Power of words

I've been contemplating the power and the meaning of words. I was thinking, and I realized that words are like time. They don't really have to exist. They are given power by PEOPLE like you and I. We are the people who give the words their meaning.

Lets take the word "faggоt" for example. We all know that "fаggоt" is used commonly as a derogatory term towards gay people. I'm sure we all call at least one of our friends this one or more times per day, knowing full well they aren't gay. You see, the power and the meaning of that word is coming FROM the person who says it. That word can mean as little or as much as YOU want it too.

"Niggеr" or "niggа" is another example. The word is being given the power by YOU. It's your interpretation of the word. Many black people are not offended by the use of this word, even by white people. The ones that are, however, give the word that power. They are the reason the word hurts them.

WORDS ARE POWERLESS.

YOU give all of the meaning to your words. Words are nothing but letters compiled together. Words have no power or meaning whatsoever, it is the person who says them that possesses that power.

It's all about interpretation. YOU are the reason the word "fаggоt" or "niggа" hurts you. YOU are the reason that you get offended by these words. YOU give them all of that undeserving power.[/u]

Nice realization. I've known this for a while now. The concept seems ungraspable for so many. Welcome to the light side.

Side note: Whoever made it so the "N word" changes to "friend" when its typed is giving the word power. It used to change to African American, which was even worse lol. But still, if you get offended at the words niqqer or faqqot it reflects your own immaturity.

Pastlife said:

Nice realization. I've known this for a while now. The concept seems ungraspable for so many. Welcome to the light side.

Side note: Whoever made it so the "N word" changes to "friend" when its typed is giving the word power. It used to change to African American, which was even worse lol. But still, if you get offended at the words niqqer or faqqot it reflects your own immaturity.

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I fixed it, lol. Thanks for the opinion

While I can agree with your thought process, the majority of people would still be hurt if they heard someone utter a derogatory word towards them. In essence, words don't have meaning per say, it's all what you attribute to them, and that's what gives them deeper/lighter feelings towards the person you're addressing it to.

Nonetheless, I believe that the level of someone's maturity has nothing to do on whether you may feel offended by a word or not. Even if it is compiled letters put together to compose words or sentences, you don't know the level of sensitivity of the other party. You can use this process with people who can comprehend what you're trying to convey but for the rest of the people who have very glass-like emotions, it isn't of much use.

I've known plenty of intelligible people in my life that could crumble with one very nasty word said to them. It all depends on how you can handle things, I suppose. Not every intelligent person has nerves of steel when it comes to to discussions that have nothing to do with proper debates.

"The pen is mightier than the sword"

Innocence said:

While I can agree with your thought process, the majority of people would still be hurt if they heard someone utter a derogatory word towards them. In essence, words don't have meaning per say, it's all what you attribute to them, and that's what gives them deeper/lighter feelings towards the person you're addressing it to.

Nonetheless, I believe that the level of someone's maturity has nothing to do on whether you may feel offended by a word or not. Even if it is compiled letters put together to compose words or sentences, you don't know the level of sensitivity of the other party. You can use this process with people who can comprehend what you're trying to convey but for the rest of the people who have very glass-like emotions, it isn't of much use.

I've known plenty of intelligible people in my life that could crumble with one very nasty word said to them. It all depends on how you can handle things, I suppose. Not every intelligent person has nerves of steel when it comes to to discussions that have nothing to do with proper debates.

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You're absolutely right, but what I'm ultimately trying to convey is that any word is given its power by the person who hears it. Of course it varies for everyone, many people are much more sensitive than others and that is their decision to not want to hear it. But I'm saying it doesn't HAVE to be like that. It's really up to the person that hears the word. I can see where you are coming from.

While it is true that words are given whatever force they have by the people acknowledging them, it's not always voluntary. Often times people will base their views on a word on past experiences with its use. For instance, a young African-American girl who is repeatedly raped and beaten while being called a n*gger may develop an aversion to the types of people who use that word and to the word itself. While it may seem irrational and stupid for someone to hate a word, you have to try and be understanding of why a person may take such offense to a certain word and not think of them as just self-righteous pricks.