The power of words

[Alphaboy]

One thing that fascinates me is when cultures that have never met each other develop sayings, rituals, customs, etc. independently.

Now I like to think of myself as a man of science, but even science has its limitations. If I hear of a group of people have practiced a form of medicine or old wives tale for centuries, I'm going to put stock in it; these people have been doing what they do for that long for a reason. Even if Western science has not yet found any evidence of said practice's effectiveness, I will give it credence.

With that said, I've always grown up hearing about the "power of words". This is something I've heard among Americans, non-Americans, spiritual people, non-spiritual people, etc. I think just about every culture says not to jinx things or not to put bad energy in the universe, speak positive affirmations, etc.

What do you think about this Sherbros? Is what we say important or is it just a matter of superstition? Do our words have some power to make things manifest, or is it just a hindsight justification we use when things inevitably happen?

Thoughts?

 

[Threetrees]

or is it just a hindsight justification

most obvious answer

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Placebo effect is a legitimate phenomenon and isn’t well understood.

We also are just barely starting to understand how and why we generate grammar.

I think your curiosity is justified and your thought process is very sound. I’d recommend looking into an anthropologist named Renato Rosaldo and an emotion named “liget” - crazy fucking story man.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

I personally don't say things. It sets a bad precedent.

 

[Alphaboy]

Placebo effect is a legitimate phenomenon and isn’t well understood.

We also are just barely starting to understand how and why we generate grammar.

I think your curiosity is justified and your thought process is very sound. I’d recommend looking into an anthropologist named Renato Rosaldo and an emotion named “liget” - crazy fucking story man.

The interesting thing about placebo effect is that it will work even if you know it is a placebo; this opens up questions about the power of the mind over the body... but hey, they say if the mind was simple enough to understand, we wouldn't be smart enough to understand it anyway.

Thanks for the reference, I'll check it out. If you have any articles or anything feel free to send them my way.

 

[Estemachine]

I can't tell you how many times I stopped people from cursing themselves, for example when they say "I'm getting sick" I'll stop them and tell them to say instead "I'm the healthiest, I've ever been" or "I have great health" etc.

People have no idea all the problems they create for themselves just by their language, I am extremely careful of the way I talk, specially of the way I talk to myself. I always speak to myself in a positive way.

 

[Alphaboy]

I personally don't say things. It sets a bad precedent.

You avoid saying positive things, negative things, both?

 

[Alphaboy]

I can't tell you how many times I stopped people from cursing themselves, for example when they say "I'm getting sick" I'll stop them and tell them to say instead "I'm the healthiest, I've ever been" or "I have great health" etc.

People have no idea all the problems they create for themselves just by their language, I am extremely careful of the way I talk, specially of the way I talk to myself. I always speak to myself in a positive way.

Just curious are you religious or non-religious. You're from South America, right?

 

[SammyPops]

One thing that fascinates me is when cultures that have never met each other develop sayings, rituals, customs, etc. independently.

Now I like to think of myself as a man of science, but even science has its limitations. If I hear of a group of people have practiced a form of medicine or old wives tale for centuries, I'm going to put stock in it; these people have been doing what they do for that long for a reason. Even if Western science has not yet found any evidence of said practice's effectiveness, I will give it credence.

With that said, I've always grown up hearing about the "power of words". This is something I've heard among Americans, non-Americans, spiritual people, non-spiritual people, etc. I think just about every culture says not to jinx things or not to put bad energy in the universe, speak positive affirmations, etc.

What do you think about this Sherbros? Is what we say important or is it just a matter of superstition? Do our words have some power to make things manifest, or is it just a hindsight justification we use when things inevitably happen?

Thoughts?

Words are important. Think of, for example, that Chinese word for black people carries a negative note. Interesting eh?

 

[Aegon Spengler]

The interesting thing about placebo effect is that it will work even if you know it is a placebo; this opens up questions about the power of the mind over the body... but hey, they say if the mind was simple enough to understand, we wouldn't be smart enough to understand it anyway.

Thanks for the reference, I'll check it out. If you have any articles or anything feel free to send them my way.

Well, ok, but I don’t want to derail the thread too much.

“They told Renato that hearing the tape made their hearts feel liget. It makes us want to take a head, they told him, over and over. It makes us want to take a man's head and throw it.

Renato didn't understand the world of chaos and violence that the llongot people connected to this word. Why did it drive men to kill? He tried to gain a deeper understanding, but defining liget was like trying to describe the color blue without ever seeing it.”

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...scovers-the-terrible-emotion-locked-in-a-word

 

[Alphaboy]

Words are important. Think of, for example, that Chinese word for black people carries a negative note. Interesting eh?

Damn, not to get off topic but the word and slur is the same? Shit.

 

[SammyPops]

Damn, not to get off topic but the word and slur is the same? Shit.

As its been explained to me.

Get this- even the word for white person is not good. Some say it means lightskinned but other say it translates to 'see through, not worth looking at'.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

If I hear of a group of people have practiced a form of medicine or old wives tale for centuries, I'm going to put stock in it

Then you are not a wise investor. Many things cultures do for a long time are done solely because they are tradition. Like boiling eggs in virgin boys’ urine.

Even a lot of the conventional wisdom for western medicine has been reversed with the advent of big data. But eastern medicine seems to have the most bullshit in it.

 

[SKYNET]

Words are only as important as the context in which they are being used.

as far as them having any power, that can vary depending on who is listening or reading them

 

[Estemachine]

Just curious are you religious or non-religious. You're from South America, right?

Non religious, but I'm spiritual.

 

[RetiredSlave]

Theyre outward expressions of thought. Kind of like saying guns are powerful. Just tools.

 

[Threetrees]

The interesting thing about placebo effect is that it will work even if you know it is a placebo; this opens up questions about the power of the mind over the body... but hey, they say if the mind was simple enough to understand, we wouldn't be smart enough to understand it anyway.

I mean not very interesting questions to be honest
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003974.pub2/full

In terms of the question of the thread,
I think the way in which people perceive things is important, for example positive thinking before a job interview will likely help reduce stress and help with confidence - so "speaking it into existence" is just a reinforcement of that mindset.

And cross cultural studies of language that reveal interesting things about the way in which different cultures describe different things with language, isn't really an interesting finding about the power of words - its an interesting finding about the differences in perspectives and how those influence life.

 

[Alphaboy]

I mean not very interesting questions to be honest
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003974.pub2/full

There is a more recent study that claims otherwise. At least when it comes to pain tolerance:

Denk, Jordan. “Placebos: Their Effectiveness in Medicine and Implementation in Health Care.” The D.U.Quark, 2, 1 (2017): 48-54. https://duquark.com/2017/09/19/plac...n-medicine-and-implementation-in-health-care/

 

[JOE QUEEF]

This is some intelligent discussion, I tell you hwhat.

Carry on.

 

[Threetrees]

There is a more recent study that claims otherwise. At least when it comes to pain tolerance:

Denk, Jordan. “Placebos: Their Effectiveness in Medicine and Implementation in Health Care.” The D.U.Quark, 2, 1 (2017): 48-54. https://duquark.com/2017/09/19/plac...n-medicine-and-implementation-in-health-care/

Pain tolerance is subjective,
This doesn't claim anything contrary to the article I posted.

IBS is trickier to explain, but still not so much as length of exposure to the placebo with or without deception dulls the efficacy