 --> 00:41:19,860 And another one that you're probably not cognizantly aware of is that it shapes our perception. 680 00:41:19,860 --> 00:41:26,060 Language and words affects how we perceive and categorize the world around us. 681 00:41:26,060 --> 00:41:28,380 I'll give you an example. 682 00:41:28,380 --> 00:41:31,100 Some languages have multiple words for specific concepts. 683 00:41:31,100 --> 00:41:36,460 For example, in the Inuit languages, the word snow, there's multiple words for the word 684 00:41:36,460 --> 00:41:37,980 snow. 685 00:41:37,980 --> 00:41:40,060 Multiple words in the Inuit language. 686 00:41:40,060 --> 00:41:44,780 Whereas other languages may just have one word for that, for snow, which is snow. 687 00:41:44,780 --> 00:41:49,460 And what's the impact of this here, of having multiple words for a single concept in a language? 688 00:41:49,460 --> 00:41:54,620 Well, it has an impact on one's perception and how they categorize the different types 689 00:41:54,620 --> 00:41:55,620 of snow. 690 00:41:55,620 --> 00:41:58,820 It becomes that much more important to their culture. 691 00:41:58,820 --> 00:42:01,460 And then there's the Saphir-Wolf hypothesis. 692 00:42:01,460 --> 00:42:05,740 Now this is where language shapes thought. 693 00:42:05,740 --> 00:42:11,740 And the Saphir-Wolf hypothesis is also referred to as linguistic relativity. 694 00:42:11,740 --> 00:42:17,580 Just another way of identifying that hypothesis, if you've heard of linguistic relativity. 695 00:42:17,580 --> 00:42:22,220 And it basically states that the structure of language affects the speaker's worldview 696 00:42:22,220 --> 00:42:23,820 and their cognition. 697 00:42:23,820 --> 00:42:25,460 So I'll give you an example. 698 00:42:25,460 --> 00:42:31,220 In languages where there's gendered nouns, like in Spanish, you know, the speaker may 699 00:42:31,220 --> 00:42:38,620 associate certain qualities, certain qualities with objects based on the grammatical gender. 700 00:42:38,620 --> 00:42:41,100 And what does this do to your mind? 701 00:42:41,100 --> 00:42:44,340 It influences your perceptions and thoughts about that object. 702 00:42:44,340 --> 00:42:47,620 So if an object's masculine, it has one perception. 703 00:42:47,620 --> 00:42:51,940 And if it's feminine, it has another perception. 704 00:42:51,940 --> 00:42:57,420 And so the speaker of that language would tend to view objects with those genders one 705 00:42:57,420 --> 00:43:00,500 way or another based on the gendered language. 706 00:43:00,500 --> 00:43:04,580 I mean, that's a significant in its own right. 707 00:43:04,580 --> 00:43:09,220 How you treat certain objects, because you have a predisposition to treat males differently 708 00:43:09,220 --> 00:43:10,220 than you do women. 709 00:43:10,220 --> 00:43:12,220 And then it all comes down to language. 710 00:43:12,220 --> 00:43:13,860 It's learned behavior. 711 00:43:13,860 --> 00:43:19,460 And there's ample research to show that language can influence emotional experiences. 712 00:43:19,460 --> 00:43:24,860 Basically, the words we use to describe our feelings can shape how we experience and regulate 713 00:43:24,860 --> 00:43:25,860 our emotions. 714 00:43:25,860 --> 00:43:32,380 It's just the mere words that we choose to use about emotion can help regulate those 715 00:43:32,380 --> 00:43:33,380 emotions. 716 00:43:33,380 --> 00:43:38,500 And what the research shows is that by labeling these emotions, we can help people. 717 00:43:38,500 --> 00:43:42,740 We can help ourselves manage and reduce the intensity of the emotion. 718 00:43:42,740 --> 00:43:43,740 That's pretty powerful. 719 00:43:43,740 --> 00:43:48,100 Just through the use of language, of words, we can regulate our emotions. 720 00:43:48,100 --> 00:43:53,940 Again, the powerful impact of these words and the meanings we assign to them has a profound 721 00:43:53,940 --> 00:43:58,580 impact on our cognition and our emotions and our perceptions. 722 00:43:58,580 --> 00:44:05,380 And words as I have discussed earlier in this podcast can start out with one meaning and 723 00:44:05,380 --> 00:44:07,300 evolve into something completely different. 724 00:44:07,300 --> 00:44:13,460 I mean, that's a pretty profound concept that one word at one point meant one thing and 725 00:44:13,460 --> 00:44:15,540 it's evolved into something else. 726 00:44:15,540 --> 00:44:21,380 And it's the same word, but it incites people differently over time. 727 00:44:21,380 --> 00:44:26,300 So again, it comes back down to the utterances and sounds we make and the impact they have 728 00:44:26,300 --> 00:44:27,900 on our emotions and psyche. 729 00:44:27,900 --> 00:44:29,220 So what do we do about this here? 730 00:44:29,220 --> 00:44:30,220 How do we handle this? 731 00:44:30,220 --> 00:44:31,860 Do we even need to handle it? 732 00:44:31,860 --> 00:44:35,940 I don't even know if we need to handle it, but I just want you to be fully aware that 733 00:44:35,940 --> 00:44:42,180 words are just that, words, unless you assign a meaning to it. 734 00:44:42,180 --> 00:44:48,140 Give it some sort of definition and assign an emotion to it. 735 00:44:48,140 --> 00:44:55,140 I mean, then I guess there's no easy, there's no easy way out of language, meaning there's 736 00:44:55,140 --> 00:45:00,580 no escape from the words and what they mean to us because they've been ingrained into 737 00:45:00,580 --> 00:45:09,300 us as a child by the influences around us, be it our family, school, church, politics, 738 00:45:09,300 --> 00:45:12,260 friends, foes. 739 00:45:12,260 --> 00:45:17,740 It's all helped impact us and influence us with the words that were used. 740 00:45:17,740 --> 00:45:19,660 But the question is, what are you going to do with that? 741 00:45:19,660 --> 00:45:22,180 Well, you're going to continue on your life with that. 742 00:45:22,180 --> 00:45:23,180 That's number one. 743 00:45:23,180 --> 00:45:28,260 There's not a lot you can do there, but you can begin to understand how the words have 744 00:45:28,260 --> 00:45:37,220 an impact on you and begin to better understand that impact and manage that in a more reasonable 745 00:45:37,220 --> 00:45:44,060 way without getting overly excited over a word, you know, not letting that word hurt 746 00:45:44,060 --> 00:45:50,820 your feelings or get you politically or I mean emotionally charged about politics or 747 00:45:50,820 --> 00:45:56,860 about anything else in life because it's just a word, right? 748 00:45:56,860 --> 00:45:58,620 Here's what I want you to do. 749 00:45:58,620 --> 00:46:03,860 See, I'm already manipulating you with my words. 750 00:46:03,860 --> 00:46:09,500 No, what I want you to do is become more aware of the words that you use daily. 751 00:46:09,500 --> 00:46:14,460 Self-awareness is actually the first step toward understanding how the language you 752 00:46:14,460 --> 00:46:17,420 use impacts yourself and others. 753 00:46:17,420 --> 00:46:22,860 So what you can do or what would be a great thing for you to do or a suggestion that I 754 00:46:22,860 --> 00:46:27,940 have for you is to keep a diary for at least a week, keep it for a week. 755 00:46:27,940 --> 00:46:29,220 I mean, you may want to keep it longer. 756 00:46:29,220 --> 00:46:32,660 It depends on how much research you want to do on yourself and your language and your 757 00:46:32,660 --> 00:46:36,260 words you've used, but at least do a diary for a week. 758 00:46:36,260 --> 00:46:37,740 You know, it could be like a piece of paper. 759 00:46:37,740 --> 00:46:42,940 You walk around with it, maybe even if you want to use a recorder and take note of the 760 00:46:42,940 --> 00:46:48,460 instances where language has influenced your emotions or maybe someone else's emotions, 761 00:46:48,460 --> 00:46:55,100 maybe made someone cry or laugh or angry, you know, write down the emotions, the thoughts 762 00:46:55,100 --> 00:47:00,100 or the interactions that you've had with the words and see if you can find patterns and 763 00:47:00,100 --> 00:47:04,620 areas for improvement in the language that you use and the word choices that you use 764 00:47:04,620 --> 00:47:05,620 with people. 765 00:47:05,620 --> 00:47:09,180 I mean, it's a good self-reflective exercise. 766 00:47:09,180 --> 00:47:13,020 And when you're with family, take a look at the words that you or listen to the words 767 00:47:13,020 --> 00:47:14,020 that you use. 768 00:47:14,020 --> 00:47:17,900 I don't know that you can actually see them coming out unless you're writing them down. 769 00:47:17,900 --> 00:47:24,100 Listen to the words that you use with family and friends and your relationships, you know, 770 00:47:24,100 --> 00:47:28,180 like your intimate relationships or relationships with colleagues. 771 00:47:28,180 --> 00:47:29,740 What kind of language are you using? 772 00:47:29,740 --> 00:47:33,140 Are you using positive words, negative words? 773 00:47:33,140 --> 00:47:34,140 Think about that. 774 00:47:34,140 --> 00:47:40,860 I mean, try complimenting somebody, maybe apologizing, maybe give them some criticism, see how you 775 00:47:40,860 --> 00:47:45,940 express that towards the other person and how they receive that information. 776 00:47:45,940 --> 00:47:47,180 Take note of that. 777 00:47:47,180 --> 00:47:52,740 These will help you become more self-aware of the language that you use on a daily basis. 778 00:47:52,740 --> 00:47:58,860 It will help you understand the choices, the word choices that you use and how people perceive 779 00:47:58,860 --> 00:48:03,060 it and how it has an impact on you and your relationship with this person. 780 00:48:03,060 --> 00:48:09,660 And that could be a very powerful exercise and a fun one too. 781 00:48:09,660 --> 00:48:14,060 But don't go off becoming mean to everybody and criticizing them just to get their reaction. 782 00:48:14,060 --> 00:48:16,900 That's something I would do. 783 00:48:16,900 --> 00:48:18,940 Not really, but really. 784 00:48:18,940 --> 00:48:22,900 And once you've discovered the words that you use, you know, use mindfulness when you're 785 00:48:22,900 --> 00:48:25,460 using, when you're expressing yourself. 786 00:48:25,460 --> 00:48:28,100 I mean, communicate use words or choose words. 787 00:48:28,100 --> 00:48:31,020 What I mean is choose words carefully. 788 00:48:31,020 --> 00:48:35,180 You know, consider the potential impact they're going to have before speaking. 789 00:48:35,180 --> 00:48:40,580 And the great way to do this is to pause before you speak, before responding to a conversation 790 00:48:40,580 --> 00:48:45,340 or if you're in a heated argument or disagreement with someone, pause before you speak. 791 00:48:45,340 --> 00:48:49,820 Think about that word you were going to use and how that might have an impact on the overall 792 00:48:49,820 --> 00:48:51,780 conversation and the relationship. 793 00:48:51,780 --> 00:48:55,380 You'll be surprised that if you take that pause and think about the word that you were 794 00:48:55,380 --> 00:49:02,460 going to use and it's not a good word and swap it out for something not as intense, 795 00:49:02,460 --> 00:49:08,140 you might change the course of that conversation and the outcome of it and use positive framing. 796 00:49:08,140 --> 00:49:12,900 And what I mean, and I'm talking during conversations you have and maybe maybe you're at work with 797 00:49:12,900 --> 00:49:17,860 up here, maybe you're a boss or you're with you're talking to your spouse or significant 798 00:49:17,860 --> 00:49:23,820 other or your children, you know, try to avoid framing it as in don't forget to do something 799 00:49:23,820 --> 00:49:28,740 say something like remember to because when you tell someone don't forget to you're implying 800 00:49:28,740 --> 00:49:29,740 that they're forgetful. 801 00:49:29,740 --> 00:49:33,980 That's an incendiary phrase with a lot of people because the response you're going to 802 00:49:33,980 --> 00:49:35,580 get is I was I going to forget. 803 00:49:35,580 --> 00:49:37,420 They're going to be sarcastic and respond. 804 00:49:37,420 --> 00:49:41,580 You know, try reframing your conversations and your words into a positive tone and one 805 00:49:41,580 --> 00:49:48,660 good way to make certain that your word choice is effective is to be an active listener. 806 00:49:48,660 --> 00:49:51,220 Listen actively, focus, pay attention to the person. 807 00:49:51,220 --> 00:49:52,860 Don't be distracted. 808 00:49:52,860 --> 00:49:57,220 Listen to their words, understand their words because it will keep you from reacting with 809 00:49:57,220 --> 00:50:02,900 other words that might incite them in a way that you don't want to or maybe you do want 810 00:50:02,900 --> 00:50:03,900 to. 811 00:50:03,900 --> 00:50:04,900 I don't know. 812 00:50:04,900 --> 00:50:09,140 I'll leave that up to you and scrutinize the language that you hear. 813 00:50:09,140 --> 00:50:11,100 You know, identify manipulation. 814 00:50:11,100 --> 00:50:19,380 A good way is to avoid or to recognize, recognize language that provokes fear or urgency. 815 00:50:19,380 --> 00:50:23,460 For example, if you see an ad says, you must act now, I mean, do you really have to act 816 00:50:23,460 --> 00:50:25,820 now and always apply critical thinking? 817 00:50:25,820 --> 00:50:31,060 I know critical thinking is not easy to do often, but question the speaker. 818 00:50:31,060 --> 00:50:36,860 Ask yourself who benefits from the message being delivered and why is the message being 819 00:50:36,860 --> 00:50:40,580 presented in the specific way that it is. 820 00:50:40,580 --> 00:50:41,580 And we're going to go back. 821 00:50:41,580 --> 00:50:45,300 The best way to do this is to listen to the news. 822 00:50:45,300 --> 00:50:49,940 Listen to both sides politically, the left and the right and listen to how they frame 823 00:50:49,940 --> 00:50:54,960 the conversations and ask yourself, why is this information being presented this way? 824 00:50:54,960 --> 00:51:00,060 Is it to incite me to align their values with my values so that I stick around and listen 825 00:51:00,060 --> 00:51:02,340 to them more and get really angry about it? 826 00:51:02,340 --> 00:51:04,220 Because that's what usually it is. 827 00:51:04,220 --> 00:51:09,860 And I encourage you to use language or specifically words that empower yourself, that empower 828 00:51:09,860 --> 00:51:14,900 you, that reflects your values and promotes clarity and honesty. 829 00:51:14,900 --> 00:51:20,220 And again, these are subjective terms, I understand that, but you want to promote honesty. 830 00:51:20,220 --> 00:51:24,180 You want to promote a positive environment because that's where you're going to get the 831 00:51:24,180 --> 00:51:29,660 most bang for your buck with people is by being honest, authentic and positive, which 832 00:51:29,660 --> 00:51:33,980 authenticity would encompass the honesty and positivity. 833 00:51:33,980 --> 00:51:39,620 You know, language is an incredibly powerful tool that shapes our thoughts, that shapes 834 00:51:39,620 --> 00:51:46,620 our behaviors, our identities, and the very fabric of our society or anyone's society 835 00:51:46,620 --> 00:51:53,060 and understanding the power of language empowers us to communicate more consciously and effectively. 836 00:51:53,060 --> 00:51:58,580 And if we just reflect on our own use of words and be mindful of the impact it has on others 837 00:51:58,580 --> 00:52:05,380 and recognize manipulate of language, we can navigate our world with greater awareness 838 00:52:05,380 --> 00:52:06,380 and integrity. 839 00:52:06,380 --> 00:52:11,980 Because basically folks, language has the potential to build bridges, inspire change, 840 00:52:11,980 --> 00:52:15,900 and create a more connected and empathetic society. 841 00:52:15,900 --> 00:52:20,860 And when you have that, then you have harmony, you have peace, you have people willing to 842 00:52:20,860 --> 00:52:22,460 work together. 843 00:52:22,460 --> 00:52:23,460 I want to thank you. 844 00:52:23,460 --> 00:52:28,860 I know I rambled a lot, but I do want to thank you from the bottom of my heart or the top 845 00:52:28,860 --> 00:52:33,220 of it or the middle of it or whatever part of the heart that I'm thanking you with. 846 00:52:33,220 --> 00:52:38,220 I want to thank you for joining me on this journey through the power of language, the 847 00:52:38,220 --> 00:52:39,940 power of words. 848 00:52:39,940 --> 00:52:45,460 And I really hope that this episode has provided you with some valuable insights and practical 849 00:52:45,460 --> 00:52:50,900 tools to use language more thoughtfully in your daily life and encounters. 850 00:52:50,900 --> 00:52:56,340 And if you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to Life Unsubscripted from your 851 00:52:56,340 --> 00:52:59,780 favorite podcast channel and share it with your friends. 852 00:52:59,780 --> 00:53:01,660 And I would love for you to leave us a review. 853 00:53:01,660 --> 00:53:03,780 It would really mean the world to me if you did. 854 00:53:03,780 --> 00:53:10,100 It would give me some insights into what you're thinking and what you want to hear more about. 855 00:53:10,100 --> 00:53:11,300 Because I read those reviews. 856 00:53:11,300 --> 00:53:14,780 Folks, I'm Alan Stafford and this has been Life Unscripted. 857 00:53:14,780 --> 00:53:20,860 Remember, life has no scripts and every day is an opportunity to write your own story. 858 00:53:20,860 --> 00:53:34,900 Until next time, take care and stay curious my friend.