Playing Twist & Shout
What most people consider facts are really inter-subjective truths. - Popper h/t
Exercise 1:
Consider the following words:
1. President 2. Strongman 3. Dictator
Q1: What’s the difference between these three words?
Q2: Could they be used to describe the same person?
Exercise 2:
Is it possible that Donald Trump can be labeled as either a:
1. President 2. Strongman 3. Dictator
Q1: Which is the correct word to describe, or rather, the correct label to ascribe, to Donald Trump?
Q2: Which is the factual word or label to describe Trump?
Do you see where I’m going with this?
Exercise 3:
Bertrand Russell presented the following construction:
1. He is firm. 2. She is obstinate. 3. They're a pig-headed fool.
Q: What’s the difference between these three phrases?
A: The difference is the implied conclusion made by smuggling – Trojan Horsing if you will – emotional judgments into adjectives and nouns. Huh?
When you hear the word firm, you get a good feeling. When you hear the word obstinate, you get a different feeling. When you hear pig-headed fool, you definitely get a feeling.
What most people consider facts are really inter-subjective truths. - Popper h/t
Nouns Are Emotional
Simply put, words can be twisted to imply conclusions. Strategic noun selection can be used to make emotional judgments. In other words, you can tell the reader what to think by the words you choose to employ.
It’s comforting to think that if we assemble the facts - not misinformation, disinformation, but THE FACTS – that we’ll end up with the right conclusion. The only problem is, we never have access to perfect information.
Therefore, making conclusions based on the subset of the facts that we have is always going to contain errors…and it’s not likely you know enough to know where ALL the errors are.
It’s not what you know that gets you in trouble, but what you know that just ain’t so. - Twain
The Next Time You're Arguing
So the next time you’re arguing, start tuning into the word selection, and ask yourself:
What words are they choosing? Why are they choosing these words? What does their word selection tell you about the opinion they have, about the opinion they want you to agree with? Are they smuggling emotional judgments into logical statements?!
WHAT DOES THEIR WORD SELECTION TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO BELIEVE.
Hang out with nerds long enough and they’ll tell you about the OODA Loop by John Boyd. That’s an easy one. But because nerds don’t read source documents unless it’s code, they rarely tell you the rest of the story...
领英推荐
When facing an enemy with better weapons, the only way to win is confusion. ~ Boyd, Patterns of Conflict
It's Not The Media's Job To Tell You The Truth
Now you can play the victim all you want, but the truth is, It’s not the media’s job to tell you the truth. It’s your job to decide which truth you choose to believe.
Eventually, you’ll realize that the truth you choose to believe is broken due to your inability to access perfect information. In other words, given your inability to access perfect information, your precious logic doesn't work right.
Don’t be mad, just know it. - Tenn-Yuk
BONUS - Doing Homework With ChatGPT
I pasted the article above in ChatGPT; I didn't expect it to complete the homework with explanations! WOW.
This exercise explores the concept that the language and words we choose can convey not just information, but also implicit emotional judgments and subjective perspectives. Let's dive into each exercise.
Exercise 1:
Consider the following words:
1. President 2. Strongman 3. Dictator
Q1: What’s the difference between these three words?
A1: President, Strongman, Dictator: These words all describe leaders, but with different connotations. A president is generally viewed as a democratically elected leader. A strongman is often seen as a leader who uses force or authority to maintain power, sometimes within a democratic system. A dictator is an authoritarian ruler with absolute power, often obtained and maintained through undemocratic means.
Q2: Could they be used to describe the same person?
A2: Can they describe the same person? Yes, depending on the context and perspective. A leader might be democratically elected as a president, but if they start exercising power autocratically, they might be termed a strongman or even a dictator.
Exercise 2:
Is it possible that Donald Trump can be labeled as either a:
1. President 2. Strongman 3. Dictator
Q1: Which is the correct word to describe, or rather, the correct label to ascribe, to Donald Trump?
A1: Donald Trump: The correct label depends on perspective and context. He was officially the President of the United States, as he was democratically elected to this position. However, some critics might use terms like strongman or dictator metaphorically to describe his leadership style, especially if they believe he exerted authority in a way that undermined democratic norms.
Q2: Which is the factual word or label to describe Trump?
A2: Factual word for Trump: The factual term would be "President," as it is the official title he held and objectively describes his role within the U.S. government structure.
Exercise 3:
Bertrand Russell presented the following construction:
1. He is firm. 2. She is obstinate. 3. They're a pig-headed fool.
Q1: What’s the difference between these three phrases?
A1: He is firm. She is obstinate. They're a pig-headed fool.: The difference lies in the connotations of the words used. "Firm" often has a positive connotation, suggesting strength and resolve. "Obstinate" has a more negative connotation, implying stubbornness in a less admirable way. "Pig-headed fool" is a strongly negative phrase, conveying stubbornness and foolishness.
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
The overarching theme of these exercises is to illustrate how word choice can shape perceptions and convey subjective truths. Even factual statements can be infused with subjective judgments, revealing the biases or intentions of the speaker. This aligns with Popper's and Berhe's views that what we often consider as facts are inter-subjective truths, shaped by our perceptions, biases, and the limitations of our knowledge.
This understanding is crucial in critical thinking and media literacy, where one must be aware not just of the information presented, but also of how it is presented and the potential biases or emotional judgments embedded within that presentation.
How might I explain this to a kid?
Hey there! So, you're watching TV for the first time, right? Cool! Let me break down something important about how people talk on TV, in shows, news, or anywhere else.
When people choose certain words, it's not just about the info they're giving. It's like picking a filter for a photo - the words they choose can change how you see things. Imagine someone says, “He’s a rebel.” That could sound cool, like a hero in a movie. But if they say, “He’s a troublemaker,” it sounds bad, right? Same person, different words, different feelings.
This guy named Popper and another one named Berhe had this idea: what we think are hard facts are often colored by people's opinions and the way they see the world. It's like everyone's wearing different-colored glasses, seeing the same thing in different ways.
Why does this matter, especially when you're watching TV? Because TV shows, news, everything really, they're all telling you a story. And the way they tell it can make you think or feel a certain way. They might use scary words for something not that scary, or make something serious sound like no big deal.
The key is to be a bit like a detective. Don't just listen to what they're saying, but think about how they're saying it. Are they using words to make something sound better or worse? What are they not saying? It’s about being smart with what you watch and hear, not just taking it at face value.
So, enjoy watching TV, but keep your detective hat on and think about the words people choose and why. It's a super important skill, not just for TV, but for understanding the world around you!