The War On Words
There is a war going on in our world today. It has nothing to do with armies, nations or militant groups. On the contrary. This war has everything to do with intelligence, creativity and the future of complex thinking everywhere.
There is a war on words, a war on language.
Point the finger at social media, instant messaging, cell phone companies, millennials, ultimately the internet, but where it started is irrelevant in my eyes today. The real question is not where it began but where is it going, and what will be the carnage left along the way?
We have moved out of an Old English, New king James area where language was filled with color and vivid imagery.
And now? It has been dwindled down to txt spk and emoticons. Three of those last four words written didn't even show up in spell check as improper spelling.
Our world has changed.
Where human interaction once thrived, we now see social media relationships exist; controlled by each user, images are managed and communication is limited, subject to substantial interpretation by the recipient.
Where language was once vibrant and imaginative, we now see sentence structure that more resembles my preschooler's "learning to read" books rather than an intriguing narrative.
Again, I cast no stone in any one direction. I simply ask the question: what are we to do about it? And honestly, I haven't the faintest idea.
But my lack of plan doesn't minimize the need for a plan...
Words have power; they can either speak life or death. With every utterance, we have a choice and hold the power.
Some of our communication today attempts to not take the road of life nor death, but to forge a path down the road of neutrality. We try to walk the line of commonplace and compromise, not to offend or ostracize anyone.
Your words are weapons. Be careful how you use them.
Would you consider joining me in putting the color back in our language? And join me in assuming the responsibility of our words once again? Let's take back the ground stolen in the war on words.