Can Language Influence Our Perception of Reality? 12/31/2016

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/uc/2014/06/can_language_influence_our_perception_of_reality.html

     Language is communication, whether it be written, spoken, or sign language; all play a major role in human survival as it influences our perception of life. Shaped in part by environmental factors, language helps us create friendships as well as cultural ties that simply enables us to learn and grow. For this reason language is very important, however, it can be easily manipulated to "change" a message and thus, communication as a whole. To demonstrate, in a study conducted by Lera Boroditsky, an associate professor of cognitive science at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), language helps shape "many aspects of the world, including space and time." Professor Boroditsky even found that using different words in a sentence can have drastic implications. Specifically, when describing the economy using the word "stalled" as opposed to the word "ailing" (or vice versa) it was found that the difference is crucial. In the case of the economy, the word “stalled” implies the need for a quick solution. As Professor Boroditsky says, “When we use that analogy we’re implying that a short term financial stimulus will help us get the economy going again.” In contrast, when the economy is “ailing,” like a sick patient, it requires constant, long-term care. Essentially, the slight variation of a sentence can completely change its meaning and the way it is expressed to others. This is often used in the media to provoke a specific response or emotion from the audience such as feelings of fear or ease; which in turn can change our perception of reality and the way we view one another. As shown in the image below, word choice is an important factor that can impact our decisions as well as beliefs. Although both papers are from The Wall Street Journal, they obviously have different intentions and positions on the topic at hand. This just goes to show how powerful and manipulative language can be.

"There Is No Unmarked Woman" 12/18/16

     In the text, "There Is No Unmarked Woman," author Deborah Tannen discuses gender stereotypes and the effect it has on society's perception of women. By opening the essay with an anecdote about a past conference, Tannen effectively shows how women and men are treated differently. To specify, she describes how the women chose to dress, style their hair, and their use of make-up or lack thereof and how these decisions were all "marked." For example, she noted that the third woman's hair was "a frosted blond avalanche falling over" and how the "first woman wore facial cover that made her skin smooth and pale." In contrast, when describing the men at the conference, Tannen did not bother elaborating on their clothing or hair, instead stating that it "needed and attracted no attention." This comes to show how women are judged in everything that they do and thus, must take more time to present themselves as attractive or even just confident. This supports the idea that all women are marked, as even the English language distinguish between men and women it further reinforces the idea. As Tannen mentions in her essay, "The unmarked forms of most English words also convey 'male'" and adding "endings like ess and ette mark words as 'female.'" An example is doctor and doctorette. Although the word doctorette has lost its use throughout the years, there are still many that continue to be used such as actor and actress. Essentially, these "marked" words often have negative connotations associated with them. This is most commonly associated with the female gender as being "not quite serious" and "often sexual." This demonstrates the inequality women face in society, even when performing the same job as a male counterpart they are perceived differently. Similarly, even in other languages such as Spanish everything is marked as either female or male even something as trivial as a table. For instance, in school my Spanish teachers put great emphasis on the use of "el" or "la" in front of a word in order to indicate if a word is male or female. I believe that these markers are the result of centuries of tradition and is deeply rooted in various cultures, which all stems from the idea that men are superior to women. By constantly using these marked words I believe that people's perception of women will be impacted whether consciously or unconsciously.

"Pillow Angel" (12/4/16)

     In the article "Pillow Angel Ethics" author Nancy Gibbs discusses the controversial story of a six-year-old girl named Ashley. Ashley was born with a severe brain impairment called "static encephalopathy" as it is a permanent and unchanging condition. Being unable to sit-up, walk, talk, or feed herself, Ashley has been nicknamed "Pillow Angel" by her parents because she always remains where she is placed, on a pillow. Due to this condition, Ashley's parents has become her main caregivers and decided to proceed with lengthy medicinal treatments as well as operations to keep her small and thus, easier to care for. To demonstrate, Ashley has endured "high-dose estrogen treatment...her growth plates were closed and her prospective height reduced by about 13 inches". By doing so her parents are better able to include her in family activities and give her the care and love that she deserves. Additionally, the risk of uterine and breast cancer has been eliminated for Ashley by removing her uterus and breast tissue. These procedures could ultimately "prevent potenial discomfort from menstrual cramps or pregnancy..." Despite this, disibility advocates "have suggested that this course of treatment is an abuse of Ashley's rights'..." However, given the circumstances I do not believe that this is an abuse of Ashley's rights'. Since Ashley is physically and mentally unable to care for herself, as her main caregivers I believe that her parents had the right to decide. It is clear that Ashley's parents love her and want to do what they think is best. In this case, I believe that Ashley's family is more than fit to decide for her, of course, with the assistance of medical professionals. Even though these treatment options may have risks such as "thrombosis or blood clot", I personally believe that with any medical treatments there are always risks that may come with it. This does not mean that one should completely disregard the procedure, it is also important to consider the benefits that come along with it. As of right now the treatments and operations that have been performed on Ashley has only improved the quality of her life and that is all that matters. Overall, I understand the reasons behind Ashley's case and believe that it is justified and ethical.