Language and Labels

A rose by any other name would still stink.

   Language changes outlook just as outlook changes language.
   Some believe that when you change the name of a person or thing, you also change its character and quality.
   As with a rose, by changing the word "smell" to the word "stink," we change the quality of its odor, from pleasant to unpleasant. In fact, the word "smell" itself can be positive or negative, depending on the context. The only thing that really changes is the perception.
   This tactical name-changing has been common in advertising for decades, and for longer than that in politics.
   This strategy is also known as name-calling. By applying a negative to an opponent, the name-caller tries to dehumanize the opponent. By doing that, the accuser enables destruction of the enemy -- at first figurative, then literal.
   We see this name-calling strategy currently in the shutdown blame game being played in Washington, as Republicans and Democrats accuse each other of manipulating the federal budget process for political ends. But both sides actually are responsible. The fiscal year ended last November 1, so for more than two months the U.S. government has been operating in a sort of limbo, as a series of temporary measures are taken to enable continuing operations while the politicians grumble at each other.
   Finally, when the Grumbler in Chief could not lead negotiators to a compromise deal, the government found itself without a budget and shut down many of its operations and stopped salaries for many in government.
   Except members of Congress, who continue to collect their salaries even as they grumble over who's at fault for the government shutdown.
   So for all the rosy outlook that some congressional leaders claim for themselves as they blame members of the opposition party for all the problems, the attitude on each side stinks.