Negotiated meanings (Off-Topic)

by naturl selexion, Tuesday, May 12, 2015, 02:35 (3280 days ago) @ Robot Chickens

Something else. In the ever constant effort to attract attention people, especially news sources, strain the meanings of words to their absolute limits. We hear it all the time and become accustomed to it. In order for us to convey a feeling there is a tendency to select words that aren't actually appropriate. This is fine for story telling. For disseminating information it is not.

When I was a kid new was actually news - for the most part. Now the news is entertainment. Everybody is competing for viewers or readers so they have to make their story the most interesting. Being surrounded, inundated with constant exaggeration is having an effect on our language, and not in the way that helps to share information accurately.

Who is doing the negotiating of the meanings of words? Probably the people that write them and the people that enjoy reading or listening to them. Those who entertain are in the forefront. Those that inform, not so much.

The up side to this is that despite the hyperbole, young people are in general smarter and better informed than ever. At some point the constant exaggeration is going to lose it's appeal and people will value straight talk and not respond to ridiculousness.