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Words are powerful, they can make or break situations big and small. From your Friday date to starting a war, the right (or wrong) words can be the difference between bliss and destruction. But have you ever wondered what’s the connection between language and context?

In other… words, words are powerful in unique ways, that go beyond the surface of things. Just look what I did at the beginning of this paragraph. Yet at the same time, language seems to rely on a wider context to operate efficiently.

Just to clarify, in this post I do not refer to linguistic but to sociocultural context. The issue is not whether the sentence “He did this to me, this way” says nothing without a context about “He”, “this”, “this way” (and even “did”).

Rather, the issue is whether words taken out of their context can have a seriously destabilizing effect. Take these sentences for example:

I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few.

Fear defeats more people than any other thing in the world.

Do not compare yourself to others. If you do so you are insulting yourself.

You probably don’t see anything particularly wrong with them. Indeed, they probably come across as good advice, not unlike what you’d see as a quotation – complete, with a sunset sky or butterflies behind it.

I’ve got a little surprise for you, though…

When Context Alters Language

Having a context that alters the meaning (or at least the impact) of words is about whether the sentence “I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few”, one of the example sentences above, affects you one way without any context, and another way if I told you the person who said that was Adolf Hitler.

Indeed, examples #1 and #3 belong to Hitler, while #2 is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American transcendentalist poet and philosopher.

Language and Context: a Juxtaposition Device

If you recall my post on juxtaposition in fiction, I there mentioned that most of the power found in juxtaposition “comes from combining elements that are naturally incongruous”.

Depending on the context surrounding any given words, the sociocultural interpretation can be destabilized, and a psychological effect can be at play.

Parenthetically, the idea to take Hitler quotes out of their context wasn’t mine. Take a look at this hilarious post. Or, let’s give it a go ourselves:

Admit it, this is such as a cliche image, isn’t it? Still, it could serve as an excellent banner for, say, a book club. “Words build bridges into unexplored regions” – sounds like a great way to inspire someone to read. And yep, Hitler said that too.

Here’s another funny one: “Don’t drink at all, don’t smoke, you must exercise and eat vegetables and fruit”. This one is attributed to Robert Mugabe. You can find similar quotes by Stalin, Mussolini, and other… not-quite-the-choir-boy characters.

Removing the Context Is a Manipulation Technique

When you take words out of their context, you basically sever the linkage between the reader/listener and additional information that would’ve influenced their interpretation. This helps you manipulate your audience, for one reason or another.

Of course, an objective reader should see that there’s nothing wrong with something like the statements above. People tend to look for simple answer to complex problems (forgetting that history is very complex), and as a result feel wary of anything remotely related to an infamous historical figure. Stalin also had a mustache, but there’s nothing wrong with having one – well, not morally at least; aesthetics is another thing 😉

But there’s another dimension in all this. What happens when we have a reverse scenario, when words can alter the context?

When Language Alters the Context

So far we’ve seen how an otherwise innocuous sentence can make you feel uncomfortable once you realize it was a “bad guy” that said it. That is, we’ve had examples of context changing our interpretation of words.

Let’s now see an example of words changing our interpretation of context. And for that we need some… “good guys”. I’ll pick Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandi.

Read the quotes below and try to guess who said what.

[Black people] are as a rule uncivilized – the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live almost like animals.

I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people.

I am strongly in favor of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes.

Ouch! Does reading the above make you feel uncomfortable? I hope so! It’s exactly the same situation as earlier, only now we don’t have “bad guys” using beautiful words; we have “good guys” using ugly words. If you want a more extended list of examples or to see who said what in the examples above, feel free to take a look at this.

Of course, once again, we have the same situation. The way language and context coexist with each other proves that meaning is never a simple thing. Moreover, it’s poor analysis to categorize historical figures as “good” and “bad”, for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, moral judgments depend on systems of ethics, which are subjective and arbitrary; secondly, historical figures cannot be taken themselves out of context (e.g. you cannot blame Mark Twain for his 19th century vocabulary); thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, humans are complex beings. You can be both a beloved artist and an asshole.

Dangers of Words and Context

I’ve talked so far about manipulating your readers disconnecting words from their context. By the way, if you didn’t realize it, this entire post is a meta-example of this very thing – I’ve manipulated you (e.g. with the Hitler quotes) to make a point.

My motive was to speak about language and context, that is, to help you understand the dynamics involved. Perhaps the process also made you feel a bit amused or uncomfortable, for reasons I explained.

But can there be any danger in having a context for a text?

The Problem of not Seeing the Bigger Bigger Picture

The answer is yes, having a context can be dangerous. Having a context for a text means you allow extra-textual elements to influence your interpretation.

Put simply, this way you can dismiss a text or a cause, a concept or an idea for no logical reason. If you haven’t yet read it, I suggest you take a look at my post on separating art from artists.

In a way, having a context is having a bigger picture. But allowing it to influence your judgment or interpretation can sometimes mean you’re missing the bigger bigger picture; the world beyond the context.

Let’s see an example. Allow me to manipulate you a little more and ask you to read the list below. Then ask yourself if you agree with it, if you think it would make for a good ethical foundation.

1. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
2. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
3. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
4. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.
5. Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.
6. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
7. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

The list above encapsulates the “seven fundamental tenets” of a certain organization. The mission of this organization is

to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will

What’s that organization?

The Satanic Temple.

Does the name creep you out? Does it disturb you? Surprise you? Great! It’s supposed to. The trick is to overcome the feeling and focus on the fact. This is what critical thinking is. Now, let’s see the three levels of interpretation and meaning, or how language and context coexist in such a framework.

• If you focused only on the text – that is, the seven tenets or the organization’s mission – you’d probably think it sounds great.
• If you saw the bigger picture – the context; the name of the organization – your interpretation and judgment would be affected (to which extent depends on personal convictions, cultural background, etc).
• Regardless of the previous step, if you saw the bigger bigger picture – that the satanic context is only a symbol, much as in William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and that The Satanic Temple is a civil rights group – then, congratulations; your critical thinking is solid.

It’s All about Manipulation

As I mentioned earlier, I have in good faith manipulated you in this post for a particular purpose: to show you a thing or two about language and context; how words interconnect with the (bigger) bigger picture to participate in the creation of meaning.

Other uses of severing words from their context are far less benign, and are often used in politics or marketing to influence the audience. Remember the bandwagon fallacy? “90% of people who tried this toothpaste, say they’re happy with it”. Of course, they don’t tell you if the sample is 10 of their interns or a group of 10.000 strangers – wouldn’t your opinion change if you knew the former was the case?

In the end, it all goes back to simple answers. The less work you’re willing to put in, the greater the danger of falling victim to this kind of manipulation. Discovering the truth (to the extent it’s possible) takes some time and effort. It also requires you to overcome your prejudices and be ready to abandon existing ideas. Few are those who are willing to do so, yet there is no other way to enlightenment.