Danger of Words

“We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far” (Swami Vivekananda). Words and thoughts have a symbiotic relationship. As implied by Vivekananda, one directly affects the other. However, deceitful thought expressed through words in a fraudulent manner have the power to change another’s emotions, actions and, ultimately, morals. One such example of doublespeak, as this is called, is euphemism where sophisticated language is written with the motive of deception. An excellent example is George Orwell’s 1984 where doublespeak is used with such precision that the entire public was transformed into mechanical puppets. The power of delusive words are illustrated in this novel within each step. They are seen in rules, language and, eventually, thought. Another example where euphemism is employed, one worthy of the NCTE Doublespeak Award itself, is the field of medicine. Health is a category where precision and factual data dominate. However, physicians have the power to reconstruct phrases for self-purposes which usually leads to misconceptions. Euphemism is employed as a manipulating tool by modern-day physicians and the Party in Orwell’s 1984 to maintain a glorified reputation by obscuring knowledge.

The use of doublespeak disables emotional reactions which, in return, leads to a tranquil environment. In Winston’s world, every individual is controlled strictly by the bonds of the government. Literature, documents, rules, as well as language have been altered to limit the public’s knowledge. Every sentence pronounced by the Party is to be swallowed as an unquestionable fact. In one circumstance, when it is mentioned that Oceania is at war with Eastasia, not...

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...theless, it can be said that both users show a sense of superiority through their usage of euphemistic terms.

Words used by the Party and physicians in the medical field had an impact on their audience’s thought. A simple alternation of a sentence appears to impact the human mind greatly demonstrating how dependent they are to each other. Making use of an audience’s lack of knowledge and suppressing emotions, the manipulators are able to gain what they want-- a respected status. Euphemism and other forms of doublespeak can be easily slipped into writing. The amount of doublespeak exploited in modern society is frightening. A reader must beware such forms of trickery. In the present-day world, one must be careful and must fully understand terms before assuming anything. A misinterpretation of a mere word can have a lasting impact. One must not fall for this trap.