Saturday, February 29, 2020
Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay
Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay According to Don Marquis, the majority of abortions are seriously immoral and should fall under the same moral category as killing innocent human adults. His central argument revolves around the idea that it is prima facie wrong to kill adult humans because doing so results in the victimââ¬â¢s loss of the value of its future. He concludes that it is therefore prima facie wrong to kill fetuses because it also results in a loss of a valuable ââ¬Å"future life like ours.â⬠However, Judith Thompson and Margaret Little are able to provide more reasonable arguments for what should be considered the most important factor in deciding how to deal with abortion. They may be more open-minded to abortion but do not feel as though abortion should always be permissible. After considering each argument, I have found that a womanââ¬â¢s right to have an abortion is determined by each situation and is simply a choice-which should not be taken lightly-that should be made solely by a pregna nt woman. Marquis simply fails to recognize that a woman has rights that can make abortion morally permissible upon declining to continue the extremely intimate period of gestation. Unlike Marquis, I believe abortion is not impermissible yet not always permissible either. Upon thorough inspection, I have found some flaws in Marquisââ¬â¢ argument. Marquis tries to argue that ââ¬Å"personhoodâ⬠is not the moral category in question with regards to the moral permissibility of abortion. But he claims that someone (the fetus) has a future like ours and therefore should not be deprived of such future. If personhood is irrelevant, then it is unclear that there actually is someone (a person) who can be deprived of such things. At one point Marquis even says that morally permissible abortions would be rare under his argument-unless they occurred early enough in pregnancy when a fetus is not yet a definite ââ¬Å"individual.â⬠So, is personhood important to him or not? What does he mean by ââ¬Å"individualâ⬠? Further complications ensue from his argument. In addition to assuming that a fetus is not a person yet still has a right to life because with their death comes a deprivation of a future like ours, people who use Marquisââ¬â¢ argument could then argue that it is wrong to ââ¬Å"killâ⬠fertilized, but not yet implanted, eggs. Is it then wrong to use contraceptives because possible egg and sperm pairs (zygotes) are prevented from having a future like ours? Marquis says that the immorality of contraception cannot be argued for with his ââ¬Å"future-like-oursâ⬠analysis because there is no identifiable subject that can suffer this loss. However, neither the potential person (fetus with a future-like-ours) or the possible person (zygote prevented by contraception) actually exist. Because of this, it becomes difficult to understand how a potential person can be a subject of harm anymore than a possible person can. Therefore, the question of existence is being asked here because it seems as if potential persons (and their futures alike) are only possible things, not actual existing things. If this is so, then is there really a subject of harm?
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing Essay
Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing countries - Essay Example Their investment in developing nations have improved the material well being of the people in these nations through access to better goods or services and improved wages. Studies conducted by the OECD reveal that developing nations tend to receive higher wages from multinationals than their local counterparts. The OECD report found that a person working for a multinational is likely to earn 40% more wages than their counterparts in local firms. This is especially true for workers in Latin America and Asia. MNCs are motivated by the need to retain more workers in order to reduce turnover costs (OECD 44). Not all such organisations intend to pay workers more for similar work. Instead, they do so because the nature of industries they invest in is capital intensive. Additionally, a number of them have fairly large operations which may require committed employees. It is for this reason that they tend to pay better rewards to workers than their peers in firms within the same industry. Irrespective of their motivations, the end result is better earnings (Dunning and Sairanna 5). Analyses conducted in developing nations concerning how wages change over time after foreign direct investment show that wages may increase by close to 20%. Indonesia enjoyed a 19% increase in wage labour owing to foreign acquisitions of local firms. The increase emanated from the use of modern techniques of production. Parent companies in the first world already had the technical expertise needed to enhance production. Therefore, workers accumulated new skills that were eventually used as a precursor for better pay (Hijzen and Swaim 8). If a person moves from a locally-owned firm to a foreign-owned one in a country like Brazil, they are likely to enjoy a 21% increase in earnings. The OECD Employment outlook report also shows that those who make the same transition in a country like Portugal can enjoy increases of about 14%. It is for this reason that many third world countries seem to be so
Saturday, February 1, 2020
The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the Essay
The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the American South, which contains an excellent collection of - Essay Example There are also different challenges facing slaves evident from the narrative; Aaron is lamenting waiting for relief help from well-wishers such as Priests and Levites. It pains to see how he among other slaves suffers in the hands of slaveholders as the congress continues with its process regardless of the issues affecting slaves. However, he is grateful because he is alive seeing a new day as he struggle to fight slavery (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). How did masters maintain the institution of slavery? Oppression was one of the ways used by masters to maintain slaves in slavery. A slave was subjected to torture through thorough beating if they tempted to quit. This made most of the slaves submit as they feared death or other mistreatment from resisting forced labor. Examples of areas where slaves suffered were in the south and the north in the hands of slaveholders, who tied up their slaves for whipping and torture yet they had done nothing. What tactics did they use to enslave other h uman beings? One of the common tactics used by masters to enslave people is bribing friends or relatives; they would go kidnap people and later sell them to slaveholders. An ideal example is the family that was taken away by their cousin at midnight and sold into slavery back in 1834. The other example is the white man sold his three daughters after selling his wife to slavery. This was one of the challenging and painful issues taking place in slavery; people betraying their relatives into slavery for money in quite inhuman. There are also cases where people captured strangers, and sold them to slavery; this is in instances where they met them stranded in their activities or on their way attending to their issues. Arabs were the communities known to practice such activities (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Another tactic used by slaveholders to keep slaves was making them ignorant of their status. This is by building the thought that slavery is a natural state of being. Most of blacks in the narrative depict a thought that blacks have no capacity of taking part in civil societies in America. Through this, the white gathered courage to oppress the blacks by making them their servants. In slavery, slave children were denied a chance to education as this would make them have the capacity to read and write and this would be a challenge to the slaveholders. This is the reason why Aaron is an illiterate; this denied him a chance to evaluate the state of self-sufficiency and capability. If these slaves had the basis knowledge, they would question the dominance of whites over blacks. Slaveholders also took illiteracy to ensure that the life of slaves did not reach authorities who were against slavery. From this, slaves should seek education, as this is a gateway to freedom. Communication is also significant, as this would mobilize slaves in opposing oppression by slave-masters (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Most slaveholders were strong Christians. They had buried their evil di d in church thus blinding slaves; most slaves were also Christian therefore found it wired to fight their own religious leaders. This fact also barred the thought that slavery was an unchristian practice following the fact that most of the slave masters were religious leaders. This tactic made slavery prevail in the south as well as in the north despite the fact that it was an era where Christianity was gaining popularity among different communities. Christianity also blinded slaves because they had a strong faith thus
Friday, January 24, 2020
Essay --
Thereââ¬â¢s a myth that time is money. In fact, time is more precious than money. Itââ¬â¢s a nonrenewable resource. Once youââ¬â¢ve spent it, and if youââ¬â¢ve spent it badly, itââ¬â¢s gone forever, this famous quote by Neil Fiore has drastically changed my life. I have decided to use time efficiently thus not wasting this priceless resource. Comparably reducing time duration in doing projects in industries is one of the main ambition of Fredrick Winslow Taylor popularly known as Father of Industrial engineering and Charles W. Babbage who contributed greatly to industrial engineering. Greatly inspired and motivated by the works of these mechanical engineers, I have decided to pursue active research in Industrial Engineering as a career objective. It was in my sixth semester of my under graduate university curriculum I took a course titled Operations research which took me close to the basic concepts of Industrial engineering. The topics learned in this course and its usage in day to day life made me to show further interest in the subject. For example before buying a new vehicle, you would evaluate all the possible options available to reach office, then you would select the fast and cost effective option thus reducing your expenses by doing this you are unknowingly using the concept of ââ¬Å"Optimizationâ⬠which is a basic concept of Industrial engineering. This liveliness present in the subject truly enthralled me. However it was in my fourth semester the course Industrial engineering management taught how an industry can be managed effectively. Deeply interested in the topics I also selected project management as an elective subject; this even made me to go deeper into the basic concepts of Industrial Engineering like Gantt charts, critical path m... ...co curricular are as important as studies in evaluating students profile. I am an active member of National Social Service of VIT University.In the National service scheme special camp, I taught children in elementary schools for over 60 hours and explained to them the importance of education. .It is my firm belief that in order to achieve greater things in life, a bachelorââ¬â¢s degree is not sufficient. Based on my abilities and interests I feel that pursuing a graduate program at your prestigious university would benefit me greatly in the pursuit of my dreams and goals. In this rapidly progressing world, higher knowledge, and wider exposure to practical experience and involvement in more extensive research are essential to the development of a well-rounded engineer. Hoping with a positive attitude, I ardently look forward to be a part of your esteemed institution.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Police Abuse Essay
An officer who uses more force than policy allows is said to have used excessive force and may be guilty of police brutality, the excessive and lawless use of police force. Police officers are often seen as a thin blue line of protection between criminals and law-abiding citizens, but when they use excessive force, they cross the line and become criminals. Police brutality damages the image of law enforcement as well as the justice system. It leads to loss of trust in the policemen, which then creates a gap between them and people in the community. According to the early policing principles imported from 19th century England, it is the lack of centralized control which forms a corruption in America when opportunities of bribery were widespread. Police reforms from the 1930s to the 1950s sought to establish professionalism among police forces by introducing military-like command and higher performance standards. Not everyone agrees with this type of procedure when critics see the March 1991 beating of Rodney King by officers of Los Angeles Police Department which used professional policing. From Rodney King beating in 1991 through the O.J. Simpson trial, the rift has widened the threatening racial discrimination. The reasons for the gap are complex and deep. According to the experts, it is based on the nationââ¬â¢s painful racial history. The current practice of racial profiling, where skin color is a criterion to pull over a driver is ongoing today. For instance, when Reggie Miller, who is Black, had been ordered to pull over by a Nashville police officer for driving with expired tags, had suffered chronic back problems as a result of the beating. It was about 8:40 p.m. when he was shot on his chest and ordered him to lie face down on the ground. Within couple of minutes the officer, who didnââ¬â¢t have a chance to identify himself, called for backup. Suddenly Miller found himself as a cushion using his body from five police officers that had surrounded him. Miller also recalls that the officers gouge his eyes and choke him. This 1992 incident of Miller made him suffer a permanent back problem due to the beating and the shot he encountered. Police officers have no right by anyà means to harass a person. Otherwise, they are more considered as criminal because of such inhumane acts. In general, brutality is a form of punishment. Police officers are not supposed to punish but are expected to protect and serve. However, they seemed to expose brutality as punishment when they beat up Adolph Archie in March of 1992. Archie was shot by a police officer and the police officer did not even bother to rush him to the hospital. Instead, they waited in the parking lot until they found out that their injured colleague had died. Then the officers took Archie in the hospital while beating him dead. Unfortunately, Archie only breathe for 12 hours and was diagnosed with two skull fractures, a broken larynx, fractures of the cheekbones, bleeding testicles, teeth had been kicked in, and his entire body was exposed to blunt trauma. Brutality is an inhuman or savage form of cruelty. Police officers need not use too much force to stop a sus pect. Police brutality is an important topic to discuss because it deals with the life of a person, the misconduct of some police officers, the burden it caused and the lesson that everyone should get from it. Police officers must realize they were not given their badge to show that they are oneââ¬â¢s to be afraid of but to keep the peace and order of the community. They have the right to discipline a suspect which will depend on the physical condition of the latter. Police need not use the force if the suspect is already injured because it may only lead to a more tragic situation. In several cases, people died after being restrained by police officers. Police brutality does not cause anything positive. It only leads to racism, disrespect among people, loss of respect and confidence for the police and it makes citizens feel less safe. Not a single act did brutality explicit an advantage to the people. The possible solution to police brutality is to include in their training new techniques in handling suspects and criminals geared towards the demand for public policies that promote social and racial justice. Furthermore, police officers should receive antiracism and diversity training as a part of their education in police academies. Police officers must learn to conduct themselves in multiethnic and multicultural communities. To fund thisà solution, everyone must cooperate by respecting the police officers in our community and the law of United States of America. Without the cooperation of everyone, the prevailing widespread of police brutality will continue to grow. The people should give a serious thought of what they are doing in order to avoid violence. Letââ¬â¢s just think about the victims of violence and how thousands of people die every year because of brutality. Letââ¬â¢s not make one of our families and our next generations become a victim of these humiliating, devastating and inhumane acts of the police. We, as a nation, need concerted effort in protest for all the victims whose lives have been stolen and sacrifice. The goal must be nothing short of creating a just, humane, peaceful and less violent society. If there is no justice, there will be no peace in the United States. The widespread of police brutality has widened all over the world. The nation must join together to eliminate repression, unjust and abusive treatment by the police in order to have a more peaceful and harmonious nation. To terminate police brutality means calling for justice for our brothers and sisters whose lives have been stolen. In addition, this will give time for the government to open their eyes for the families of those who are unjustly locked down behind prison walls. It will allow balance of justice between the government officials and the people regardless of racial status. Our world would be a better place to live in because it lessens violence, death rate, and increases the confidence and harmony between the police and the community. Moreover, the absence of such brutality will terminate arrest and harassment based on racial origin. Bibliography: ââ¬Å"Activists Protest Against Police Brutality in LA,â⬠MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. ââ¬Å"Call for a National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/071400oct22.html, October 22, 2000. ââ¬Å"DNC Activists Protest Cop Brutality,â⬠MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. ââ¬Å"NYPDââ¬â¢s Bloody Month of August 1999, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/090699ndpnyc.html, September 6, 1999. Anderson, Kelly, Police Brutality, San Diego California, Kelly Anderson, 1995. Bender, David, Policing the Police, San Diego California, David Bender, 1995. Charles, Nick, ââ¬Å"Criminally Suspect,â⬠SIRS, (September 1995), 4 pages. Conroy, John, Unspeakable Act, Ordinary People, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Fitzgerald, Terence, Police in Society, New York, Terence Fitzgerald, 2000. Meeks, Kenneth, Driving While Black, New York, Kenneth Meek, 2000. Nelson, Jill, Police Brutality, New York, Jill Nelson, 2000. Roleff, Tamara, Police Brutality, San Diego California, David Bender, 1999. Steinhorn, Leonard, By the Color of our Skin, New York, Leonard Steinhorn, 1999.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Biography of Empress Theodora, Byzantine Feminist
Empress Theodora (c. 497ââ¬âJune 28, 548), wife of Emperorà Justinian I, is regarded as the most powerful woman inà Byzantineà history. Because of her intelligence and political savvy, she was Justinianââ¬â¢s most trusted adviser and used her influence to promote religious and social policies in line with her interests. She significantly expanded the rights of women. Fast Facts: Empress Theodora Known For: Most Influential Woman in the Byzantine EraBorn: c. 497 on Cyprus or in SyriaFather: AcaciusDied: June 28, 548 in Constantinople, modern-day TurkeySpouse: Justinian I Early Life Little is known of her early years. According to the historian Procopiusââ¬âwhose historical work, according to one source, which resembles a tabloid newspaper but is the best availableââ¬âher father Acacius was a bear keeper at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, a large stadium where chariot races and other events were staged, including bear-baiting. He died when she was 5. Her mother remarried and started Theodoras acting career. Theodora had two sisters, Comitona and Anastasia, and as a child she worked on stage as a mime with older sister Comitona before becoming a full-fledged actress, though in that day much of what was termed acting would later be euphemistically called adult entertainment. Offstage she was known for having numerous lovers and wild parties and for prostitution. She became the mistress of a wealthy man named Hecebolus, who for reasons unknown threw her out in roughly 521. She found religion, renounced her former lifestyle, and made a living as a wool spinner, returning to Constantinople in 522. Marriage When Justinian somehow met her, he was attracted by her beauty and intelligence and made her his mistress before marrying her in 525. Because of her disreputable background, special legislation was required to legalize such a marriage. (The independent record of this law being changed supports Procopius account of Theodoras lowly origins.) Justinians uncle and adoptive father, Emperor Justin I, died on August 1, 527, the date that Justinians reign is usually said to have begun, though modern scholars believe that he actually took over the government as early as 518. When Justinian took the throne, Theodora became the empress. Theodora exercised considerable influence, though she was never made co-regent. Because of her intelligence and unerring political sensibility, many believe that she, rather than Justinian, ruled Byzantium. Her name appears in nearly all the laws passed during that period, and she received foreign envoys and corresponded with foreign rulers, roles usually taken by the ruler. Nika Revolt Her influence in political affairs is illustrated by the Nika Revolt of January 532, which involved the Blues and the Greens, two Constantinople political factions that sponsored chariot races, animal contests, and stage plays in the Hippodrome and had attained substantial political power. The Blues and Greens had set aside their traditional rivalry to unite and oppose the government and establish a rival emperor. The revolt started on January 13, as the chariot races were to begin. Before the day was over, many public buildings were in flames.à Justinian had failed to head off the situation, and most of his advisers urged him to flee. Preparations were made, and a ship sat ready in the harbor to carry the emperor and empress to safety. At a meeting of the Imperial Council on January 18, Theodora sat listening to the men debating whether they should flee the city. Then, according to Robert Brownings Justinianà andà Theodora, she stood and addressed them: Whether or not a woman should give an example of courage to men is neither here nor there....I think that flight, even if it brings us to safety, is not in our interest. Every man born to see the light of day must die. But that one who has been emperor should become an exile I cannot bear.à She suggested that Justinian, his generals, and the other officials stay and save the empire. After she sat down, the men looked at each other and the generals began to discuss military plans. Belisarius, one of her husbands generals,à eventually herded the rebels into the Hippodrome, where they were slaughtered. Religion Theodora was a monophysite Christian, believing that Jesus Christs nature was purely divine, while her husband reflected orthodox Christianity, which holds that Jesus nature was both human and divine. Some commentators, including Procopius, allege that their differences were more pretense than a reality, presumably to keep the church from having too much power. She was known as a protector of members of the Monophysite faction when they were accused of heresy.à She supported the moderate Monophysite Severus and, when he was excommunicated and exiledââ¬âwith Justinians approvalââ¬âTheodora helped him to settle in Egypt. Another excommunicated monophysite, Anthimus, was still hiding in the womens quarters when Theodora died, 12 years after the excommunication order. She sometimes explicitly worked against her husbands support of Chalcedonian Christianity in the ongoing struggle for the predominance of each faction, especially at the edges of the empire. At the end of his life, Justinian was said to have moved significantly toward monophysitism, though he took no official action to promote it. Death and Legacy Theodora died in 548, possibly from cancer orà gangrene. Her death illustrated how important she was in Byzantine political life: Little significant legislation dates from the period between her death and 565 when Justinian died. Theodora had given birth to a daughter, either before she met Justinian or early in their marriage, but the girl didnt live long. No other children were born to the imperial couple. Through her relationship with her husband, who treated her as his intellectual partner, Theodora had a major impact on the political decisions of the empire. Justinian wrote that he had consulted Theodora when he promulgated a constitution that included reforms meant to end corruption by public officials. She is credited with influencing many other reforms, including expanding the rights of women in divorce and property ownership, prohibiting forced prostitution, giving mothers some guardianship rights over their children, and forbidding the killing of a wife who committed adultery. She closed brothels and created convents, where the ex-prostitutes could support themselves. Sources Browning, Robert. Justinian and Theodora. Gorgias Pr Llc, January 1, 2003.Garland, Lynda. Byzantine Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204. 1st Edition, Routledge, January 8, 2011.Holmes, William Gordon. The Age of Justinian and Theodora, Vol. 1: A History of the Sixth Century. Paperback, Abridged edition, Forgotten Books, July 6, 2017.Procopius. The Secret History. Penguin Classics, Peter Sarris (Editor, Translator, Introduction), G. A. Williamson (Translator), Paperback, New Ed. / edition, December 18, 2007.Underhill, Clara. Theodora: The Courtesan of Constantinople. 1st Edition edition, Sears Publishing Company, Inc., 1932.Theodora: Byzantine Empress. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Theodora. Encyclopedia.com.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Definition and Examples of Doublespeak
Doublespeak isà languageà thats intended to deceive or confuse people. The words used in doublespeak can often be understood in more than one way.à Doublespeak in English Doublespeak may take the form ofà euphemisms, unsupported generalizations, or deliberateà ambiguity. Contrast withà plain English. William Lutz has definedà doublespeakà as language which pretends toà communicateà but doesnt.The wordà doublespeakà is aà neologismà based on theà compoundsà Newspeakà andà Doublethinkà in George Orwells novelà 1984à (1949), though Orwell himself never used the term. Examples and Observations of Doublespeak Political language . . . is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. (George Orwell, Politics and the English Language, 1946)Employing Orwellian doublespeak, the Texas Department of Agriculture issued a press release that simultaneously touted its efforts to combatà childà obesity while alsoà lifting a decade-old banà on deep fat fryers in public schools. Because nothing slims a childââ¬â¢s waist faster than a helping of French fries. (Mark Bittman, What Weââ¬â¢re Reading Now.à The New York Times, June 25, 2015) William Lutz on Doublespeak Doublespeakà isà languageà which pretends to communicate but doesnt. It isà languageà which makes the bad seem good, the negative seem positive, the unpleasant seem unattractive, or at least tolerable. It isà languageà which avoids, shifts or denies responsibility; language which is at variance with its real or purported meaning. It isà languageà which conceals or prevents thought. Doublespeak is all around us. We are asked to check our packages at the desk for our convenience when its not for our convenience at all but for someone elses convenience. We see advertisements for preowned, experienced or previously distinguished cars, not used cars and for genuine imitation leather, virgin vinyl or real counterfeit diamonds. (William Lutz, Doubts About Doublespeak.à State Government News, July 1993) Withà doublespeak, banks dont have bad loans or bad debts; they have nonperforming assets or nonperforming credits which are rolled over or rescheduled.(William Lutz,à The New Doublespeak. HarperCollins, 1996)War and PeaceI reminded [the soldiers] and their families that the war in Iraq is really about peace.(President George W. Bush, April 2003) A Dehumanizing Language Aà dehumanisingà system requires aà dehumanisingà language. So familiar and pervasive has this language become that it has soaked almost unnoticed into our lives. Those who do have jobs are also described by the function they deliver to capital. These days they are widely known as human resources. The living world is discussed in similar terms. Nature is natural capital. Ecological processes are ecosystem services, because their only purpose is to serve us. Hills, forests and rivers are describedà in government reportsà as green infrastructure.à Wildlife and habitats are asset classesà in an ecosystems market. . . . Those who kill for a living employ similar terms. Israeli military commanders described the massacre of 2,100 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians (including 500 children), in Gaza this summer as mowing the lawn. . . . The army has developed a technique it callsà Shake ââ¬Ën Bake: flush people out with phosphorus, then kill them with high explosives. Shake ââ¬Ën Bake is a product made by Kraft Foods for coating meat with breadcrumbs before cooking it. Terms such as these are designed to replace mental images of death and mutilation with images of something else. (George Monbiot, Cleansing the Stockââ¬â¢ and Other Ways Governments Talk About Human Beings.à The Guardianà [UK], October 21, 2014) Poker-Table Communication During the weeks of negotiations, the usual intercourse of policy deliberation . . . was interrupted. It was replaced by poker-table communication: Instead of saying what they wanted, Europeââ¬â¢s leaders engaged inà doublespeak, saying things publicly to strengthen their negotiating position in Brussels, even if those things were often at odds with their actual intent and thoughts. (Anna Sauerbrey, European Political Poker.à The New York Times, August 9, 2015) Fashionable Doublespeak [Umbro designer David] Blanch has employed an impressive amount ofà doublespeakà to talk up the technological wizardry of his design. The shirts boast intelligent ventilation points, which look very much like arm holes to you and me. It incorporates tailored shoulder darts specifically designed to accommodate the biodynamics of the shoulder. Its hard to tell from the official pictures, but this ever-so-clever touch appears to be a seam. (Helen Pidd, New All-White England Kit.à The Guardian, March 29, 2009) President Harry Trumans Secretary of Semantics I have appointed a Secretary ofà Semantics--a most important post. He is to furnish me with forty to fifty dollar words. Tell me how to say yes and no in the same sentence without a contradiction. He is to tell me the combination of words that will put me against inflation in San Francisco and for it in New York. He is to show me how to keep silent--and say everything. You can very well see how he can save me an immense amount of worry. (President Harry S Truman, December 1947. Quoted by Paul Dickson inà Words From the White House. Walker Company, 2013) Resisting Doublespeak What can the averageà receiverà do aboutà doublespeakà and related scams, swindles, and deceptions, and what should the average persuader/advertiser/blogger and so on do to avoid engaging in it? Theà Doublespeak Homepageà recommends asking the following questions about any piece ofà persuasionà being received or planned:à 1. Who is speaking to whom?à 2. Under what conditions?à 3. Under what circumstances?à 4. With what intent?à 5. With what results?If you cannot answerà allà these questions with ease, or if you feel uncomfortable with the answers, or if you cannot determine any answer to them, you are probably dealing with doublespeak. You had better be prepared to delve deeper, or if you are sending the message, youd better think about cleaning it up a bit. (Charles U. Larson,à Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility, 12th ed. Wadsworth, 2010)à à See Examples and Observations below.à Alsoà see: Pronunciation:à DUB-bel SPEK Also Knownà As:à double talk ApoplanesisBureaucrateseA Dictionary of Phony PhrasesGeorge Carlins Essential DrivelGeorge Orwells Rules for WritersGibberishà andà GobbledygookLexical AmbiguityMystificationà andà SkotisonSoft LanguageSoggy Sweats Whiskey SpeechUnder the Flapdoodle Tree: Doublespeak, Soft Language, and GobbledygookVaguenessWhat Are Weasel Words?Why Youll Never Be Told, Youre Fired
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