It just came to me to think about some aspects of how language is used. And, yes, if you interact with an individual it may not matter if you have different definitions for words you use, you can just explain what you mean respectivly, but on a larger scale if you think language is not important Göbbels would disagree.
It is quite useful in creating a Feindbild.
But first, what is a Feindbild?
A Feindbild is described by german wikipedia as "[Feindbild] is generally used to describe a social pattern of interpretation towards other people, groups of people (especially minorities), peoples, states or ideologies that is based on a black and white view of the world (dichotomy, dualism) and is associated with negative ideas, attitudes and feelings".
Why do i explain this to you?
It is becouse of how language has been used in germany since the pandemic started.
Specificly, the term "Querdenker". Its a term many could associate with, it can be translated to "lateral thinker", the definition however would be closer to "free thinker" if i absolutely had to translate the term. "someone who thinks independently and originally and whose ideas and views are often not understood or accepted" is how google defines the term "querdenker".
Thats all fine and good, and of course a lot of the signalers of virtue used to use the term for themselves as well.
It used to be a term that the political left used, specificly left libertarians (that didnt quite realise their ideas do rely on things such as the existance of the state or taxation, aka the initiation of violence) or those that pretended to be libertarian.
However, novadays the term is used as a slur against people who oppose covid measures or more generally the state.
A slur against libertarians and im sure theres not just libertarians there now, either, im sure some right authoritarians are along for the right just like previously stalinists were.
It is espacialy telling if organisations or people which heavily leaned into the querdenker term in the past now use it as a slur.
In some states, the Verfassungsschutz, one of the secret service type of agencies in germany, this one specificly tasked with protecting the constitution, is allready watching them.
These are dark times indeed.
