Why do we speak? Why do we write? It’s because we have something to communicate, so we do it with the words whose definitions represent it most correctly, right? No, not usually. We naturally think that whenever we speak, the most important thing is the topic of conversation, but really the content of the words rarely matters; it’s the context that lies beneath them that is important. A person wants to convey a feeling, or connect with another person, or find mental stimulus, or show dominance, and so they choose their words, tone, and body language in order to do it. The literal definitions of the words are often little more than a distraction.
When we engage in small talk, we aren’t really talking about our relatives and the weather, but showing the other person that they are worth our time. Or, we might be showing off our competence, that we have something useful to offer about any topic the conversation turns to. Or, by uttering specific phrases or sympathies with certain viewpoints, we might be signaling different aspects of ourselves, to see if we can connect with the other person.
Oftentimes people will repeat sayings or claims in order to signal they belong to a group. “Government isn’t the solution, it’s the problem,” “all white people are a little bit racist,” “Make America great again,” and “The Lord is risen,” are all examples. People who say these things may believe that they’re conveying a literal message, but really they’re feeling out whether the person they are talking to belongs to the same group as they do.
When someone says, “global warming is a hoax,” they aren’t talking about global warming. Instead, they are signaling to their in-group, as described above, but they are also doing something else. Because it contradicts the words of those in power, it gives them a thrill of freedom, effectively saying, “you can’t tell me what to say.” Alternatively, when a representative of an oil company says the same words, they are trying to get money. Neither is actually talking about the scientific phenomenon of global warming.
When does the literal content of the words matter? Remember, the fundamental question is what we should do, not what is true. Everything in our lives comes down to determining what actions we choose and how much effort we put into them. Thus, the literal meanings of our words are only directly important when those who are speaking are trying to get those who are listening to cooperatively do something. More specifically, instructions, laws, teaching, and problem solving.
But what about philosophy? What about intellectual conversations and blog discussions? Aren’t those impossible without taking the literal meanings of the words? That’s true, but the meanings of the words are only important because they facilitate the purpose of the discussion, which is to engage the rational part of the brain. Let’s take this blog for example. It’s very analytical, talking about my thoughts and observations about things. Its lifeblood is the content of the words. But it’s not these words that matter; I could talk about any of a million things, and it would serve its purpose just fine. That purpose is to think out loud, to arrange my thoughts and perceptions into a picture that makes sense. And your purpose for reading it is most likely the same.
But seriously, I’m a writer. Shouldn’t I, of all people, believe in the value of words? Of course I do. It’s just that, as a writer, it’s more important to me than to anyone to recognize that it’s not the definitions of the words that are most important, but understanding the purpose beneath the words, so that I can use them in the best way to fulfill that purpose. A good story needs to make logical sense in order to keep the logical part of the brain satisfied, but more importantly it has to engage the reader’s emotions and imagination. If a story just tells about how this happens and the characters go there and do that, it’s boring and not worth reading. This is where the power of songs and poems come from. You’ve probably noticed that the best ones aren’t the ones that tell a logical story or are literally descriptive, but the ones that stir the emotions and the imagination. It’s not the words that matter, but the purpose beneath the words.
No comments:
Post a Comment