How Words Manipulate Part 2

IN a previous article posted on this blog, I attempted to show how easily we are manipulated by the wording of copyright restriction notices (see How Words Manipulate of January 2007). I wrote that article because it had become annoying enough in my mind and I needed an outlet.

Recently I have been getting annoyed by the rhetoric of the gutter press, magazines, web sites, radio and television — especially when journalists interview serious professionals who cannot resort to quips or soundbites, or when politicians are involved!

That is why I have returned to this subject. This time I want to concentrate on how we are manipulated by the spoken word — by what is known as

What is the Best Form of Government?

ALL today’s politics and ideologies are in fact pretty new. It’s odd that we just take for granted ideas like Capitalism, Democracy, Communism, Socialism, Trades Unions, insurance, banking, and even parliaments as the norms.

However, the truth is that they are all experimental ideas — all of them are man-made, designed, thought up, devised, planned and contrived — and they are not very old, so they have not had a lot of time to iron out the wrinkles.

What is Democracy Anyway?

DEMOCRACY is a myth.

“Democracy” seems to be considered to be a good and desirable “thing” — some people even believe that it is a basic human right. Others think of it as being natural. Honestly, the way the media report it, you would imagine that there is only one clearly defined “democracy”.

For goodness sake: people are dying in the fight for democracy — yet it can mean almost anything; it is a myth — and I will prove it!

Where Is the Quality?

WE LIVE IN A BLAND WORLD. Devoid of personality, free from character and lacking in wit.

We have created a world of political correctness, of feminine sidedness and equality, an irrational and fundamentally dishonest world. A good question would be “why?” — but I suppose no-one is allowed to ask that!

Why There is Binge Drinking

BINGE DRINKING is often in the press: “Something should be done about it”.

Any attempt to solve the binge-drinking problem must first surely attempt to understand why it exists and how it came about.

Why Politicians are Not Good for Us

POLITICIAN is a job title; it is paid employment.

And who pays the politician’s wages and expenses? — That’s right, WE DO.

So what does the job entail? In other words, what do we get for our money?

Why Bicycles Are An Anomaly

THE UK’s traffic and transport system is not cohesive and makes no sense.  I aim to show here that bicycles are neither understood nor taken seriously, and that their primary role is merely as a blunt weapon — mainly against the car. The car is the target of hatred by many for all sorts of reasons, even though it is extremely popular (see Why The Car is Best).

Public transport these days tends to be in the hands of private companies, and while there are calls for improved services, the government has already taken action. Very expensive action. This action has two effects: it targets cars and it appears to promote bicycles! (see How To Stop Traffic Jams & Save Lives).

Why The Car is Best

THE car is not perfect, but it is still the best. It really is — and to deny this simple truth can only lead to unhappiness. Facts are facts, and facts have to be faced. What I shall attempt to do here is explain for the record why the car is best (as completely as I possibly can).

How To Stop Traffic Jams & Save Lives

GETTING it right first time is a rarity. But even if something was done right first time, because the surrounding world changes, there has to be a limit to how long it can remain right.

In other words, everything ought to be monitored and reviewed regularly, with changes made as required.

• How likely do you think it is that traffic and town planners have managed to get things right from the start?

What Dinosaurs Were Really Like

WE are fed lies all the time.

Some people might think that this statement is a tad paranoid, mistaken or exaggerated — but is it?

Take paleontologists — these guys don’t seem like typical liars, and maybe they’re not, but they keep a lie alive whether they know it or not. Somewhere along the line someone looked at a fossil and guessed at all sorts of things — what colour was it’s hair or fur, what it ate, and — the most incredible of them all — what noise it made!