Using language to frustrate human chauvinists.

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Language is power. Language, as handed down through the ages, as spoken by all,

consciously or not, is power. It moulds our attitudes and fashions the

personality. The radical thinker will consciously and deliberately change

his/her use of language, deliberately avoiding stock phrases and clichés which

are incompatible with his/her philosophical views and political aims; but the

majority, who are not radical thinkers, will simply use the language which is

current, without thinking, and without realising that they are perpetuating the

ignorance of their forebears and moulding a new generation (their offspring) in

accordance with their own prejudices and ignorance. Even most who see themselves

as radical thinkers, however, and many of those who genuinely are such, will

find themselves through habit and social practice using the same phrases as

reactionaries and human chauvinists, but they will notice it as soon as uttered,

and will consciously do something about it. This will, to begin

with, be an ongoing process of self-correction, but, gradually, conscious

tailoring of language to make revolution will help to do just that, as pointing

out the fallacy of terminology and clichés which are generally accepted will set

other people thinking.

Human chauvinism can be embarrassed and illuminated by us catching ourselves out

when we unthinkingly use certain terms:

 

1) Stop using " it " to describe a nonhuman animal; use " he " or " she " .

2) Use words such as " people " and " person " when referring to nonhuman animals.

3) Say " I`ve suffered a bereavement " when referring to the decease of a nonhuman

animal friend, the same as one would say of a human friend.

4) As with 2), use " someone " , not " something " , when speaking of a nonhuman

animal.

5) Do not use terms such as " put down " when referring to the euthanasia of an

animal. If euthanasia, use the word euthanasia. If wanton killing, use the word

murder. Pick people up on this when they use the conventional terms.

6) As with 5), say " murder " , not " slaughtering " , when referring to the killings

in abattoirs.

7) Use the word " funeral " in connection with nonhuman animals too.

8) Use the term " corpse-eater " instead of " meat-eater " . Say " corpses " instead of

" meat " .

 

These are some changes one can consciously make in daily parlance, which will

set other people aback and hopefully start them thinking about their

language-use too.

 

 

" The life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. " ~ Gandhi.

 

BIGGER THAN ANY HUMAN MASSACRE IS THE CURRENT WORLD HOLOCAUST THAT IS FACTORY

FARMING! STRIKE A BLOW AT THIS DESTRUCTIVE AND BLOODY SYSTEM BY REFRAINING FROM

EATING MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS AND REFRAINING FROM ALL BY-PRODUCTS OF THE MEAT

BUSINESS! www.viva.org.uk & www.vivausa.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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