Words

A word as defined by the dictionary

word
/wɜrd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [wurd]
–noun
1. a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning.
dictionary.reference.com...

Think of a word and usually you will also visualize an image representing the word as it is interpreted within your mind. Be it an object, place, person, action or thing.

By combining words that cause various emotional responses and visualized image representations, a person delivering said words (in any format and medium) could implant suggestions, ideas and thoughts; to an unsuspecting audience.

People communicate through various means; verbally, written, signed, seen, heard or felt.

Powerful words are often accompanied by some form of imagery, be it a costume, a movie, a photo, product etc. That imagery in turn, is stored in our minds as a representation of those words. You see a mop and you know it's a mop and can only be a mop because it matches the visual representation in your mind of what a mop is.

An interesting thing to ponder is what someone else's visual representation of something may be. Say "cat" and most people will picture something with 2 ears, a tail, and that it meows or mews and purrs or growls.

Picture a banana, do you think of a ripe yellow one, a green one, a plantain, a monkey or something else?

Television allows words to be used via speech and visual imagery, which when combined; create mass stored visual representations among a large audience.
Some programs or movies may have no actual speech, however the imagery shown is still interpreted within our minds as words.

A silent film showing a farm scene with a field of wheat, a weather vane spinning in the wind, maybe a few cows in a field and a farmer on his tractor, tilling his land. Each of those is interpreted within our minds. We know the farmer is a farmer because who else is sitting on a tractor in a field. We know it's a farm because all those things are usually what farm is comprised of.

By combining power words via your desired medium, you could literally get anyone to do anything you desired. Some people have gotten famous by showing off their skills, such as Darren Brown of the UK. To please your eyes and mind, here is a Youtube video of Darren in action.

search youtube, there's a lot more videos of him there.

Politicians, presidents, lawmakers, actors and everyone in the "system", use power words to get their piece of the pie in the grand scheme of things. Their words cause us to cringe, cry, laugh, smile, etc via the delivered medium (TV, magazine, book, radio, etc).

A deeper look

into the power of words...

Dissecting words/visual imagery:

Banana
ba⋅nan⋅a
/bəˈnænə/ Show Spelled [buh-nan-uh]
–noun
1.a tropical plant of the genus Musa, certain species of which are cultivated for their nutritious fruit. Compare banana family.
2.the fruit, esp. that of M. paradisiaca, with yellow or reddish rind.
dictionary.reference.com...

I've never seen a banana with a reddish rind, but now that I've read it exists, I have a new visual image in my mind for what a banana is or looks like; even though I've only read about it.

If we have a banana in our hand, we know it's a banana based on our previously stored information, whether personally experienced or through other means or persons.

Getting back to Darren Brown.

Some people, consciously or not; are able to manipulate others to their whim. We experience and do to others everyday of our lives.

Ever walk into a store and buy something on a last second whim because you couldn't leave empty handed? You picture a store and you know a store sells stuff to people. People go in empty handed and leave carrying something of some sort. Heck you'd look darn right silly walkout of of a store empty handed, afterall why did you go in? are you lost?

While in the store, your mind is being bombarded with powerful words via advertising and product placements.

Next time you read or hear a news headline, think of each word and try to figure out the reaction they are trying to create and receive from the audience.

Manipulate a group of people into being happy or outraged at something and you could use that happiness or anger to pass laws, regulations, zoning's etc.
You can rewrite history, make people famous, destroy people, get rich, get powerful, buy a country or several.

Do some things exist simply because a word exists for it and somehow we've stored it in memory?

For example, if I tell you "The fliofluo is a tropical bird", right away you have no idea what I am talking about however; you know its a bird and probably colorful. It's about the size of an ostrich, is completely blue in color and has been terrorizing the town of Butte, Texas; physical contact with the beast requires a tetanus shot to prevent any plague germs.

The bird doesn't actually exist but if it did, you'd know it was big, blue and probably dangerous to be around. A few words and now you've stored an image of this thing in your mind along with the signal to run like heck if you see one.

I could probably ramble on for hours on the subject, but suddenly pressing matters await; so without further ado, the conclusion: The world is run by people using powerful words to manipulate others to their will via long-term indoctrination via various mediums (tv, magazine, ads, etc).

Let's fight fire with fire, let's fight back.

ps. See what too much word manipulation causes, in this post:
Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerlein
www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 18-5-2009 by warrenb]