TST 1/24/23 - Leaning Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:1-9 tells of man's attempt to reach heaven by means of an artificially constructed tower. Although an iconic story for Christians, Muslims and Jews likewise have their own version of events, and the Sumerians and Greeks tell similar stories. The potentiality of man with one common understanding is a great threat to centralized power brokers and thus on the very earthly plane man attempts to cultivate Babel in his fellow man by the control of language. As George Orwell wrote, "It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words." Such an obliteration of language comes in many forms too. Suppressing speech by making certain words, name, phrases, and ideas taboo; suppressing speech by forcing others to use specific words the state deems important; and doing both the latter and former through legislation. Changing definitions, banning words, adding useless words, making certain forms of behaviors favorable over communication, and restricting access to other languages by calling the use of such language culturally insensitive are all methods which result in the unification of man being made dull and confused.