The Unspecialized

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I find it offensive because it is disingenuous. As far as out right lies go, this phrase is one of the more mild ones. But nonetheless, it is an out right lie. It is not bullshit (which is what someone says when they would like you to believe that they know what they are talking about but are indifferent to the truth) exactly, which is way too prevalent in it's own right. It is an example of persuasive speech that that goes beyond the socially acceptable bullshit and becomes a lie(which is when the speaker cares about what is true and probably knows what is true, but wishes you to believe something different). The speaker of our topic phrase may or may not know the truth, (he probably does) but he is trying to persuade you what to believe by trying to make you believe that your neighbors think a certain way, which he knows (or is probably fairly sure) is false.

Which is why, when a person speaking to a crowd uses this phrase listeners should be skeptical of all that follows. As far as I can see, it is both part of and indicative of what is wrong with our country today, which is essentially a lack of honesty.

More particularly though, we suffer from an overload of marketing speak, a special kind of dishonesty. We are inundated with the stuff. In fact, it takes genuine effort to decode what politicians and spinsters mean because all they do is use propaganda terms(ex. “right to life” or “war on terror”), buzzwords ( ex. “paradigm shift,” “new direction” or “surge”) and code words (ex. “family values”). And these three categories are not mutually exclusive, “surge,” as in troop surge, is propaganda, buzz and code. Plenty of people complain about this practice, but the wider and deeper the awareness of this garbage is, the more likely it is our government will follow the will of the people, we will have an informed electorate and our decisions will lead to our future betterment. Therefore, what follows.

Deciphering: or how to cut through the nonsense

To understand what a speaker means using this new aberration of language there are a couple of steps to take.  

1)Is the speaker actually saying something?

(Or does it sound like words and words alone?  People of all walks of life, reporter, politician, etertainer, routinely talk and talk and say nothing.)  

2)Does he know what he is saying?

 (So he is saying something, but does he have a clue?  is he knowledgeable in the field or is he just repeating some Buzz?  The more buzzwords a speaker uses, the less likely it is they do.)

3)Are there any code words?

 (This is a tough one because, the whole point of code words is to be ambiguous or unnoticeable to those who aren't part of the intended group, and how do you know if you're not part?  Some of them are out there for you to find.  Some might takes some imagination.)

4)What are the propaganda terms?

 (Most propaganda terms sound like slogans or catch phrases and are repeated ad nauseam.  They might also strike you as a new way of phrasing that you hadn't heard before but now, all of sudden, is being spoken everywhere.  Or they might be simply be words and phrases that are right on the euphemism/inaccuracy line.)

5)Are the propaganda terms meant to be propaganda?

 (Many propaganda terms become so endemic, that much of the time people simply use them because everyone else does and they don't know any better. One of the best examples of this is the now common phrase "partial-birth abortion" which you won't find in any medical books.  It is the propaganda term for intact dilation and extraction, the phrase itself  was coined in 1992 and has now become ubiquitous thanks to anti-abortion activists.)

This is the thought process that necessary to understand something as innocuous and seemingly meaningless as “America is a Christian Nation,” “Israel has a right to defend itself” or “free markets make free societies.”

So, let's analyze the phrase (usually a response to something so as to have an assumed context, in this case, we'll say the United States' trade policies toward China) “I think the American people understand that free markets make free societies.” First off, the speaker of this phrase is actually saying something. Secondly it is unlikely that the speaker of this phrase actually understands what he or she is talking about (mostly since this type of phrase has been repeated ad nauseum) . Thirdly, the fun part, “I think the American people understand” is a propaganda term that roughly translates into, “I really hope that you will equate the following with common sense enough to believe that it is true without me having to defend my groundless assertions.” “Free markets” is also a propaganda term which usually means in the real world “allowing of foreign investment” or “allowing of corporate exploitation.” We routinely hear China referred to as a “free market” or taking part in “free trade” which is anything but the case, they have a managed currency (not traded freely but pegged at a fixed conversion rate),a law requiring that any production in the country must be half owned by a native Chinese business and really only trade in goods (some services) but not in highly skilled labor (you won't see any Chinese doctors freely allowed to come here and practice medicine). These policies are absolutely antithetical to a free market.

Now obviously, I believe that the phrase “free markets make free societies” is not true at all. But, maybe it is, who knows? (Certainly not the people using the phrase.) But when paired with “I think the American people understand” it becomes nothing other than propaganda. In the context of trade with China, the full phrase translates directly to “you should not question America's trade policy with China.” It attempts to preempt honest inquiry and debate by shame (the American people understand this buddy, why are you so far behind the curve), deception (you're not against free markets are you? And who can argue with China being a free market?) and misdirection through nonsense (well, let's not talk about what the actual policy entails, how it might be bad for America or whether or not it is really ethical to trade with countries whose labor pool is a step away from slavery. We're helping them out by literally, buying their freedom, let's pat ourselves on the back.) 

So, I'm asking anyone who reads this article(both of you) to be disturbed when you hear spinners, PR people, politicians, talk show hosts or anyone else use the phrase “I think the American people (fill in the blank).” Be disgusted and offended. And listen carefully to the words that seem to be repeated ad nauseum. Think about them, what they mean and what the speaker wishes the effect of the phrase to be. And I'm asking anyone who reads this article, come back and read my dissections of other phrases (coming soon(ish)).