The Orange Grove
http://orangegrove.freeforums.org/

Words and our society
http://orangegrove.freeforums.org/words-and-our-society-t275.html		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Zan [ Thu May 07, 2009 4:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Words and our society
A little prelude to my latested ponderings about the current state of society.

More words will follow. :roll:
Author:  Seraphyna [ Thu May 07, 2009 11:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I think sometimes people nitpick wording far too much and miss the bigger picture...but perhaps that's just me.
Author:  Black_Rose [ Fri May 08, 2009 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I think the intention matters more than the wording. When wording is a good reflection of the person's true intention..then that's more important as opposed to nit picking something someone has said but didn't reflect their meaning very well.
Author:  Zan [ Sat May 16, 2009 8:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I personally agree with Black Rose, actions matter more than words.

This society and especially it's higher controlling circles often neglects actions or even reality and replaces them with the words people want or need to hear. Just look at politicians, the media, major employers, etc. They all know the usefulness of words.

People tend to believe what they either want to hear or are afraid of hearing, sometimes even so much that they ignore the evidence and actions around them to believe the words.

Just look at Barack Obama, he promised to shut Guantanamo Bay down: words. Now I have to say he's the better/smarter kind and threw in a few minor actions in that direction. Though yesterday I heard through the media that plans changed and he will be going back on his actions and his words: more words without evidence. One of his spokespeople said that Obama has the safety of the American people in mind, first and foremost, most likely a fragment ripped completely out of it's context: Even more hollow words!

These few words caused huge changes within the voter base and the minds and hearts of americans and even non-americans. Yet if we look at the actions, they are few and far between. A few people have been let out there but most are still in there and it's unlikely that they're being treated much better. Now to be honest, I'm not sure if that place should be shut down but I'm not going to take a side in that ... I don't have enough actual information. All I have are words.

I do think we place way too much importance in meaningless wordings in this society ... but at the same time I know we can't do without them either. So I guess it's a matter of making them mean something again. :roll:

By the way, can I ask the person that chose the option: "Far too little." why they chose that? I'm curious about their point of view .. and promise I won't bite for disagreeing with me. :D
Author:  Black_Rose [ Sat May 16, 2009 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I don't care much for politics..

but the media is definitely one of those parties skilled at using words to manipulate/scare people

just look at swine flu...hopefully that's just a storm in a tea cup but there's all this panic flying around when more people apparently die from normal flu than swine flu

and oh my god the miss california drama...yeah so her miss usa answer was a bit botched and perhaps people didn't agree with her but i don't think her intention was to offend people...does not warrant the big hate campaign perez hilton has launched...so she said a few things about gay marriage? who cares! she's not going around stoning gay people..that's what perez is making it seem like

jeez i don't want to read about miss damn california anymore
Author:  Nightwolf [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 11:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I would be one of the people who'd say we put far too little importance on words. Now I can understand for politics how people do put way too much importance in words and less in what are the actions behind the words. Such as when obama became the us's president and people were like the world will change for the better before he even got into office. Myself on the other hand, I didn't cheer when he got into office, though I was happy to see bush get out of office, but All obama does is talk. He talked his way into the office and I didn't rejoice cause I want to see him do something as the whatever number president he will be. Not clean up after bush, though I must congratulate him on tackling that feat, or combatting a money disaster as old as our history itself. I want to see what new things he can implement and the new actions he'll take. That aside, the far too little importance is in the word of promise.

I've always learned growing up, to be careful of what I say, cause most of the bad things had a nasty habit of coming true, either metaphorically or physically. The good things you say can be considered bad, if you hurt them, even if unintentionally. Such as making a promise to someone. Everyone says don't make promises you can't keep, but every word you speak of intention is a promise. Unless you offer it up as a possibly can't do, sorta deal.

If you must speak something, make sure it's worth saying I always think. If I try to console someone, I'm not going to try and get heartfelt words if I don't have them. I'll tell them the truth, I don't understand, but I'm a good listener and sometimes talking it out helps. If I tell my sis or my niece I'll do something, I'll make sure to make plans so I can without unnecessarily breaking my word, cause I know how crestfallen they both get and how it feels.

At work, at home, in social scenes, words have become as fickle as marriage agreements. People say the words and never mean them. People don't wait to hear explanations when they're confused, they just get immediately annoyed with you, and take offense when they won't even put enough importance in the words to listen to the explanation.

Words like honor, justice, freedom, etc, don't have meanings anymore. They have old ideals that I think need to be redefined for this day and age's generation. Kids say I'm sorry and don't know the meaning of the word. They see, I'm sorry: A word one can use to get out of trouble if you act like you meant it. The true meaning remains elusive.
Integrity has little importance if you can be more expedient and if you can get away with it. Honor has no grounds anymore, people call men who'll cheat and treat their women like dirt honorable, in that they haven't touched her physically to harm her.

The words exchanged from parent to kid, from kid to parent, from friend to friend or lover to lover, basically have been put in little reference. They're not symbolic or important enough to mean what they used to.

And I've kinda lost my point, so hopefully twas made :D
Author:  Zan [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
It sounds like you're saying the same thing as me, Nightwolf. But because of the ambiguity of the words in my question you chose a different answer. :P

Words have indeed become more 'important' than their meaning and their content. People say some words and think/hope it's settled with that without bothering to back them up with actions.
Author:  Nightwolf [ Sat Jun 06, 2009 10:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
Oh, you know I didn't think of it in that way.

I took the wording at face value. heh.

And it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, your actions speak louder than words. ;)
Author:  Arctic [ Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
That is so true Nightwolf
Author:  yetaro [ Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I quote my old English teach "The limits of my language are the limits of my world." Humans being interdependent pack animals need communication and words are truly the best form of communication thus far. I suppose I looked at this in a different light than everyone else and interpreted the question more literally.
Author:  Arctic [ Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
Good Quote Yetaro
Author:  Zan [ Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
That is exactly where my issue lies, Yetaro. Words limiting our collective world.
Author:  Arctic [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
I hate it when people don't spell simple words right
Author:  Nightwolf [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
*Grins* Anyone else but me think that was a little on the random side?

I know we're speaking of words, but that kinda was slightly out of context with the conversation ;)

Anywho, playing devil's advocate, what if the way the person is spelling the word is more a result of either them not being of the same country and thus spelling it differently, or simply typing too fast to get it posted before they have to run off and do something else? No time for spell checking at times. I've done it a dozen times. A simple yes, becomes yse, or something of the like ;)

What sense would it make to hate a mistake?
Author:  Zan [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Words and our society
Mistakes are human ...

But there are more and more people who purposefully misspell words because they think it's kewl to be different. Pun intended. Or making up words with no meaning at all to sound special. That's one trait I'm not too fond of either. I'm guessing it's also partially because I don't place much importance in words.

Be different all you want, please do develop your own unique personality ... but don't take a cheap shot at it by just playing with letters and words.
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/