"Propaganda" becomes "Public Relations"

-Edward Bernays

Waterboarding is a specific kind of water torture. Everyone knows it's torture, so it's not like changing the name hides anything.

And PTSD is the medical term for shell shock. It encompasses all sorts of trauma, not just from loud bangs or intense war zone activity.

And the word "drone" has existed long before the remotely-piloted planes were invented. Everyone still knows what's meant by a "military drone".

I guess I just don't get what your point is/was.

Everyone knows it's torture, so it's not like changing the name hides anything.

So why was the name changed?

Department of War becomes Department of Defense, why was the name changed?

Airstrike becomes "kinetic military action" or "tactical military action", why was the name changed?

Extracting confessions through torture becomes "enhanced interrogation techniques", why was the name changed?

There are an endless number of these - is your point that these name changes are meaningless and kinda happen "just because", for no good reason at all?

I think his point was that Waterboarding is just a form of Water Torture, as described on Wiki.

Along with OP's other examples this isn't a very strong post.

A drone to me has always been a propelled flying craft without a pilot.

Whether you like OP's examples or not, I think the point he was (and I am) making is that there are dozens if not hundreds of other examples of name changes like this happening, mostly with regards to government/military terms and activities.

Fuck changing the laws. Simply change the meaning.

DAMN YOU, GUBMINT!

Well some names were changed to make it more accurate (such as the things mentioned in the OP's ramblings). The things you've mentioned were done to hide the true nature of the activities (which would have made a better post).

I think OP was making the point that name changes like this are really common when it comes to government/military activities, it's something akin to real life newspeak.

Ah. He just happened to pick some awful "examples".

Euphemisms, courtesy of George Carlin.

The point, I think, makes itself for the student of language. The language used to describe a thing appears to have a demonstrable effect on how the human nervous system perceives the thing.

George Monbiot has an article here about it.

George Steiner would be a good author to hunker down with to learn more. As would Alfred Korzybski. Essentially, this relates to semantics.

Remember, "The map is not the territory."

.........

Unfortunately, OP appears to have the patience of a bundle of sticks. ¶:

Unfortunately, as I found his submission refreshing and honest. I welcome the observation that this effect continues. I wonder what other recent euphimism have overtaken our speech lately?

Ugh, I just read that Monbiot article all the way through... Disgusting.

Somewhere else I read "global warming" as having a warmer tone than "global overheating."

I know pro-lifers prefer "murdered baby" to "aborted fetus." It's hard to think of any others, tho I'm sure they're plentiful.

90% of your comment is completely wrong.

I don't think you have a good understand of the effects of terminology on the human psyche.

So maybe this thread is not for you.

Which 90%? I'd appreciate it if you didn't just contradict me for the sake of contradiction.

Is this your first account or just a throw a way to argue on this sub? Just curious about the mentality of people like yourself. Spending a large amount of time just to argue with people you consider mentally ill/nutters.

Hehe, that's your job after all.

Everyone knows it's torture, so it's not like changing the name hides anything.

Wrong.

And PTSD is the medical term for shell shock.

PTSD became the new term for shell shock.

Everyone still knows what's meant by a "military drone".

No.

Your entire comment demonstrates a very shallow view on a complex subject. So shallow that I have decided it isn't even worth correcting.

To his defense, shell shock was originally to describe being so close to an explosion (e.g. from a shell) that the concussive forces "shocked" one into a stupor/disorientating state. Often times this created devastating consequences to their psyche and mental health. PTSD and Shell Shock are not exactly interchangable, but rather similar. Shell Shock causes PTSD.

But PTSD can be caused by other things as well, anything that can be deemed traumatic, actually (e.g. a automobile accident).

In a similar fashion, there are different types of water torture, with waterboarding being one.

And when one says "military drone", yes, we all think of unpiloted craft. But when one speaks of just a "drone", excluding the military prefix, we more than likrly have differing views. For instance, i envision an automonous manlike android thing. Some think of the mikitary drones. Some think of bees. Some think of assholes who live off of the labor of others and contribute nothing to society. Even still, others may think of mindless "Faithers", of the religious type or any ither kind of ideology.

Look, the main point in your post is valid, and quite good. Controlling the meanings of words is tantamount to controlling those who depend on those words. This becomes even more true and serious in legal terms and in politics (e.g. the drafting of legislations).

The only thing wrong in your post is your choice of examples and delivery, but the foundation is there for a good piece.

So nothing to back your opinion? Just "NO NO NO!"?

See my above question please... I'm sure I'm not the only person curious. You seem to call out people constantly. Time to answer.

Your naivety on the subject is so large, that it would take hours just to get you to the base level.

You want me to explain algebra to you but your first comment proved that you are still counting on your fingers.

This ironically describes conspiracy theorists to a T.

Except not at all.

And if you despise conspiracy theorist so much, why are you even here?

Ya know what I'm saying? Like they watch youtube videos about politics but don't read academic works on them. Counting on their hands, instead of doing algebra.

I find it both funny and fascinating: Dunning-Kruger in spectacular fashion. The people who should, by all rights, be the least sure are, instead, the most sure. The least educated acting as if the know the most. It's incredibly interesting.

What do you think the correct definition of drone is?

The Oxford English Dictionary says that a drone is a "pilotless aircraft or missile directed by remote control."

This thread has been linked to from another place on reddit.

• [/r/TopMindsOfReddit] Top Mind doesn't understand words. Clear it's the government trying to something something.

^{If you follow any of the above links, respect the rules of reddit and don't vote. (Info / Contact)}

The SRS zio-squad is on to this one, folks. These idiots honestly don't have anything better to do than to harrass us and push pro-Zionist disinfo?

It's incredible how this post goes up in the usual zio SRS subs, then magically, like clockwork, the usual suspects all come out. Very interesting.

Im all about the adage that "if you control the meanings of words, you control the peoplr who use them". But in this case, it is an effect of ignorance, imo, more than it is a conscious act of malintent.

• http://i.word.com/idictionary/drone

DRONE: 1 :a stingless male bee (as of the honeybee) that has the role of mating with the queen and does not gather nectar or pollen

2 :one that lives on the labors of others :parasite

3 :an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers

4 a :drudge

Its the Peoples fault for not being cognizant of alternative definitions of words they rely on so much. However, i do believe politicians prey on this general weakness for their own advantages...

"if you control the meanings of words, you control the peoplr who use them"

Words like "Middle East", perhaps?

:)