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The day I understood the degree of control of language
Or rather I would say… influence
And it all begin with this video:
The presenter describes how different languages portray time. In some languages, the future is associated with the right side; in others, with the left side. In some languages, time flows towards us, while in others we run towards time, etc.
What made me think, though, is how words, language structures, and sounds make us perceive the reality around us. Afterwards, combine a specific word with a strong emotion, and you get a psychological weapon which can scar you for life.
Remember Harry Potter’s: “He Who Must Not Be Named.”
On the other hand, we have Alfred Korzybski’s statement: “The map is not the territory.” Mr. Korzybski (in my interpretation) states that a significant amount of misunderstanding stems from individuals putting different meanings into the same words; hence, one of the ways to reduce misunderstanding is to be more specific when making statements or referring to something or someone.
