George LakoffDec 2, 2022

All thought is carried out by neural circuitry — it does not float in air. Language neurally activates thought. Language can thus change brains, both for the better and the worse.

Hate speech changes the brains of those hated for the worse. It creates toxic stress, fear and distrust — all physical, all in one’s neural circuitry active every day.

This internal harm can be even more severe than an attack with a fist.

Show threadGeorge LakoffDec 2, 2022
It imposes on the freedom to think and therefore to act free of fear, threats, and distrust.
It imposes on one’s ability to think and act like a fully free citizen for a long time.
Hate speech can also change the brains of those with mild prejudice, moving it towards hate and threatening action. When hate is physically in your brain, then you think hate and feel hate, you are moved to act to carry out what you physically, in your neural system, think and feel.
Show threadNitin B
@georgelakoff Anecdotal evidence - I have also observed that bigotry requires an erasing of detail and nuance and goes towards binary Us-vs-Them world. Creates a pixelated dumbed down world view with a small number of categories and hence a reductionist view of the world. Does it cause cognitive decline? Or at least temporarily reduced cognitive capability?
Dec 4, 2022 at 4:30amWeb