In Part 1 we considered the meaning of words which is changing over time to suit different agendas; we also considered that complex equivalence (CEq) can be distorted and that it is actually one of the techniques of social engineering. The process involves taking an abstract word and you substitute a new meaning for it, while a certain “top group” like the stakeholders and the CEO of a corporation retain the true understanding of the real meaning. You can also invent new words for the old meanings and we will discuss this aspect a little later.
So with the help of language you have separated two groups of people – you have the same “common” set of terms, the same words but which are understood in one way by those who are not “in the know” and in quite another way by those “in the know”. Now, do you think the ones “in the know” and who have access these linguistic techniques could possibly manipulate the ones “not in the know” especially when they use those terms deliberately and with conscious intent?
The answer is yes, absolutely! The ultimate result of this process (I.E. the repetition of the new words or the new meanings of old words) in interviews, conversation, mass media of all kinds, movies, games, schools starting from kindergarten, etc. is a complete change in the culture of a society.
The results of this skillful, deliberate and conscious use of language leads to social engineering by deliberate manipulation of common words known both to the wider common part of society and the exclusive groups, but understood by the exclusive groups in a unique sense.
Here is a small example touted again and again in all corporations and business nowadays: “team building”. Sounds good because as we think of it, it evokes images of friendship, cooperation, collaboration, mutual assistance, help and support. Or you might be tempted to think that team building means doing things together like going out for a carting day, or having lunch together and you would be wrong.
According to Business Dictionary website “teambuilding” is a
“philosophy of job design in which employees are viewed as members of interdependent teams instead of as individual workers.”
Do you realize that the individuality of people and their unique creative power is erased when you do “teambuilding” with this understanding? Do you realize that YOU dissolve in an amorphous mass called team but YOU as an individual mean nothing? It is not about interdependent individuals working together but interdependent teams! What is the implication of that? Stop and think – do not fall for nice resounding words which are designed to mean something to you and something else for the corporate uppermost levels.
Therefore you see people adopt the new terms and meanings to language – and once they use the words without consideration and true understanding, it instills in them the manipulation of consciousness and change in behavior. Just dare to say “I really don’t care about this teambuilding stuff” and you will be crucified, skinned alive and given to the dogs. Once introduced into the collective mind set, this new redefinition of words sets up group pressure. The task of the group pressure is to install habits acquiescence to the group – that is to discourage individual thinking, individual ambition and to foster acceptance of group control over individual values, attitudes and behaviors.
The “group” will look at the individual offender as a traitor, they will cold-shoulder him/her and in most cases the person will give in. Depending on the situation there have been cases in which the offender had to find another job.
In what we are concerned with in NLP, here is a direct application of what I am talking about. For those of you following the blogs on this website and familiar with NLP, Values and The Evolution of Consciousness series, every values level has a different understanding of the words. If you are not familiar with this series please read it before you proceed with this article otherwise what follows will not be so compelling.
To make the point in a concise manner I will take only two examples – the most common ones – and then you can generalize. Values level (VL) 4 and VL 5.
We’ll talk about this in the last part of this article.
Until then, be well