In which Wolf performs the famous "If By Whiskey" speech. Watch this video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/t3fs2HeJIQs
In my last video I spoke of thought-terminating clichés. Another way that you are manipulated by politicians and the media is the use of "loaded language," which are terms used to frame a topic in a way that speaks to your emotions instead of to rational mind.
Take the terms "pro-choice" and "pro-life". Both of these are loaded terms. In neutral terms, the question that they both address is: should the government in any way regulate, limit, or sanction abortion? Those who answer no call themselves "pro-choice" because they believe that the autonomy of the mother is the most important thing, while those who answer yes call themselves "pro-life" because they believe that the life of the unborn is the most important thing. But the reason these terms are polarizing is not because of what they affirm: as general concepts everyone is for "choice" and everyone is also for "life."
At least, the vast majority of you are. All you hardcore totalitarians and nihilists watching this: you're excused, so you can go now.
The reason why these terms are loaded is what they imply about the other side. If you're not "pro-choice", then you must be against choice, against liberty, against freedom! And if you're not "pro-life", then you must be pro-death and see no value in human life.
Loaded language like this frames the debate in black-or-white, good-or-evil terms, and actually prevent any sort of nuanced discussion from taking place, including for example the criminalization of pregnant women who have an abortion, or the negation of the interests of fathers. Loaded language short-circuits thinking and prevents people from finding common ground.
I could give a lot more examples of loaded language, and this will probably be a topic I return to in future videos, but in this video I just want to share a short and quite funny political speech given to the Mississippi State legislature in 1950 (maybe 1952, the record isn't clear) by Judge Noah S. "Soggy" Sweat Jr. How's that for a southern name?
Although the United States ended nationwide prohibition of alcohol in 1933, individual states like Mississippi could and did continue to ban it for awhile. Mississippi was the last state to finally end the ban in 1966, I was a year old, so in 1950 as Judge Sweat was near the end of his term, "whisky" was still the most controversial subject of the day and people demanded to know what their politicians thought on the matter. And apparently "Soggy" had still not taken an unequivocal stand on the matter.
So being a master rhetorician, I'm going to say this word right, rhetorician, "Soggy" decided to finally let everyone know exactly how he felt. His short speech is still a classic of social commentary.
My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, this is how I feel about whiskey:
If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.
But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.
This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.
Important things in life are rarely simple. I think "Soggy" Sweat was trying to remind people of that back then, and we'd do well to remember it today.
But what do you think? Let me know in the comments, and please share the video with someone you think would enjoy it as well. See you tomorrow.