I am an American and a big fan of Language transfer. Currently listening (again ) daily while in Spain. You provide interesting comment on the whole world of funding. One of the things I was thinking as you discussed the cyprus divide is that when I am asked race? I say “human.” We try to make social concepts biologic ones in our dichotomous thinking. I think the same is true of gender. I am a cis-male according to current terminology but when asked my pronouns I say I and me. Not trying to dis others but to give my own answer. Male and female is a line that we are all on at variable locations depending on the question. We should not be asked to say either or. Thanks for helping think a little more clearly about the destruction of USAID. Even if changes needed to be made, they did not have to come with lies and hate.
Fascinating read. I’m glad you ignored the siren song of partisanship and instead addressed the issue.
You’ve correctly identified how controlling the framing of an issue is a powerful means of controlling the issue itself. What’s worrisome is that many adults will, with time, succumb to such false framing and 100% of children will too.
What too many people don’t understand is most propaganda is targeted at children. They don’t need to be convinced of anything which they take for granted.
In this case children will grow up believing in the political binary that you’ve outlined and they will file themselves into their place or else remove themself from the political process altogether
So, it’s quite important that you speak on this matter in this way. Just as the output of a machine is limited to what it was designed to produce, the output of discourse is limited by the terms with which we are allowed engage in it.
We saw this limitation of language framing the discourse around USAID and this week we saw it again with the discourse around funding for the America’s PBS and NPR broadcast networks. The framing says that nobody truly can truly support something unless they support delegating its facilitation to a bureaucratic extension of the state.
Not only does this lead to people being accused of lacking sufficient support for necessary societal goods but it causes those with passionate support of those goods to nonetheless abdicate their own responsibility in making individual efforts towards the supposed mutual goals of themselves and the systems which purport to serve them
Thank you for posting this. I do not follow everything that you do, but have used your spanish course multiple times. I was surprised, actually, to see your facebook post that linked to this article. I try to be aware of far left and far right ideas, and it is confusing. In my mind, I feel like the efforts from Musk are correct in the sense that we cannot sustain ourselves as a country if our balance sheet is going deeper and deeper in debt. Conversely, I don't like the way that he is doing it. There should be more reporting on findings, then deciding. This method he's using is too fast and chaotic.
Anyway, I have a lot of respect for your work, your brain and your soul. Thanks for sharing this. It has caused me to seriously consider a different viewpoint. Be well!
You do no favors for your case by highlighting the video record of the bizarre White House "press conference," where the Space Nazi rambled on while trump looked bored and obviously hated not having the spotlight on himself. DOGE means Department of Government Extraction. President Musk wants to extract as much cash for himself as possible, without the slightest regard for the pain he will cause millions of people in the United States or worldwide. The USAID imperfectly helps the world in myriad ways, but to highlight its imperfections, without regard to the good it does, especially with a video featuring an extreme right-wing oligarch and a conman of a President, detracts from your message.
Nearly all of the people applauding the destruction of USAID never gave the agency a moment of thought before. Any why would they? It's cult of personality nonsense; they cheer on whatever that idiot Trump proposes.
I love Language Transfer and have been using it for both French and Spanish.
No question, you should be supported, and I have attempted to send donations before. Unfortunately, my donations have gone nowhere because PayPal does not work for me. So what other options are there to make a donation?
"Now that it’s ‘the republicans’ saying this, it necessarily can’t be true, and I am necessarily ‘anti democratic’ or ‘ultra right’ for saying it."
There's a natural urge to accept those kinds of labels spat on you by people who cannot think beyond partisan politics and declare oneself actually ‘ultra right’ or align yourself along those arbitrary lines, but I hope you resist it.
If Language Transfer were tainted with the stench of common politics I'd personally lose something special in my life.
Nothing to worry about there! I'm barely aligned with myself! :) I will always strive to think in a way that is based on logic, reason and experience rather than identity.
Thank you so much for the clarifications on the cultural / societal reality on the island. I'd heard a couple of stories from Cypriots who made their home here after the division.
As for the concept inspiring the banner, I'll take sides with you. Whole-heartedly and consciously. I'd never dream of applying for funding by such entities.
"It’s not that everyone is in on it either, conspiring with one another, it’s just that most people choose to ignore it, their minds conspire with themselves for an easy life." So well said!
I am an American and a big fan of Language transfer. Currently listening (again ) daily while in Spain. You provide interesting comment on the whole world of funding. One of the things I was thinking as you discussed the cyprus divide is that when I am asked race? I say “human.” We try to make social concepts biologic ones in our dichotomous thinking. I think the same is true of gender. I am a cis-male according to current terminology but when asked my pronouns I say I and me. Not trying to dis others but to give my own answer. Male and female is a line that we are all on at variable locations depending on the question. We should not be asked to say either or. Thanks for helping think a little more clearly about the destruction of USAID. Even if changes needed to be made, they did not have to come with lies and hate.
Fascinating read. I’m glad you ignored the siren song of partisanship and instead addressed the issue.
You’ve correctly identified how controlling the framing of an issue is a powerful means of controlling the issue itself. What’s worrisome is that many adults will, with time, succumb to such false framing and 100% of children will too.
What too many people don’t understand is most propaganda is targeted at children. They don’t need to be convinced of anything which they take for granted.
In this case children will grow up believing in the political binary that you’ve outlined and they will file themselves into their place or else remove themself from the political process altogether
So, it’s quite important that you speak on this matter in this way. Just as the output of a machine is limited to what it was designed to produce, the output of discourse is limited by the terms with which we are allowed engage in it.
We saw this limitation of language framing the discourse around USAID and this week we saw it again with the discourse around funding for the America’s PBS and NPR broadcast networks. The framing says that nobody truly can truly support something unless they support delegating its facilitation to a bureaucratic extension of the state.
Not only does this lead to people being accused of lacking sufficient support for necessary societal goods but it causes those with passionate support of those goods to nonetheless abdicate their own responsibility in making individual efforts towards the supposed mutual goals of themselves and the systems which purport to serve them
Thank you for posting this. I do not follow everything that you do, but have used your spanish course multiple times. I was surprised, actually, to see your facebook post that linked to this article. I try to be aware of far left and far right ideas, and it is confusing. In my mind, I feel like the efforts from Musk are correct in the sense that we cannot sustain ourselves as a country if our balance sheet is going deeper and deeper in debt. Conversely, I don't like the way that he is doing it. There should be more reporting on findings, then deciding. This method he's using is too fast and chaotic.
Anyway, I have a lot of respect for your work, your brain and your soul. Thanks for sharing this. It has caused me to seriously consider a different viewpoint. Be well!
Cuídate!
You do no favors for your case by highlighting the video record of the bizarre White House "press conference," where the Space Nazi rambled on while trump looked bored and obviously hated not having the spotlight on himself. DOGE means Department of Government Extraction. President Musk wants to extract as much cash for himself as possible, without the slightest regard for the pain he will cause millions of people in the United States or worldwide. The USAID imperfectly helps the world in myriad ways, but to highlight its imperfections, without regard to the good it does, especially with a video featuring an extreme right-wing oligarch and a conman of a President, detracts from your message.
Nearly all of the people applauding the destruction of USAID never gave the agency a moment of thought before. Any why would they? It's cult of personality nonsense; they cheer on whatever that idiot Trump proposes.
usaid helps the world and bolsters american soft power. his post acknowledes both of these things.
Thank you for an interesting alternative perspective.
Very insightful, well said. Thank you. From a big fan of Language Transfer.
I love Language Transfer and have been using it for both French and Spanish.
No question, you should be supported, and I have attempted to send donations before. Unfortunately, my donations have gone nowhere because PayPal does not work for me. So what other options are there to make a donation?
Thank you for sharing your perspective. Unfortunately I think it is naive to think that USAID won't be replaced by something worse.
Well said, thank you.
"Now that it’s ‘the republicans’ saying this, it necessarily can’t be true, and I am necessarily ‘anti democratic’ or ‘ultra right’ for saying it."
There's a natural urge to accept those kinds of labels spat on you by people who cannot think beyond partisan politics and declare oneself actually ‘ultra right’ or align yourself along those arbitrary lines, but I hope you resist it.
If Language Transfer were tainted with the stench of common politics I'd personally lose something special in my life.
Nothing to worry about there! I'm barely aligned with myself! :) I will always strive to think in a way that is based on logic, reason and experience rather than identity.
Both this piece and your language courses (at least Complete Spanish illustrate your all too rare capacity for analytical thinking.
Πες τα, χρυσόστομε! (in mainland Greece fashion)
Thank you so much for the clarifications on the cultural / societal reality on the island. I'd heard a couple of stories from Cypriots who made their home here after the division.
As for the concept inspiring the banner, I'll take sides with you. Whole-heartedly and consciously. I'd never dream of applying for funding by such entities.
"It’s not that everyone is in on it either, conspiring with one another, it’s just that most people choose to ignore it, their minds conspire with themselves for an easy life." So well said!