For almost as long as I can remember, I’ve admired those who used words well, who gave voice to things I wanted to express but didn’t feel like I adequately could. But words can be polluted even more drastically than rivers and land. Moreover, their misuse can be our undoing.
Democracy requires that we honor the culture of words. The very idea of democracy is based on the hope that our fellow citizens can use words to reason together and find systems for expressing differences and solving problems. However, when words are weaponized by our political leaders and used to paint all opponents as inherently evil, stupid, or weak, then democracy’s foundations are put in peril. Which brings us to the demoralizing Donald Trump era.
The debasement of words reached a zenith with the coming of America’s 45th president. Donald used his words as weapons to increase distrust in the media, science, elections and government. He attacked opponents with mockery and name-calling, which has historically eroded democracies in the past. If we hope to repair the damage that’s been done, we need to understand why Trump’s misuse of words is so harmful and dangerous.
Ours is a remarkable republic, if we can keep it.
