The following essay appeared last month at the German site Junge Freiheit. Many thanks to JLH for the translation:
The Leninism in Our Language
February 24, 2015Even though the immigration-critical PEGIDA has recently been weakened, this much is still clear: The cracks in the wall of the leftist opinion cartel are becoming larger. If you should ask why this has taken so long, part of the answer must be the daily manipulation of language. In The Black Book of Communism, Stephane Courtois opines that an “essential characteristic of Leninism” is “the manipulation of language, the decoupling of words from reality.” It is no different today, even if Leninism is history here. The manipulation occurs primarily through the awakening of unconscious associations that lead down false trails.
The most important pillar in support of the present system of linguistic manipulation is the leftist manipulation of the concept “politically rightist.” By establishment of the permanent suggestion that “rightist” is a synonym for “right extremist,” or at least as a synonym for xenophobia, 50% of those people who have an opinion are defamed. While in other countries it is accepted that a democratic right is just as legitimate as a democratic left, here in Germany only half a democracy is maintained — left and middle are allowed, but right is forbidden.
Thought Streams Direct Toward Reputable or Disreputable
“Thinking Afresh from the Left,” is the title of a book by SPD party chief Sigmar Gabriel. It would be unthinkable for Angela Merkel to publish a book titled “Thinking Afresh from the Right.”[1] And so, it is all too easy for someone who insists on sovereignty and identity, defends the mother-father family or has problems with multicultural social romanticism to be seen as suspicious. The concept “right” triggers false associations of the “far right.” This sends most citizens into a state of shock, so that they don’t even dare to ask the right questions.
In fact, in other areas there is a plethora of concepts in political speech which direct thoughts and declare from the outset which opinions are “respectable” and which are not. And it is always the leftist opinion that is respectable. For instance, with climate change. For years, people who dared to doubt the theory of man-made climate change were stigmatized as “climate deniers.” Of course, there are good arguments for these doubts, but the phrase “climate denier” inspires subconscious associations with “Holocaust denier” so that citizens just don’t want to think about that.
“Energy Turnaround” — A Red-Green Propaganda Concept
Also worthy of note is that execrable propaganda phrase “energy turnaround” [Enegiewende] whose propaganda significance is no longer even noticed, because we are used to it. The phrase is used to place the mad project of decommissioning all atomic energy facilities on the same pedestal as the peaceful revolution in the GDR. Anyone who is against the “Energiewende” is, ipso facto, a communist.[2] After that, who would want to express doubts about this political, energy experiment?
The history of ideas by Paul Hockenos in the Zeit is also significant, where we learn that the “Wende” concept was taken up in the course of the 1980s “by the Greens, various grass-roots movements and alternative press like taz.“ It took on additional significance in 2002, when the environmental ministry of the Red-Green federal government held a symposium of experts, with the title “Energy Turnaround — Getting Out of Atomic Energy and Protecting the Environment.” This propaganda idea was later taken over by Angela Merkel. The Black-Yellow parties [CDU/CSU and FDP — Free Democrats] accommodated themselves to this leftist opinion complex — not only to the content, but to the smallest linguistic details And so begins the intellectual capitulation.
A Liar Language for a Leftist Liar Republic
Currently, the phrase “Putin whisperer” [Putin-versteher] is extremely popular. This phrase is intended to evoke subconscious associations with the phrase “lady whisperer.” [Frauensversteher] The sub-conscious message: Anyone who is not seeing the Ukraine crisis through tunnel-vision Western glasses is an unmanly, feeble wimp. But an uncritical view of Putin is just as false as the Western view. The manipulative phrase, “Putin-whisperer” can cut not only against willfully blind Putin disciples, but also against those who have distanced themselves, in order to achieve a sober understanding of the Russian perspective.
Recently, this phrase has a linguistic echo — “PEGIDA whisperer”. In this case, too, the combative phrase is used to hinder decidedly non-left, e.g., rightist ways of thinking. The rubric, “whisperer” is only used for those groups of people who do not fit into the politically correct opinion cartel — for Putin, PEGIDA or AfD. It is no coincidence that we never hear of “Occupy whisperers,” “Gysi whisperers” [3] or “Antifa whisperers.”
We have not only a “liar press” [4], but a liar’s language. When even CDU and FDP politicians speak of “fellow citizens” instead of just “citizens,” it is a clear sign that we are living in a leftist liar’s republic.
Notes:
| 1. | Translator’s note: But not for the reason implied by the author! | |
| 2. | See the comment by Elisabeth on GoV’s FINDING PEGIDA: ”Die Wende” refers to what went on in Dresden and all of the GDR in 1989, i.e. the turning towards democracy. | |
| 3. | Gregor Gysi — attorney and membr of the political party The Left. | |
| 4. | Said frequently, especially at PEGIDA Dresden. |
we all know who was a liar from the beginning, and when he speaks lies is speaking according to his nature. So it would seem that the religion of the left and Islam have something in common. Is it any wonder then that the Islami are cozied as they are by the lying left. Thanks, I think I have finally connected the dots and the role the Fourth Estate is expected to play these days.
Given that “Nazi” is a contraction for “National Socialism”, you would think that people in Germany would be more suspicious of the left. Yet, for some reason, the terms “left” and “right” have gotten redefined so that all the bad things go on the right and all the nice-sounding things go on the left.
I’m surprised that communism isn’t being called a “right wing” ideology. After all, if it turned out bad then it must have something to do with the evil right wing.
On one level, racism is the desire of an individual, any individual, to prefer the company and culture of those with hom he or she shares common language and values.
As a result of National Socialist extremism, in terms of ethnic cleansing, the idea of ‘racism’ as a political sledge hammer was given birth by those very same socialists, who, between the wars, were the devout followers of social Dawinism and eugenics, prime members of the ‘ethnic cleansing’ family of political vices.
The biggest travesty of language manipulation ha been the separation between religion and political religion (poligion). At the cores of ‘political Islam’, and of ‘religious socialism’ is a congruent and violent hatred of the ‘infidel’.
In its extreme, socialism does not hesitate to exterminate its political enemies by the million, and in the same way, at its extreme, Islam massacres its infidels.
But we also have obfuscation, the ‘extreme right’ is a propaganda term for National Socialism, an extremist LEFT organization. The term is specifically designed to redistribute ‘blame’ and balance the political books, as is much of the fire against Pinochet, the one leader who has managed to out play the socialists at their own games (the difference being, that he then returned political power to its rightful place instead of becoming dictator, a move, of which, that the left is systemically incapable)
It is important that we start to view socialism as another obnoxious religion, which has its moderates and its extremists and all the trappings thereof, amongst them, its own form of taquiyya, after all, socialism is a poligion of peace……
auschwitz had nothing to do with socialism…..
“…to prefer the company and culture…” is one thing, and understandable. To discriminate in the offer of jobs, housing etc is something else, and not acceptable, especially when the people discriminated against are no longer newcomers.
Why is it not acceptable? Is it because it is a shibboleth of the socialist religion? part of the dawa of socialism, a facet of the socialist shariah?
Should I not be free to employ who I want, when I want?
Should I not be free to sell or rent out my houses to whom I want and for a price that I decide?
Those freedoms re employees and tenants disappeared a very long time ago. As I’ve said repeatedly, the West lives under the thumb of whatever totalitarian democracy exists in his or her country. That is why people are gradually becoming careful about what they say and to whom.
With the rising number of regulations re every day life, the average person breaks some law or other several times a day.
We know a number of liberals in real life. I don’t *think* they know about Gates of Vienna, but I’m not sure. I AM certain, though, that if I were to mention it, an awkward silence would shroud whatever corner we were standing in to talk.
A woman I like a lot was aghast when she found out I didn’t think much of the way our lives were increasingly regulated. I managed to deflect her astounded disapproval by steering the conversation to “conversion via economic philosophy”. Like most liberals, she is deeply uninformed about the unintended consequences of feel-good programs like Head Start. Quoting some of Frederic Bastiat can help; in fact, many conservative economic philosophers are more interesting to read than the reigning (and misguided) point of view. And people begin to turn toward the right when they face real-life situations like the questions you raise.
Because, Anonymous, and leaving aside the issue of social justice and sheer “fairness” (sorry if that sounds naive), many clever people have argued, on this site and elsewhere, that black people, women, and others who have been unjustly held back because of what, rather than who, they are, need to “get over it” and stop seeing themselves as victims.
All very fine- unless discrimination continues, in which case they genuinely remain victims and are entitled to resent it and get angry!
So, Mark H, are you that sure of your politico-religious shibboleths that you are blind to their shortcomings and are prepared to forcibly convert me?
If they are victims, then they are victims of circumstance, or of their own choice. Your religion says that because of this, I too must be victimized to make things ‘equal’
Sorry I do not go for your religion.
We have dog whistle.
Here’s another one: Throughout the German-speaking world, those with the temerity to oppose the European Union are called, in the mainstream media, “anti-europäisch.” Anti-European. The term Lügepresse is no exaggeration. They ARE liars, and they use the same tools as the GDR’s main rag, Neues Deutschland.
As a member of a society and nation we would serve all interests best by being open minded in analysing and evaluating information and being open, honest and with integrity in our opinions. We all have an interest in our own, our society and nations best interests.
Thank you, JLH, for your helpful footnotes. But I’d like to see another note to explain “X-versteher = X whisperer”. In English, “X whisperer” has a favorable connotation, being derived from the novel/movie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Horse_Whisperer_(film)
about a cowboy who “has a way with horses” and can calm a skittish wild horse by speaking soothingly to it. I think there was even a cable-TV show called “The Dog Whisperer” about a dog trainer who calms down unruly dogs and makes them docile and trainable.
But I gather from this article that a “Putin-versteher”, literally, a “Putin understander”, is a pejorative term, meaning someone who is too sympathetic and “understanding” toward Putin’s viewpoint. Maybe “Putin sympathizer” would better convey the meaning, with connotations of John Birch Society vocabulary like
https://www.wordnik.com/words/comsymp or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fellow_traveller .
I can’t find a listing in my German-English dictionary for “Frauenversteher”. What does it mean? (1) a “woman whisperer”, a man who knows how to talk calmly to a hysterical woman to calm her down? (2) a “woman understander” who understands women and how they think? (3) someone who understands people like a woman does, in a too indulgent and sympathetic way? (4) something else?
Based on the Google results and some suggested translations of people online, I would go with “woman explainer” for Frauensversteher. It sounds like this is one of those openly sardonic, nasty phrases that is mostly employed on the Internet in feminism-related discussions.
“Putin explainer” is, therefore, someone who believes Putin needs to “be interpreted” and “explained” in order to be justified to cynical leftists. “PEGIDA explainer” would be the same.
Mark Spahn: I had no end of trouble deciding on that term. I thought of “sympathizer” too, but it seemed to me to have hard-edged political tones, like “Nazi-sympathizer.” As you noted, Frauensversteher can have negative connotations, which transfer to Putin-versteher. I thought of “ladies man” but that is really a rendering of Frauenheld and not Frauenversteher, which is a comparatively recent term and implies someone like the character in Mel Gibson’s What Women Want–both insightful and aware of his feminine side. But the companion term would imply “someone who understands his Putin side”–and it’s a phrase in place of a word.
So, although loath to borrow from Redford, who strikes me as the epitome of the Gutmensch, I opted for the term his film made famous, because I interpret it as someone who both understands and is able to talk persuasively to the person in question (or thinks he/she can) and is therefore more bien-pensant “human” than a sympathizer. You might say, I pointed to the fences and took a swing…and I either knocked it out of the park, or there is no joy in Mudville tonight.
This kind of thing should motivate us not to shaking our heads at what’s going on in Germany but to realizing how much the same thing goes on in each and every country of any persona reading this. Take the very terms “Progress” and “Forward” as used by the Left and its media mouthpieces. Think about how “Equality” morphed into “Equity,” “Justice” into “Social Justice,” “Environmental Justice,” “Gender Justice” etc. This is everywhere, in everything, all around you, wherever you live.
And there is no significant opposition, other than a blog or book here and there…
Very true.
There’s little opposition because the Left/Loon elites won the culture war. They’ve taken all of the major levers of power that shape and control our society. The news media, art, Hollywood, politics, academia and public education. It’s in their hands.
As a result they control not only the narratives but the language we speak as well.
Even so-called mainstream Conservative pundits dare not speak of this or the Orwellian use of language that has crept into our vernacular without many of us noticing.
Notice how the MSM never mentions religion of the so-called Americans who join ISIS. Instead the talking heads act surprised spout something like ‘why would Americans want to join ISIS?’
Never a real discussion of why young Muslim males are attracted to it and why it’s never condemned by the mullahs? Even by Fox News.
We even have our two minutes of hate now. At one time it was Richard Jewel, Zimmerman, then Darren Wilson, Haven Monahan, straight white Christian males. etc.