Re: manipulating language / rights

Bjorn Conrad Fry (bear@USNET.US.NET)
Sun, 1 Jan 1995 03:41:40 -0500

> = David Beriss
>> = his quoting me

Ref: David Beriss' reply

>> I believe in equal rights and the maximization of personal freedoms
>>for ALL, regardless of gender or group affiliation. That ultimately, is
>>more radical and liberty loving than what most who push "newspeak" tend to
>>tolerate.

>Question: where can you possibly have gotten this opinion? Have you been
>listening intently to the ravings of the dittoheads about "PC" and
>"feminazis"?

All I can presume is that you are listening to talk radio much more than I
am, because I don't understand how you came up with that. Do I sense an
attempt to score some points using a common associative technique?

>What you say here is, in my experience, simply not true...

It sure would be nice if I were wrong. As I've defined those who
consciously _push_ "newspeak," they, more often than not, are quite willing
to manipulate others for their own ends, and or, what is worse, out of the
sincere and conceited belief that they know better, what is good for
others, than those others do. ... and this, without much consideration for
what those others might believe, think, understand or want. Whether it is
bible thumping missionaries, well meaning Third World health relief
workers, "holier than thou" politicos, or socialistic "Skinnerite"
intellectual elitists, among many others of course, all in one way or
another believe that they or their group movements know better what is good
for you than you do. All see self-reliant, free thinking, independent,
educated, responsible, and empowered individuals as obstacles to their
ends. If you are afraid of allowing _all_ information to flow freely among
adults, if you try to outlaw, curtail or disrupt speech or communications
because you disagree with what is said, if you hold your cause above those
of others, forsake humility, and act accordingly, if your end justifies
your means, if you don't believe in the marketplace of ideas and open
expression, if you don't believe that letting substance, logic and sober
learning prevail above quasi intellectual "group think," the dissemination
of misinformation, propaganda, and process manipulations, etc. ... you
know if you fall into this category or not.

>Those
>of us who want people to pay attention to HOW they say what they say believe
>these issues are far from simple.

Does what I say about this seem so simple? I for one, am struggling with
being both reasonable and unmanipulated. How about you?

>If that confuses you, follow Winnie the
>Pooh's dictum: Think!

Ah, love that associative method! .... Think? I have, am, and will, if you
will too. :-)


H A P P Y N E W Y E A R A L L !

Bjorn