Language

  Language is a powerful tool of mankind. At it's most basic analysis however it is simply a bodily function of the human animal. It is simply a set of sounds that can be made by a human using various organs such as the tongue, the lips, the lungs, etc. in concert, or the visual symbols of these sounds represented in the craft of writing. The sounds themselves have no inherent meaning. All of the meaning in words both spoken and written is assigned to them by the mental faculties of mankind and does not exist a priori in the sounds and symbols themselves. This is easily shown by the fact that sounds and symbols take on entirely different meanings or, more often, are rendered completely unintelligible by change in location or culture. It is therefore flawed to attribute characteristics of good and bad to words. While in most English speaking cultures we teach children that it is wrong to use the word "shit" because it is a "bad word." However we never teach the same children that it is wrong to use the word "manure" even though the two words represent the exact same physical entity.

  It could be be argued that at least for negative and destructive purposes the most powerful word in the American dialects of the English language is "nigger." There are surely many who will disagree that this word has superlative power, but its ability to cause havoc and extreme discord between people is undeniable. There are very sound historical reasons for this as the vast majority of the word's usage has been shrouded in separatism, racial divde and simple hatred. However it remains flawed to assign a value of good or bad to the word itself. The power given to even this most taboo of sounds and symbols is arbitrary and imaginary. As humans we give all words their power. They have none of there own. All words including "nigger" are merely meaningless sounds and squiggles until we assign them meaning and by extension give them power. An understanding of this truth and open unflinchingly honest discussion of it would go a long way toward healing wounds that have created a great divide among humans.