Remember Napoleon and Snowball, two of the main protagonists in Animal Farm? The ruthless leader, the fleeing rebel (assumed to stand in for Stalin and Trotsky respectively) at the time? Orwell’s parable was not just a veiled condemnation of (communist) autocratic rule. It also mirrored the use of language as a tool of seduction, oppression and incitement of hatred. Yesterday I pointed to the language heard at the RNC that focussed on condemnation and call to violent action.

Here is the original (not prescient) review of the book:https://newrepublic.com/article/114852/1946-review-george-orwells-animal-farm

Let me make a related point today: Language can work on an everyday basis as well to establish or perpetuate stereotypes, stereotypes that will be used by authoritarian regimes to rouse the people against ready-made scapegoats. I have two simple examples in mind that I grew up with – every German person in the last 200 years or more grew up with; as innocuous as they seem they stand for a wider cementing of stereotyping.

This plant’s name in German is Judentaler – Jew silverling or coin. The association between money and Jews gets firmly rooted in everyday language.  

Another German expression when meeting someone greedy is: Der ist vom Stamme Nimm!  He is a member of the tribe Grab. MOT or member of the tribe is of course a reference to Jews, and in the context of grabbing, taking or greed the old imagery is reignited.

The young get subtly educated by this kind of language without anyone noticing – which is probably the point.

And of course gestures are another way of communicating – this one by Laura Ingraham  straight from the RNC….

 

Where is the uproar?