Words. Do they matter?

i guess it depends on which manner you are asking if they "matter"?

Can they hurt someone's feelings? Sure can. But, to quote one of the greatest men who ever lived

There's a different group to get pissed off at you in this country for everything your not supposed to say. Can't say Nigger, Boogie, Jig, Jigaboo, Skinhead, Moolimoolinyon, Schvatzit, Junglebunny. Greaser, Greaseball, Dago, Guinea, Whop, Ginzo, Kike, Zebe, Heed, Yid, Mocky, Himie, Mick, Donkey, Turkey, Limey, Frog. Zip, Zipperhead, Squarehead, Crout, Hiney, Jerry, Hun, Slope, Slopehead, Chink, Gook.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those words in and of themselves. Their only words. It's the context that counts. It's the user. It's the intention behind the words that makes them good or bad. The words are completely neutral. The words are innocent. I get tired of people talking about bad words and bad language. Bull#! It's the context that makes them good or bad. The context. That makes them good or bad.

For instance, you take the word "Nigger." There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word "Nigger" in and of itself. It's the racist asshole who's using it that you ought to be concerned about. We don't mind when Richard Pryer or Eddie Murphy say it. Why? Because we know they're not racist. Their Niggers! Context. Context.

We don't mind their context because we know they're black. Hey, I know I'm whitey, the blue-eyed devil, paddy-o, fay gray boy, honkey, mother-#er myself. Don't bother my ass. Their only words. You can't be afraid of words that speak the truth, even if it's an unpleasant truth, like the fact that there's a bigot and a racist in every living room on every street corner in this country.

full source



But Can they physically hurt someone? I think they can. I think they can cause someone to be physically hurt, thus can be an instrument for destruction.

Can they cause panic? Most Definitely. "FIRE" in a theater or "BOMB" on a plane will get you some chaotic outcomes

Can they ... kill? Well, according to our good friend Rush Limbaugh - words cannot kill



(fast forward to 3:50) "Words do not kill"

But i think Rush Limbaugh, and anyone else, needs to look no further than the 9/11 terrorists to realize that words do indeed kill.

So, OP, do words matter? Yes, they do. Words will always matter as long as human stupidity lives on.



[edit on 5-3-2010 by Snarf]

reply to post by seagull


The spoken word? No. Not to me. Talk is cheap. People can say anything and they usually do. I look at what a person does, not what they say.

The written word on the other hand is a whole other story [pun intended]. When a person writes something they typically put more thought and effort into the words they use then when they simply speak. Myself, when I write something, I go over what I want to convey before and as I write it. Much like what I'm doing right now. I choose my words carefully based on the point that I want to get across. If my point is knowlege, I'll use intelligent sounding and meaning words. If my point is hatred towards something or someone, I'll use hateful, spiteful, and hurtful words. If my point is to console...... well, I think you get the picture.

I've always been able to convey with words my thoughts, feelings, and intentions a lot better when I write them down then if I try to say them. This thread for example, there's no way I would be able to orally tell you what I'm telling right now as articulatly as my writing it. Therefore, my words have more power. Somehow, something gets lost in the translation between the thought and the oration. That doesn't happen when I write.

So, do words matter? By all means. I've always felt that if a person not only has an excellent command of whatever language they speak, but also the skill to get those words across effectivly to the people they're speaking to, there's almost nothing they can't accomplish. The opposite also holds true. You can have the best ideas and intentions in the world, but if you don't know how to put them into words, they mean nothing.

Look at the likes of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Hitler. They were powerful leaders in their own right who were able to affect history making changes in this world,for better or worse, because of the words they chose to use and their skill at getting their point across to their target audience.

A television show or a movie can have the best actors money can buy to help get large audiences, but without a powerful script ,words, it means nothing. There are a couple of episodes of the X-Files I remember where some of the best, most powerful scenes came from bit actors. Why? Because of the words.


If I wanted to, I could convince everybody on this web site that the sky is purple simply because of the words and links [ made up solely with words] I choose to use.

So yes, words matter. More so than the vast majority of people on this planet realize.



Peace

Intent is very important...but it's the words that are the tool used to express that intent, however kind, or less than kind.

Words convey emotions.

Of course it matters the intent behind the word. I agree completely with that.

We live in a symbolic reality

Words are what we use to communicate

words incite a meaning to us in the language portion of our brain

the nature of our reality in this conscious plane is syntactical

the world is made up of words and if you know the words the world is made of you can make the world whatever you wish

as the late Great Terrence Mckenna put it