The poisoning of public discourse

Chung van Gog, 02 February 2023

I am worried about our increasingly fascist public discourse. I do not know what to do about it, but I cannot simply sit back and accept it. I need to find ways to resist. Here is a first sketch at a (linguistic) proto-strategy.

  1. Use moderation
  2. Be precise
  3. Defend common-sense morality
  4. Speak honestly and kindly
  5. Find your own language
  6. Read unpopular books
  7. Think through words
  8. Call out poor behavior
  9. Always verify sources
  10. Listen more than you speak
  11. Avoid extremism like the plague

Far from perfect, but it’s a beginning.