Rethinking Language
Language is a vital and complex part of human connection. With regards to the former, it allows us to share our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with others. We all communicate in some way shape or form, whether that be verbal or nonverbal. With regards to the latter, it can be a very layered and nuanced medium in which we express unique ideas and customs within different cultures and societies. Learning a foreign language may help you begin to understand thoughts that may be different from your own. From stories passed down through generations to recipes and traditions, language helps preserve the most important parts of humanity and allows us to learn about others.
With that amount of power for good, however, comes the same amount of power for the opposite. Everything we say matters, and when wielded maliciously there can be serious consequences for the words we use. A prime recent example is former President Donald Trump referring to COVID-19 as the “China Virus” instead of its proper name. That decision had quantifiably negative effects on the Asian American community:
A report by Stop AAPI Hate found that there were 3,795 anti-Asian hate incidents between March 2020 and February 2021 (that were reported).
The number of anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 rose by nearly 150% over 2019.
A study done by San Francisco State University found a “50 percent rise in the number of news articles related to the coronavirus and anti-Asian discrimination between Feb. 9 and March 7,” in 2020.
There are tangible consequences when language is used irresponsibly, something that is magnified considerably when the people misusing it have considerable social and political power. This is all the more reason to be mindful of the words one chooses to use.
This may seem like common sense, but the post-Trump world we inhabit is one where being inflammatory can often be a way to victory. He certainly was not the first individual to utilize such tactics, but he is the person in the modern day who popularized being polarizing. There is an alarming correlation between the rise of Donald Trump and the rise of domestic terrorism. The United States averaged nearly 27 domestic terrorism incidents under 8 years of Obama; under 4 years of Trump, that number spiked to nearly 70. The hateful rhetoric used then opened the floodgates for the dehumanization of minority groups. He may no longer be in office, but the social rifts he opened are impossible to ignore. He was the latest in a long string of leaders inciting political violence with their words. From Germany in the 1920s and 1930s to Argentina and Turkey in the 1970s and 1980s, this is a common and global trend. The most famous example pre-Trump is easily the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. All he did was follow a blueprint that was laid out for him long before he arrived.
As was previously stated, Trump was not the cause of this issue, he was merely a symptom. A society that allows a person like that to lead them has deep foundational issues that need to be addressed. If we as a country were where we needed to be when it came to compassion and respect, his campaign never would’ve made it past the ground floor. We’re going to have to be better going forward to prevent that from ever happening again. That starts with how we interact with one another. We need to be mindful of the words we use, taking great care to be as inclusive as possible. This means avoiding any language that is racist, sexist, misogynist, hateful, presumptuous, prejudiced, etc. Language is always changing alongside culture and as society becomes more open-minded and progressive, we should start accepting that there are other ways of speaking than what we are used to.
Appropriately addressing all audiences is key for our communication to be effective. This will ensure spaces that are respectful and equitable to all people. Ask a person how they would like to be identified, including what pronouns they prefer. If you are uncertain of whether a term is derogatory, get input from the people that term will affect. It’s much better to ask upfront than to assume and be hurtful. Make room for complex identities that one may not fully understand. Understanding is not a requirement for treating someone with basic decency. The language that we use and the terms that we deem acceptable matter immensely. Before you make a statement, give a speech, or write an article, you need to consider the language that you’re using and the phrases you use to describe your perception. Once the words leave one’s mouth, they can’t be taken back.
There’s plenty more to talk about, plenty more dots to connect, plenty more context to give. We’ll continue doing so next week at 2 PM.
