3 ms·

To be fair, that kind of speech would alienate a lot of the public. An intelligent politician wouldn't even if they could-- unless they were running a very spe

by nullc 4y ago

To be fair, that kind of speech would alienate a lot of the public. An intelligent politician wouldn't even if they could-- unless they were running a very specialized campaign. It's informative to look up some very old videos of George W speaking-- he sounds much more educated than he did when in office. Now that speaking in a highly educated manner has become a signal of elite indifference (however that came to pass), I can't even say that the segment of public which is offended by it is wrong to be offended by it: Since anyone who could do it could turn it off, and they should turn it off-- the only reason they wouldn't is indifference to the people it might offend or ignorance of the norms in politics.

29083011397778 4y ago
> Since anyone who could do it could turn it off, and they should turn it off I sincerely hope you mean they ought to turn it off for the campaign trail, and even that's a depressing recommendation for those seeking public support. Words matter. The language we use to discuss the world around us has a distinct influence on how we see, interact with, and frame both problems and solutions. Lowering the level of discourse helps nobody. That's why it's ill-advised to speak only in babytalk to young children - we want to help improve their language skills through practice, and by leading by example. The English language (and I'm sure others) is a sprawling mess, but different words do have different connotations and histories that can have a practical affect on those you're speaking to. For example, speaking informally about firearms has left the Conservatives under the impression that legislators are drafting laws they don't really understand - and it's hard to fault them for that.
- nullc 4y ago
  I think there is a lot of room for nuance here. Surely you don't think that quoting greek playwrights is equivalent to communicating effectively. :)

by nullc 4y ago

29083011397778 4y ago

> Since anyone who could do it could turn it off, and they should turn it off I sincerely hope you mean they ought to turn it off for the campaign trail, and even that's a depressing recommendation for those seeking public support. Words matter. The language we use to discuss the world around us has a distinct influence on how we see, interact with, and frame both problems and solutions. Lowering the level of discourse helps nobody. That's why it's ill-advised to speak only in babytalk to young children - we want to help improve their language skills through practice, and by leading by example. The English language (and I'm sure others) is a sprawling mess, but different words do have different connotations and histories that can have a practical affect on those you're speaking to. For example, speaking informally about firearms has left the Conservatives under the impression that legislators are drafting laws they don't really understand - and it's hard to fault them for that.

nullc 4y ago
I think there is a lot of room for nuance here. Surely you don't think that quoting greek playwrights is equivalent to communicating effectively. :)