Semantic terrorism is drawn from various philosophical and social theoretical works, including de Saussure, Foucault, Althusser, and Baudrillard.
These thinkers all contributed to our understanding of how language and communication can be used as tools of power and control and how they can shape our perceptions of reality.
Saussure’s linguistics work helped establish that language is a social construct, and that power relations and historical contexts shape it.
Foucault’s ideas on power and discourse similarly highlight how language and communication construct and reinforce dominant ideologies and power relations.
Althusser’s work on ideology and interpellation further deepened our understanding of how language and communication can be used to shape our identity and sense of self…
Jean Baudrillard’s work on the image and spectacle also contributed
to our understanding of how media and communication can be used to manipulate and control people.
He argued that in the contemporary era,
images and symbols play an increasingly important role in shaping our perceptions of reality and are often used as tools of power and domination…
Drawing on these and other works,
semantic terrorism highlights how language and communication can terrorize and control individuals and populations
on social media
. Semantic terrorists use loaded language, propaganda,
and other forms of communication to shape public opinion, manipulate perceptions of reality, and create a “semantic interpellation” that reinforces dominant ideologies and power relations. Semantic terrorists can use social media and other forms of communication,
such as spoken language, written text, and even nonverbal communication.
They seek to manipulate and control others through words and language,
often using fear, anger, and other strong emotions to achieve their goals.
Those bad actors may use propaganda, fake news, and disinformation to spread their message and gain power and control.
They may also seek to disrupt communication and create confusion and chaos, making it difficult for people to connect and understand each other.
In a world where semantic terrorism has taken hold,
people may struggle to communicate and connect, leading to a breakdown in society and culture.
It is essential to be aware of these kinds of threats and work to counteract them by promoting transparent and honest communication, empathy, and connection and using language in positive and constructive ways.
Atkins, A. S., & Reuter-Lorenz, P. A. (2008). False working memories? Semantic distortion in a mere 4 seconds. Memory & Cognition, 36(1), 74-81.
Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and simulation. University of Michigan press.
Brandmayr, M. (2020). Social Media and the Concept of Interpellation. Discursive Approaches to Populism Across Disciplines: The Return of Populists and the People, 145-170.
De Saussure, F. (1916). Nature of the linguistic sign. Course in general linguistics, 1, 65-70.
Hall, S. (1985). Signification, representation, ideology: Althusser and the post‐structuralist debates. Critical studies in media communication, 2(2), 91-114.
Lifton, R. J. (2012). Thought reform and the psychology of totalism: A study of brainwashing in China. UNC Press Books.
Kukla, R. (2018). Slurs, interpellation, and ideology. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 56, 7-32.
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