A Book I Will Be Reading

Today National Public Radio Fresh Air host Terri Gross had an interview with Frank Luntz, a notable and national political and business consultant. Lutz was stooping for his book, “Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear.” Despite the mixed reviews for the book, I want to read it given the author’s premise that we ought to describe things as what we believe them to be and not necessarily for what they are.

Luntz explains how “energy exploration” instead of “well-digging” in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is more palatable to the public, as is “conversationalist” to “environmentalist” or “gaming” to “gambling, and “electronic intercepts” to “eavesdropping” or “wiretapping.”

He also is dismissive of the Administration’s use of the word “Surge” in relation to the proposed escalation of troops in Iraq. (Luntz suggests that realignment, reassessment, and refocus would be better.) It is at this point in the interview where he begins to sound at worst as though he was upset not to be consulted by the White House, and at best, like a snake oil salesman with the elixir for every type of pain or problem: Don’t like a description or explanation, let’s just consult the Thesaurus to find a word or cliché that will make you more comfortable. (Here is a link for an audio version of the interview.) ,

This “wordsmithing” likely explains political apathy at all levels. Maybe we spin so much that we make the general public nauseous.

Clearly Luntz is very good at what he does. I share his appreciation for the power and influence of words and language. However, I can’t just help but feel handled or manipulated with this type shading or exaggerating. Most disturbing is how it is presented under the guise that our understanding of situations or events just isn’t quite accurate or that we really don’t grasp the intricacies and complexities. How patronizing.

I don’t have a problem with someone trying to persuade me. I prefer though to weigh the evidence and make a decision minus any posturing. Besides, I am not sure anyone could convince me that “electronic intercepts” are any less invasive.

Although, maybe Luntz could come up with a better way to describe that portion of the annual physical I hate so much…