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| Image courtesy battu_7. |
At IHE we love explorations of language and words; we've written about words and language before (such as here, here, here, here, and here), and recently we came across an important post by the blogger at Vegina, who writes about the power of language to reflect and promote social inequalities (such as racism, sexism, and speciesism). It's a great example of the destructive and oppressive power of words, and of how interconnected issues of social justice are.
She says:
"Through slang terms, idioms, insults, and standardized grammatical constructs, language reflects current social inequalities. It is packed with the vestiges of a culture’s history of domination, exploitation, and discrimination. In this way, language not only reflects inequality but also has the potential to oppress. In using problematic language, we reinscribe abuses and inequalities. However, by simply not using such language, we can free our own words of exploitation, forcing others to confront these issues when they hear us speak."In the post, she focuses on oppressive and exploitative language as it relates to nonhuman animals, but she notes that "... it is impossible to discuss speciesist language without also discussing racist and sexist language, as they are all interlinked by a prevailing structure of inequality that operates within most institutions, belief systems, governments, and cultures globally."
The author highlights several of the ways that language can be used to oppress and exploit nonhumans, including:
- pronouns (e.g., it or that instead of she or who, used to classify beings as objects);
- mass terms (lumping individual animals together into one category, so that we can erase their individuality and act as if they're all the same) -- this is a technique often used in human genocide;
- insults (which establish the devaluation of others);
- idioms (e.g., "kill two birds with one stone," to help reinforce others as inferior);
- inaccurate language (e.g., hamburger or meat instead of cow, so that we can normalize & justify the abuse and oppression)
Such language is so ingrained in our culture that we often don't even notice it. But by making an effort to be mindful of our own language use, by speaking out when we notice exploitative uses around us, and by modeling a new, inclusive, compassionate way of speaking and thinking, we can help catalyze a change in the way that we think of, and treat, other beings.
~ Marsha
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3 comments:
“Guardian,” just a single word. Yet it has the power to force people to think about something they may not have thought about before: How can we own another person? We cannot. Why then should we think we can own another being, a dog, a cat, a horse, a bird? The law may tell us we can, but the law has also told us in the past that men can own their wives, parents their children, slave owners their “slaves.” I now realize how wrong it is to consider myself an animal owner. This is I realized where all my work was heading. Language is no trivial matter; how we use it affects how we think and then how we act.
The truth is, we can and should protect and safeguard other beings from harm. We should be their guardians, not their owners; we need to protect and guard them from cruelty and abuse. We have been placed in a position that allows us greater freedom and greater authority over their lives. We must use this freedom and authority to improve their lives, to keep them from harm, to help them, not hurt them. We are their guardians, and it is our sacred duty to see to it that nothing happens to them that we would not want to happen to our own children.
Jeffrey Masson, author of When Elephants Weep; Dogs Never Lie About Love; The Dog Who Couldn’t Stop Loving, and Dogs Make Us Human.
One of the most destructive words we use when we speak of nonhuman beings is "owner." The notion that other species are "property" that we humans can "own" underlies every instance of animal abuse and exploitation. If we refer to ourselves as "guardians" rather than "owners," we begin to get to the root of the problem instead of putting out endless brushfires, because, as this post so aptly states, when we change our language we change the way we--and others--think.
Each time we call ourselves “guardians,” we are reminded of our truest values as compassionate individuals. More importantly, our collective language reflects the society we want to become.
When we choose to use “guardian” language we make a conscious choice about the kind of society we want to create, and more accurately identify ourselves as a culture defined by our values. And each time someone reads or hears “guardian” in our public or private discourse, there will be a tiny spark of recognition that we’re talking about a role that requires responsibility, care, and compassion.
Thanks so much, Dr. Katz and Jan, for your comments. Language is indeed "no trivial matter." It truly helps shape how we view the world and those we share it with.
"Guardian" is a word we use regularly around here at IHE. Thanks to In Defense of Animals for starting the campaign!
Peace,
Marsha
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