Language in Human communication can be very different depending on the culture, context, and other key factors. God terms and devil terms have special meanings within different cultures and can carry a heavier or lighter weight in their meanings. For example, God terms and Devil Terms when speaking in terms of religion will be substantially different from God terms or Devil Terms being spoken of in terms of Athletics. God terms usually are words that express positive values like obedience, discipline, perseverance, dedication, trustworthy, etc. I would like to think of God terms in my life as words that are directly linked with success and achievement. For example, I am a senior on the UW-Parkside wrestling team and self-discipline, commitment, repetition, and dedication are examples of God terms that all play a role in the success or achievement in myself or the entire team as a whole. These terms define the necessary characteristics that must identify as important in our lives and in our training as athletes if we want to achieve a high goal or reach success.
Devil terms are usually the direct opposite of God terms. These terms are usually associated with terms that link directly with failure, and disappointment. When I think of devil terms, some terms that come to mind are disobedience, ignorance, lazy, ungodly, greedy, etc. I see a clear concise connection with god terms and devil but the only difference is each set of terms stems in a completely different direction.
Curt, the video was very touching and real.
ReplyDeleteI was reminded of a discussion I had with someone just the other day about addictions. He asked me what I thought was the reason for addictions.
Addictions can become incredibly complex but every addiction, I believe, at its core is the same. There is a void within the person that needs to be filled and it is found in some kind of instant high. The high does not ever do a satisfactory job of filling the void and in turn a constant cycle of chasing a quick high develops.
I believe that American culture in combination with marketing and business works to create deep voids within people. They use language and words to create meaning. The meanings suggest or outrightly plant devil terms into our sense of self. The devil terms create voids or holes in ourselves.Once we have the void, we can be influenced and become the best consumers buying what we're told at the moments we are told to buy it.
I think of it like media is planting little viruses in our brains and as we become more infected we question our beliefs and create voids, we begin an addictive cycle. A cycle that began with devil terms and our belief in them ends in an addictive cycle and media markets reeping the benefits.
Believing devil terms or God terms is not enough to bring us up or down in itself. However, words hold more power than they are often given credit for. Words become thoughts become attitudes become beliefs...One of the best sayings I heard about this particular topic went something like this: everything you ever needed you already have. the proof you don't need it is you don't have it.
Curtis-
ReplyDeleteThis entry provides a good overview of God and Devil terms. I'd like to see your application to athletics go a bit further. Missing: critical thinking question.
Viviana-
You make a good critique of consumerism and its relationship to addiction.
Don't marketers rely more on God terms than Devil terms? They associate God terms with their products, and let consumers do the rest of the mental work ("if I need this [God term], then I must be [Devil term]"). Something like that.