{"id":1815,"date":"2023-05-31T18:58:33","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T18:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?p=1815"},"modified":"2023-10-09T11:34:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:34:19","slug":"watch-your-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cSnowflake!\u201d \u201cWoke liberal!\u201d \u201cMAGA lover!\u201d \u201cFascist!\u201d At this point, Merriam-Webster should just start distributing a \u201cDictionary of Polarized Language in the United States.\u201d Words have meanings. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Csq0ihYLdHp\/\">Those meanings may change over time<\/a>, but the words we use and how we use them have the power to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cmu.edu\/news\/stories\/archives\/2020\/october\/polarized-language.html\">build bridges or deepen divides<\/a>. This makes it crucial to think carefully about what we say and how we say it. As dear Uncle Ben says: \u201cWith great power comes great responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Words are powerful, even in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/alliehayes\/g-rated-insults-comebacks-reddit-humor\">their simplest, kid-friendly form<\/a>. And the most powerful among us truly understand how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/10\/22\/us\/politics\/republican-election-objectors-rhetoric.html\">influential words can be<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofus.substack.com\/p\/how-politicians-leverage-polarizing\">how best to manipulate them<\/a>. We know that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/7-ways-to-spot-polarizing-language-how-to-choose-responsibly-what-to-amplify-online-or-in-person-177276\">violent rhetoric is the surest path to violent action<\/a>.\u201d The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.degruyter.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/9781503613102-009\/html?lang=en\">Third Reich understood<\/a> the immense power of words and used them to systematically strip people of their humanity then mobilize entire countries to murder Jewish minorities. This is an extreme example, but these are the stakes.<\/p>\n<p>Polarizing language <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondintractability.org\/crq-bi-hyper-polarization-discussion\/donahue-language\">attacks our identities<\/a> and reduces groups to monoliths, which stokes anger and fans flames of resentment. Perhaps the scariest thing about violent or dehumanizing language is that it can be wielded anywhere, from parking lots to grocery stores, from social media to the floor of Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Language is the medium through which polarization breeds. Ultimately, we\u2019re only responsible for our behavior and the language we use. First, take a good, hard look in the mirror and admit: \u201cI<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=b1kbLwvqugk\">t\u2019s me, hi. I\u2019m the problem, it\u2019s me<\/a>.\u201d Realize that <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2020\/11\/disagreement-doesnt-have-to-be-divisive\">there are better ways to engage<\/a>. Learn <a href=\"https:\/\/golin.com\/2020\/07\/28\/problematic-divisive-terms-in-the-english-language\/\">what isn\u2019t working<\/a>. Then learn <a href=\"https:\/\/braverangels.org\/online-skills-for-social-media\/?link_id=0&amp;can_id=bef71d56516822cc0a271ffa02cf4095&amp;source=email-help-us-pick-some-great-music-volunteers-please&amp;email_referrer=email_1823332&amp;email_subject=antidote-for-what-can-make-social-media-so-toxic-workshop\">what does work<\/a> so you can be more thoughtful with your communication. And finally, don\u2019t be afraid <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6268932\/how-to-challenge-political-in-group\/\">to criticize divisive language<\/a> within your like-minded circle. Its more useful than hurling insults at the other side. If we hope to address this problem, we\u2019re going to have to watch our language (wouldn\u2019t our parents be proud).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cSnowflake!\u201d \u201cWoke liberal!\u201d \u201cMAGA lover!\u201d \u201cFascist!\u201d At this point, Merriam-Webster should just start distributing a \u201cDictionary of Polarized Language in the United States.\u201d Words have meanings. Those meanings may change over time, but the words we use and how we use them have the power to build bridges or deepen divides. This makes it crucial&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":1816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"collection_feed":[],"type_feed":[77],"class_list":["post-1815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cSnowflake!\u201d \u201cWoke liberal!\u201d \u201cMAGA lover!\u201d \u201cFascist!\u201d At this point, Merriam-Webster should just start distributing a \u201cDictionary of Polarized Language in the United States.\u201d Words have meanings. Those meanings may change over time, but the words we use and how we use them have the power to build bridges or deepen divides. This makes it crucial&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Builders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"747\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Zach Elwood\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fa86211edc631829f62424ccba457d0a\"},\"headline\":\"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\"},\"wordCount\":334,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\",\"name\":\"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fa86211edc631829f62424ccba457d0a\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":747,\"caption\":\"Vintage illustration of a woman and man in conversation with speech bubbles. Text reads \\\"We Are The #87percent\\\" at the bottom.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/\",\"name\":\"Builders\",\"description\":\"Rise Above Us vs Them. Be a Builder\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders","og_description":"\u201cSnowflake!\u201d \u201cWoke liberal!\u201d \u201cMAGA lover!\u201d \u201cFascist!\u201d At this point, Merriam-Webster should just start distributing a \u201cDictionary of Polarized Language in the United States.\u201d Words have meanings. Those meanings may change over time, but the words we use and how we use them have the power to build bridges or deepen divides. This makes it crucial&hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/","og_site_name":"Builders","article_published_time":"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":747,"url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif","type":"image\/gif"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/"},"author":{"name":"Zach Elwood","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fa86211edc631829f62424ccba457d0a"},"headline":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones","datePublished":"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/"},"wordCount":334,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/","name":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones - Builders","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif","datePublished":"2023-05-31T18:58:33+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-09T11:34:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fa86211edc631829f62424ccba457d0a"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ticker_HeroImage_Newsletter-1.gif","width":1200,"height":747,"caption":"Vintage illustration of a woman and man in conversation with speech bubbles. Text reads \"We Are The #87percent\" at the bottom."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2023\/05\/31\/watch-your-language\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Watch Your Language: The power of words and our duty to choose the right ones"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/","name":"Builders","description":"Rise Above Us vs Them. Be a Builder","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1815"},{"taxonomy":"collection_feed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/collection_feed?post=1815"},{"taxonomy":"type_feed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_feed?post=1815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}