Truth Telling and the Abuse of Language

I suspect that there’s a certain amount of thought that can rattle around in a human head without the assistance of language -- a certain amount of spatial reasoning, perhaps, a baby’s silent attempt to stack his blocks -- something is going on in there.

But mostly we think with language -- and here I define think as the function of reason, the analysis and assessment of available facts, the kind of clear mental function that should take place before a person votes.

If you were a member of an elitist group trying to get complete control of a logical and stiff-necked people, what would you have to accomplish first? The citizens of that country would have to stop thinking, and since you can’t just pass a law against thought, their basic ability to think would have to be destroyed -– gradually before they noticed.  (more...)

Truth Telling and the Abuse of Language