Robin Lakoff's 'Everyone Is A Politician'

Language is such a huge part of daily lives that its power is often overlooked. Our culture has many sayings such as “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” that signify that words have no power. However, this is incorrect. In “Everyone is a Politician”, Robin Lakoff writes “Words become powerful because they can be used as tools… [W]ords make it possible for people to achieve the effects they seek.” (pg 64) Whether people are conscious of it or not, language is often used to manipulate and dominate over others.
The fact that many cultures throughout history had taboo or forbidden words demonstrates the value that people place on language. Many of these words were forbidden for religious reasons; for instance,
Many people identify with their names so strongly they feel almost as if the name were a part of them. In fact, Native Americans considered their names to be part of them just as much as a body part, and therefore feared any harm being done to their name. Although name-calling may seem like a childish concept, it is actually taken very seriously by courts. In Othello, Iago says “Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something nothing; . . . But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed.” (In Bosmajian, pg 79) Name-calling, libel or tainting someone’s “good name” can greatly affect their
Great speakers are able to dominate much more easily because people are more willing to listen to them and believe what they hear. Hitler was one of the best manipulators and speakers in history, which is how he gained so much support for such a terrible goal. First, he studied the German people to discover what they wanted and what they feared. He wrote, “’Whoever wishes to win over the masses must know the key that will open the door of their hearts.’” (In Huxley, pg 28) Hitler also knew that speaking to people while they were in large masses was more affective because when in crowds, people tend to lose their ability to think for themselves and are more susceptible to manipulation. He also employed tactics such as the use of new technology like the radio, public speaking skills such as starting off quietly and getting louder to build suspense, and constant repetition of his