The Power of Language

As we approach the final bends of the module, the interconnectivity between some of our philosophical theories and the practice of modern day journalism is becoming more and more apparent. No more so than when we consider the explorations of our latest philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein.

The Austrian's most celebrated work, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, is one of the first book-length studies concerning the relationship between philosophy and language. Published in German in 1921, Wittgenstein argued that all philosophical propositions could be categorised as simple statements conveyed through a set of socially appreciated codes, (i.e. language), which may be analysed as such according only to our existing linguistic structures. From my point of view, he effectively revisits the ontological question; do absolute truths exist in the universe? To use what is in all likelihood a poor analogy, our understanding of the universe is like viewing life through a pair of tinted glasses - everything we learn is derived from our mode of communication, which itself conveys a certain viewpoint upon the propositions that we present. After all, language is a manmade phenomenon, and so all our knowledge must therefore pertain to some form of 'manmadeness' too.

Indeed, Wittgenstein goes so far as to say that the world is language. It's influence is evident on every aspect of our lives and here lies the key idea of the Tractatus, very much reminiscent of Ayer's verification principle; if something, (be it abstract or concrete), cannot be rendered in language, then it cannot exist in the first place.

Naturally, language and subsequently, the politics of language, are vital to the profession of journalism. Wittgenstein's theory on the power of language may in fact be exemplified by its ability to influence (and even control) a population. The Tractatus suggests that the control of facts results in the control of the world, thus potentially serving to explain the rising impact of the modern media on social life. Journalists can mould public opinion, they can access our lives on a number of levels through newspapers, radio and television, the Internet, etc, etc. Of course, to harp back to Nazism, (though I'm no way likening our media to the regime of a dictatorship), Hitler more or less gained possession of German thinking through his stirring, powerful speeches and omnipresent propaganda.

So the Austrian philosopher's theories were put into practice a mere decade after publication. Another man who demonstrated a fascination with language, perhaps like no other journalist did, was George Orwell, particularly so in his 1949 novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Orwell was a disillusioned socialist and anti-communist, as proven in much of his work. Nineteen Eighty-Four follows the story of a society that has been gripped and utterly transformed by a Hitler-esque figure, entirely through the active application of fear within the mind of each citizen and the constant manipulation of words. 'Newspeak', as Orwell names it, not only reconfigures the mindset and beliefs of the dystopia's citizens, (as Nazism did), but also seems to alter reality. 'Doublethink' exemplifies this, which describes the state of believing in two contradictory statements at once. We see then, that langauge does, indeed, control our perceptions of the universe. What is right, wrong or ridiculous is decided by a set of codes that we ourselves determine.

Much of today's advertising is also Orwellian in its nature, loaded with subliminal messaging that is designed to shape our opinions to fit a physchological need for the promoted product or service. Big Brother is not just one person, sitting on a high throne in a remote palace. He is society, himself omnipresent. He is language.