[A2k] Neutral terms.

[Taran Rampersad]

Sasha Costanza-Chock wrote:
> No term is 'neutral.' All terms are chosen for what they will highlight
> or hide. A good example is the term 'collateral damage.' In a certain
> twisted sense someone might argue that it is more 'neutral' (designed
> not to induce emotional reaction) than 'murdered civilians,' but that
> would be a quite cynical argument.
I agree to a point. I would refine it and say that the meaning of a term
is contextual, and true understanding of a term requires considering it
in other contexts. Not many people are able to see beyond their own
context. Does liberated mean invaded? It's all rather subjective. Just
because the dominant perspective that people are surrounded by (or that
they surround themselves by) means one thing to them does not mean that
it means the same thing to other people. For example, a lot of people
believe in the concept of God, but there are several implementations of
the same concept around the world. To say that only one is right
typically leads to war, perhaps a War on Evil.

--
Taran Rampersad
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