This past Thursday, we discussed something very interesting in class-- God terms vs. Devil terms. To put it simply, God terms are positive, powerful words: such as happiness, freedom, equality, success, etc. These terms indicate good beliefs, morals and values. Devil terms, on the other hand, fuel uneasiness, anger, or even hate. Although these words indicate repulse and insult, they are equally, if not more, emotionally charged terms.
"Can we move past some of the debates around which we disagree and start talking about the things we do agree on"
...When I hear these words, I feel comfort and peace; this is a perfect example of God-term, which is something President Obama is very familiar with.
Abortion is a hot-button issue within the Unites States. Some might even say abortion is a Devil-term. It might make one feel uneasy, angry, or even hateful. These debates are always addressed when our country is deciding on it's next president. The video below is an obvious instance that displays Obama's excellent use of God-terms when talking about a hypothetical Devil-term. By using insightful words, it makes people feel comfortable and at ease-- and overall happy. Even if you do not agree with him, it's hard not to respect Obama's stance on it, simply because of the magnificant way he describes his views. Using words like "TRUST", "coming together", "agreeing, not disagreeing", "move forward, not look back", etc. show positivity. Rather than weighing heavily on his belief, he uses words and tone that allow his listeners to look at a bigger picture. There is no clear cut, indefinite answer to a subject like abortion-- and you can't please everyone; but as a good speaker, Obama stays away from Devil-terms to keep even a hot-button issue inspiring.
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I feel that God-terms tie in with my interest in public relations. In that field, much like in a politician's world, it is obviously important to say and do the right things to maintain one's image. Using God-terms goes hand in hand with that concept, and Obama does a fantastic job displaying that.
Do you think that the political use of God terms are important? And are Devil-terms necessary in politics to bring a "real" factor to their words?
