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

Why Consumer Choice is Not Good

I AM going to argue here that things have gone wrong, and that responsibility has become misplaced. It seems to me to be the case that things are no longer what they once were, that things are no longer simple.

Allow me to illustrate: Bread is no longer just bread, there

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!

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).

Who or What is God?

WRITING about God is always going to be controversial, that’s a given, but everybody seems to be doing it on the web, so I thought I would contribute to the debate in my own small way.

I ask you to consider God from a whole new point of view. Try it and see what you think. First of all unburden yourself for the time being of your prejudices and beliefs, just for the sake of argument.

How To Manage Racism, Sectarianism and Sexism

RACISM, segregation, apartheid, exclusivity, equal opportunity, élite… these words (and many others) strike fear into the hearts of modern folk. Why?

How It All Began

THE BEGINNING of mankind, of the planet, even of time itself can never be known, merely guessed.

In the traditional Jewish faith, the Tanakh or Written Torah has a book entitled Genesis that follows the pattern of the Ancient Greek. These traditions involve (a) gods, (b) a male, (c) a female, (d) a temptation, and (e) a tempter.