Language and Societal Decay

Perhaps a year ago, while reading a biography of John Milton, I came across an interesting comment Milton made in a letter to one Benedetto Bonomatthai. I found it so interesting, I made note of it. And then, just about a week ago, I once again encountered the same quote in a collection of Richard Weaver's essays and other short works. Weaver (1910-1963) is another of my heroes, one of those remarkably smart people who challenge my ill-formed opinions. This particular book -- In Defense of Tradition -- is certainly worth reading, as is everything else Weaver wrote.

Anyway, back to Milton. Here's the quote (an English translation from the original Latin) by the great English poet and written on September 10, 1638: 

"Nor do I think it a matter of little moment whether the language of a people be vitiated or refined, whether the popular idiom be erroneous or correct...It is the opinion of Plato, that changes in dress and habits of the citizens portend great changes and commotions in the state; and I am inclined to believe that when the language in common use becomes irregular and depraved, it is followed by their ruin or their degradation. For what do terms used without skill or meaning, which are at once corrupt and misapplied, denote but a people listless, supine, and ripe for servitude? On the contrary, we have never heard of any people or state which has not flourished in some degree of prosperity as long as their language has retained its elegance and purity."

This all came to mind because of the quality of the language used by some of today's inexplicably famous people, who seem to capture the interest of the media and those enslaved by the cult of celebrity worship. I refer particularly to the women on the US soccer team who, after beating the team from the Netherlands, celebrated by presenting us with a constant stream of foul language, obscene gestures, and other equally unpleasant demonstrations of the respect they have for the country they represent and its people. 

Behavior, too, is a form of language that communicates sometimes more clearly than words, and the team's display of unsportsmanlike behavior, especially during their 13-0 win over a hapless Thai team, was simply disgusting. The US team ran up the score, cheering madly with every senseless goal, while the Thai women left the field in tears. No humility, no reserve, no grace -- just an in-your-face, "we're something else, you're nothing" display of hubris. I suppose some folks thought this was just fine; but I, for one, was ashamed to be an American that day.

Of course, we encounter similar behavior and hear the same foul language from our politicians, including U.S. Senators and Represenatatoves. Even our president occasionally utters the mild expletive, especially during his roadshow rallies, but he's truly mild when compared with AOC and her staff. These folks spit out f-bombs like pieces of chewed up gum, as does another lovely New Yorker, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. And in California, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris refused to be out-profaned by her Empire State colleagues. She, too, demonstrating the class with which she graces the upper chamber, let loose with a steady stream of obscenities while discussing, of all things, healthcare. 

A person's language and its associated behavior usually provide a fairly clear picture of the state of his or her mind. These folks, apparently unable to develop and articulate their arguments, resort to meaningless obscenities designed to do nothing but shock their listeners. Their "words" certainly don't offer convincing evidence that their beliefs are worthy of acceptance. 

The degradation of language and its effect on a people intrigue me, so maybe I'll continue the discussion in a future post.

Of course, if Milton was correct, and there's certainly much evidence to support his hypothesis, we might well be doomed as a nation.

We sure do live in interesting times, don't we?