Thursday, October 26, 2017

A few good words.

I can't help thinking that some of America's descent into Trumpian hell is a failure of the English language.

The rational world's failure to be, well, rational, persuasive, moving and memorable.

We can't seem to coalesce the inappropriateness of Trump and make it stick.


I'm thinking of one of the great viral campaigns of all time. The fight for women's right to vote in the United Kingdom around 100 years ago.

Someone nailed both the message and the medium with this:



Millions of coins defaced with a simple demand. Millions of coins making their way in front of millions more people. Getting a message across.

Some decades later, the NAACP made their point with five simple words, well-placed. They hung this message where thousands a day would see it, outside of their headquarters on Fifth Avenue in New York. It was stark. Emotional. Memorable. It motivated people to act.



What message and what media can we use against our current Kakistocracy, or, if you prefer, our current Kleptocracy? Or, our kakikleptocracy--if you want to get all deep-dish on it.

What simple words will capture the moment, and the peril we are in? Simple, ineffable, unarguable words placed where everyone can see them.

What are they?


Are they out there, or have we just given up.

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