Monday, June 20, 2011

Political correctness


Words have the power to cast spells. Woven into gossamer webs, they can hypnotize their audience into thinking along the same lines as their author. This can happen so subtly that people often don’t think of resisting. But when at last they find themselves suffocating and having to fight loose, they resent having been in such a vulnerable position.

People have urged me to, “Write down your ideas, they are so unique,” but you can never be sure that the next day they won’t ridicule, revile and stone you. Don’t be surprised if they crucify you for thought crime. And if you think that thought crime exists only in Orwell’s 1984, try speaking out against the government in politically incorrect terms. You’ll learn firsthand about the laws against sedition. Or as an educator, proclaim that the holocaust never happened. Your feet will hardly touch the ground on your way off to prison. Audiences are fickle, tricky to deal with, and tough to second guess. It’s a real risk tossing around heretical notions concerning the Meaning of Life.  




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