"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world. Wittgenstein's words stress how language defines what we can and can't think, tantamount to shaping our reality. And the man should know, as he lived during the Third Reich, a regime that achieved its cruel success in no small part by controlling German discourse. The American regime in power for a precipitous second reign is working overtime to not only disappear words but to pervert their meaningno less than a hallmark of authoritarian rule."
"Within the first 100 days of that rule, MAGA made clear that certain words were to be expunged from federal websites and communicationsobvious Goebbels-esque shitwere to be disallowed for use by damn near everybody engaging the federal government for funds. At the time, the effort was much written aboutrecall a thorough, interactive account in The New York Times. But akin to many of this regime's egregious transgressions, the story came and went. The story didbut not its impact."
"For example, the literary world. Most of the writers I know (me included) have courted and/or been the beneficiary of a literary grant or fellowship. MAGA's draconian rules on language have resulted in nixed funding for literary organizations and writers themselves, including the jeopardization of prime resources like the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as yielding strict terms on the language used to describe any academic or artistic endeavor seeking government aid."
Language defines what people can and cannot think, shaping perceived reality. A long-used classroom freewrite prompt invokes the idea that language limits the world. Historical examples show that regimes can achieve cruelty by controlling discourse. A contemporary political regime has attempted to remove or pervert words from federal websites and communications during its early tenure. The effort included directives that restricted certain terminology and affected eligibility for government funding. Literary organizations and writers have faced funding losses and threats to resources such as the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding now often depends on using regime-friendly language, imposing coercion on academic and artistic expression. Seven words are identified as particularly dangerous for 2025, beginning with 'Oppression'.
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