Is Language Really That Powerful? | Tassos Lycurgo

Summary

In this episode of 'Testable Faith,' host Ken Samples discusses the impact of language on thought with visiting scholar Tsos Lergö. They explore how controlling language can manipulate thinking, the importance of linguistic freedom, and the Marxist influence on language change. They also address the shift in societal focus from truth, goodness, and beauty to race, gender, and class, and the detrimental effects of this on education and individuality. The conversation emphasizes the need for critical thinking and exposure to diverse worldviews for intellectual growth.

Takeaways

• 📚 Language shapes our thinking: The script emphasizes that language is a powerful tool that can control and shape our thoughts and ideas.
• 🚫 Control over language as a means of control over thought: It is suggested that controlling language is a method to control people's autonomy and independent thinking.
• 🗣️ The importance of linguistic freedom: The speaker advocates for the freedom to choose one's own words and resist external control over language.
• 🤔 The challenge of offensive language: The discussion touches on the concept of offensive language and the need to consider the impact of our words on others.
• 🔄 The manipulation of language in Brazil: The script describes how language is being manipulated in Brazil, with words being deemed offensive and then acceptable again, affecting thought processes.
• 🌐 The impact of government on language: It is mentioned that governments are making official changes to language to control speech, which is a new development in history.
• 🏫 The role of education in controlling thought: The script suggests that by controlling education, authorities can manipulate how people think and what they believe.
• 🔄 The destruction of individuality: The emphasis is on how collective identity is prioritized over individual identity, which is detrimental to personal freedom and thought.
• 🎨 The inversion of traditional values in art: The script criticizes modern art for being the opposite of truth, goodness, and beauty, exposing children to harmful cultural influences.
• 🏛️ The shift from classical values to race, gender, and class: It is argued that society has moved away from traditional values and towards focusing on race, gender, and class as the primary lenses through which to view the world.
• 🌈 The rejection of diversity in thought: The script points out that while there is talk of diversity, in practice, there is an expectation of conformity in thought, especially in educational institutions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the interview with Tsos Lergo Tsos?

The main topic of discussion is the influence of language on thought and the Marxist context of language control in society.

Why is controlling language considered a method to control thought?

Controlling language is seen as a method to control thought because language shapes our thinking and without the ability to express certain ideas, one's thought can be limited or directed.

What does Tsos Lergo Tsos suggest about the current efforts to control language?

Tsos Lergo Tsos suggests that there is a deliberate effort to control language, which is unusual in history, with the aim of controlling people's thoughts and behaviors.

How does Tsos Lergo Tsos view the idea that certain words can be offensive?

Tsos Lergo Tsos questions the idea that certain words are offensive, implying that the concept is used as a tool for language control rather than a genuine concern for inclusivity.

What is the role of education in the context of controlling thought?

Education plays a critical role in controlling thought as it can be used to encourage conformity and discourage independent thinking by promoting a specific worldview or ideology.

How does Tsos Lergo Tsos describe the impact of current educational practices on individuality?

Tsos Lergo Tsos describes the impact as destructive to individuality, as people are encouraged to identify with collective groups rather than as unique individuals with their own thoughts and perspectives.

What does Tsos Lergo Tsos believe should be the focus of art and cultural production?

Tsos Lergo Tsos believes that art and cultural production should focus on truth, goodness, and beauty, rather than promoting the opposite values as seen in current trends.

What is the connection between the prism of race, gender, and class and the traditional values of truth, goodness, and beauty?

The prism of race, gender, and class represents a shift away from traditional values, focusing instead on categorizing and controlling people based on these aspects rather than promoting universal human values.

How does Tsos Lergo Tsos view the importance of being exposed to different worldviews?

Tsos Lergo Tsos views exposure to different worldviews as essential for intellectual growth and the development of independent viewpoints, allowing individuals to discern truth through evidence and rational thought.

What does Tsos Lergo Tsos suggest is the current state of universities in Brazil regarding diversity of thought?

Tsos Lergo Tsos suggests that the majority of universities in Brazil are dominated by a single ideology—communism—which does not truly accept diversity of thought but rather enforces conformity.

What does the concept of 'test all things and hold on to the good' imply in the context of education and thought?

The concept implies the importance of critical thinking and the examination of various viewpoints to discern what is truly valuable or 'good,' encouraging intellectual freedom and the pursuit of truth.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ The Power and Control of Language

In this paragraph, the discussion centers on the significant role language plays in shaping our thoughts and the potential for its manipulation to control society. The guest, Tsos Lergo Tsos, highlights the Marxist context where language is being controlled to influence thinking, emphasizing the importance of individual linguistic autonomy. The conversation also touches on the changing nature of language and how it is being manipulated to restrict thought, with examples from Brazil where certain words are deemed offensive and then acceptable again, illustrating the government's attempts to control speech and, by extension, thought.

05:01

🎨 The Shift from Truth, Goodness, and Beauty to Race, Gender, and Class

This section delves into the societal shift from classical Christian values of truth, goodness, and beauty to the modern focus on race, gender, and class. The conversation suggests that contemporary art and cultural production often promote values that are contrary to these classical ideals, leading to a society that is exposed to negative influences. The speakers also discuss the dangers of categorizing people based on their sexual orientation or race, rather than recognizing them as individuals capable of independent thought. The paragraph concludes with a call for a return to classical education that encourages critical thinking and exposure to diverse viewpoints.

10:02

🕵️‍♂️ The Importance of Freedom and Critical Thinking

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of freedom, particularly intellectual freedom, as a prerequisite for a fulfilling life. It discusses the Apostle Paul's advice to test all things and hold on to the good, suggesting that this is a model for critical thinking. The conversation also touches on the need for exposure to different worldviews to foster intellectual growth. The paragraph concludes with a call to return to classical education, which values diverse viewpoints and the development of independent thought, as opposed to the current trend of promoting uniformity in thought and language.

Keywords

💡Language Control

Language control refers to the manipulation of language to influence thought and behavior. In the video, it is discussed as a tool used to shape thinking, with the idea that controlling language can lead to controlling thought. The script mentions how certain terms are deemed offensive, which can be a form of language control, aiming to manipulate what people can and cannot say, thereby influencing their autonomy of thought.

💡Linguistic Ability

Linguistic ability is the capacity to use and understand language. The video emphasizes that one's linguistic ability shapes their thinking, suggesting that without the freedom to use language as one wishes, one's thought is compromised. The script illustrates this by discussing how people might feel uncomfortable using certain words, which can limit their expression and, consequently, their thought.

💡Inclusive Language

Inclusive language is a term used to describe language that is sensitive to and respectful of all individuals, regardless of their characteristics. The video script touches on how the push for inclusive language can sometimes lead to restrictions on free speech, as certain terms are labeled as offensive, which can be used to control the narrative and limit the diversity of thought.

💡Individuality

Individuality is the quality of being a distinct entity. The video argues for the importance of recognizing and valuing individuality over collective identities. It suggests that current societal trends encourage people to identify with collective groups rather than as unique individuals, which can lead to a loss of personal autonomy and critical thinking.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda is information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view. The video discusses how manipulation of language and education can be a form of propaganda, aiming to control the way people think and what they believe. It is suggested that by controlling language and educational content, those in power can shape public opinion and behavior.

💡Classical Liberal Education

Classical liberal education is an educational approach that emphasizes critical thinking, exposure to a variety of viewpoints, and the development of independent thought. The video advocates for a return to this form of education, which encourages students to engage with different ideas and form their own conclusions, as opposed to being told what to think.

💡Truth, Goodness, and Beauty

These terms represent traditional values that have historically been central to Western thought. The video contrasts these with what it perceives as modern values of race, gender, and class, suggesting that the focus has shifted from universal ideals to more divisive and subjective categories. The script implies that this shift has led to a cultural decline and a loss of the pursuit of higher values.

💡Collective Identity

Collective identity refers to a sense of belonging to a group defined by shared characteristics. The video argues against an overemphasis on collective identity, suggesting that it can lead to a loss of individuality and the suppression of diverse thought within a group. It is mentioned that people are encouraged to identify with their race, gender, or other attributes before their individuality, which can limit their intellectual growth.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. The video stresses the importance of critical thinking in education, suggesting that it is being undermined by an educational system that promotes conformity and discourages the exploration of diverse viewpoints. The script calls for a return to an educational approach that fosters independent thought and the ability to evaluate different ideas.

💡Freedom of Thought

Freedom of thought is the right to hold and express any opinion without interference. The video discusses how external control over language and education can infringe upon this freedom, leading to a society where individuals are not able to think independently. It is emphasized that true freedom includes the freedom to think and express oneself without constraints.

Highlights

Language shapes our thinking and controlling language can control thought.

The importance of maintaining individual linguistic autonomy to ensure free thought.

The Marxist context of language use and its impact on society.

The idea that language can be offensive and the implications for thought control.

The natural evolution of language versus government-controlled language reform.

The impact of language control on individual thought and the ability to reason properly.

The manipulation of education to control people's thinking rather than encouraging independent thought.

The destruction of individuality and the promotion of collective identity over personal identity.

The shift from classical Christian values to modern societal prisms of race, gender, and class.

The opposition of truth, goodness, and beauty in contemporary art and culture.

The use of sexual and racial categories as a means of controlling people's thoughts and behaviors.

The importance of developing independent viewpoints and critical thinking in education.

The lack of diversity in worldviews presented in communist education systems.

The necessity of exposure to different worldviews for intellectual growth and the development of one's beliefs.

The call for a return to classical education that fosters intellectual freedom and diverse viewpoints.

The value of freedom and the assertion that it may be more important than life itself.

The Apostle Paul's advice to test all things and hold on to the good as a metaphor for critical thinking.

Transcripts

[Music]

welcome to testable faith I'm Ken

samples I'm joined today by visiting

scholar tsos lergo tsos it's quite an

honor to have you visiting with us here

at rtb I'm really glad to have you with

me on this program thank you Ken is a

privilege for me to be here well you

have uh a extensive academic background

in Brazil you have served as a professor

you've served as an attorney a a lawyer

um I want to talk to you about a subject

that I think is very very important as

it relates to a secular critique of our

society and that has to do with the the

challenge of

language um you know often here in

America we have uh there are certain

terms that are offensive they're not

inclusive enough tell us a little bit

about how language is being being used

in kind of a uh Marxist kind of context

and and what the result of that is yeah

this is a very important question and

one of the most important discoveries of

the 20th uh century was that language

shapes our thinking shapes our thought

you you cannot think outside your

linguistic

ability so if you want to control one's

thought you can do it controlling one's

language this is why we see everywhere

no efforts to control the language

sometimes you don't feel comfortable in

using the words you would like to use if

you give someone your linguistic aomy

you are giving the autonomy of your

thought so if you you giv to someone the

possibility of him to control the way

you think I mean you can't give that to

anyone even to to the government and you

can't do that you have to be an

individual a free thinker so be very

aware of the importance of your

linguistic ability you have to be feel

very comfortable in choosing your own

words so this idea that language can be

offensive is uh something that you have

to consider is it really I mean if you

call someone you know little things I'm

not saying that you should do that but

if you do that is it really really that

offensive yeah this is what's happening

I mean it's it all pointing to the idea

that we want to control your language

and therefore we going to control your

thinking even even the reforms in the

language right uh over there in Brazil

they change the language all the all the

time language changes but it changes

naturally there is no situation the

history of humankind be know before this

uh generation they they try to do that

but there's no real situation as it is

nowadays where the government is

officially making changes in the

language just to control the way you

speak you cannot you have to use like

neutral language you have to use this

this is not acceptable this word can be

used now but now tomorrow is it is

offensive and then it comes back to be

used in Brazil is like that there are

some words we used to use them then they

say that it is offensive and now we use

the same word that they say there is

offensive now is acceptable in back they

are messing up with our linguistic

ability and therefore we can't think

properly so as we think about education

um obviously when you want to control

people you want to control how they are

educated so instead of encouraging

people to think for themselves you don't

tell tell them but you encourage them to

discover there is a there is a way of

manipulation I mean this in large

measure is an element of propaganda

exactly the individuality is being

destroyed absolutely destroyed I mean

people are encouraged to identify

themselves as as an element of a

collective group instead of identifying

themselves as individuals yeah you know

like say I am

they say I am a woman before an

individual I am a Indian before an

individual I am something before

individual I am black before an

individual I am white before individual

no you are an individual the colorful

skin the your sex I don't say gender

your sex male or female or anything that

you are is attributes that you have but

you are a free thinker you are

individual your thought cannot be

controlled by external characteristics

yeah as the government wants uh you to

think now one way of kind of thinking

about this is that classical

Christianity has looked at the world

through the prism of Truth goodness and

Beauty I think today in the western

world it's not truth goodness and Beauty

the prism is race gender in class do you

do you think that that's fair I think it

is uh and you can say also the same

thing the art production in nowadays is

the opposite of true Truth uh goodness

and beauty is the opposite the art in

nowadays is evil is bad and it is

false so we are no expose exposing our

kids the children to uh cultural

production artistic production that are

the opposite of how they should be so we

have to be very very concerned about

this the thing you that you said every

everything is sex I mean sexual oriented

or racial oriented these are ways that

they use to control people putting them

in these C categories I mean if someone

behaves as a homosexual they say is that

terminant determinant for the way he

thinks is determines the agenda he has

right it's not like that I mean you are

free you can a homosexual can disagree

with the no another homosexual as he can

disagree with a heterosexual yeah but

they try to make people think that you

you are a collective group instead of

being an individual again the idea then

is that uh in instead of individuality

instead of growing in your thought and

your reflection I mean I like to think

of a student they develop their own

independent View points about the nature

of reality that's what we that's what we

call

education but here the idea is that

people think in

categories uh all homosexual people

think alike or they think according to

the standard of lgbtq for example or or

there is one woman perspective or this

is how blacks think rather than the idea

that all people are made in the image of

God they can think they can reason they

can discover truth and I think it's very

powerful we talk about truth goodness

and Beauty but now we have falseness

Badness and ugliness exactly you 100%

right and I would add to that uh in

order you to increase I mean if you

really be a thinker you have to be

exposed to Different World Views and the

other thing that commonism is doing is

that they are they try to do the same

thing the communism just just accept one

word v in schools University

universities in Brazil the majority of

universities Almost 100% of them are

communist the only diversity that

communism accepts is this is is if it is

the same thing you know they accept

diversity as long as it is the same

thing I mean it makes people

unintelligent students have to be no uh

exposed to Different World Views yes is

the opposition of the World Views

Different World Views where he can

choose which one is true I mean I go

this way that way because I see evidence

for this evidence for that because I

rationalize what I seen this is how

people grow intellectually and in

nowadays what we see they professors at

the University have to teach the same

thing have to use the same language even

in school if a professor is a freeth

thinker I mean if he says that doesn't

matter if you are Black White whatever

mixed whatever you're you one just as in

Galatians 328 you are one doesn't mean

if you're a Jew or Gentile man or woman

if you're are free or slave does I mean

they said that in Galatians right it

doesn't mean what you are you are

individual doesn't matter what you are

you are individual so let's raise let's

grow up intellectually there you have

different World Views position yourself

study a lot no this is what has to be

done so careful thinking critical

thinking uh what we often have called in

the past a classical liberal education

where you're exposed to differing

viewpoints uh pros and cons you consider

the best argument on the other side I'm

100% sure about that let's get back to

the triv quadri yes let's get back to

the Classic Education this is where we

know we had like very intelligent people

people that really created different

different ways of seeing things uh this

is the beauty yes of thinking is that

you free right freedom is something very

very important some people say that

Liberty freedom is even more important

than life you can't have life fully if

you're not

free very good well as the Apostle Paul

said test all things and hold on to the

good if you want to learn more about

tsos lergo you can go on reasons.org

you'll find articles and tsos it's a

pleasure to have you as a visiting

scholar and and I'm really glad to have

you on this program the pleasure is all

mine thank you thank

[Music]

you

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