A bizarre topic on language

[Ibrahim90]

So, I've been watching a sermon by one Adnan Ibrahim, a Gazan Imam currently in Austria, and he makes an interesting case: That language can completely affect a person's mindset, including (and I'm not making this up) their sexuality/views on sexuality--at least to an extent.

And I'm not talking about our personal choice of words (vulgarity/non so), but rather things like basic vocabulary, grammar, syntax, etc--the structure of the language, in other words.

Now with regards to sexuality, I have to say I'm incredulous and find his hypothesis to be...bizarre, but he did get me thinking. Specifically, now what I'm wondering if it is possible that language type can have an impact on the way we think politically as well? Could it explain perhaps the various ways various cultures view governments throughout the world? I mean, statism is worldwide, but the various flavors seem to suggest certain cultural biases to an extent--however incompletely. Could the cultural biases be an effect of the languages spoken?

I ask, because he gives another example--one I can buy: In Australia, there is a tribe which describes its directions entirely according to cardinal directions (i.e. no right or left). This seems to affect their ability to figure out cardinal directions, so that they are never lost in the outback. I could see similar conditioning affecting politics to an extent.

Thoughts? I have few aside from curiosity, I just want to get the ball rolling.

[Ibrahim90]

So no one wants to debunk/debate this? nvrmnd.

[Travis Retriever]

Adnan Ibrahim

Ibrahim...same as your username.  Any relation to you?  Sorry to sorta derail things, but that just kind of stuck out.

Very interesting idea.  There might actually be something to it.  One example common in the West:  when a person is too fat, instead of saying "they need to get leaner," we say, "they need to lose weight."  To the point where even if you're lean, active, watch what you eat, healthy, but have a lot of muscle on your body, people, even in the medical establishment can still give you crap for it.  And vice versa, a person can have too little muscle, be a "proper weight" and thus still be too fat, and the doctors won't likely care, or even notice. 

Hell, I think Cracked.com (back when they were good) did an entire article on this kind of thinking:  http://www.cracked.com/article_18823_5-insane-ways-words-can-control-your-mind.html

Call me crazy, but 5) on that list is likely one reason folks in the West (to a small extent) tend to be more libertarian friendly.  Because personal responsibility is embedded in our most widely spoken language.

[Ibrahim90]

Ibrahim...same as your username.  Any relation to you?  Sorry to sorta derail things, but that just kind of stuck out.

Very interesting idea.  There might actually be something to it.  One example common in the West:  when a person is too fat, instead of saying "they need to get leaner," we say, "they need to lose weight."  To the point where even if you're lean, active, watch what you eat, healthy, but have a lot of muscle on your body, people, even in the medical establishment can still give you crap for it.  And vice versa, a person can have too little muscle, be a "proper weight" and thus still be too fat, and the doctors won't likely care, or even notice. 

Hell, I think Cracked.com (back when they were good) did an entire article on this kind of thinking:  http://www.cracked.com/article_18823_5-insane-ways-words-can-control-your-mind.html

Call me crazy, but 5) on that list is likely one reason folks in the West (to a small extent) tend to be more libertarian friendly.  Because personal responsibility is embedded in our most widely spoken language.

Anyways, back on topic: I can see what you're saying. Number 5 reminds me of how I'd report events in Arabic v. English (to Dad and mom, respectively).

I'm not so sure how the way people ascribe blame here differently in an accident v. deliberate action makes people even marginally more liberatarian-friendly: based on what is said here, people seem more likely to look for scapegoats and simple solutions--direct causes.

No worries: Ibrahim is his father's name (so he's Adnan son of Ibrahim). And his family is from the area of Gaza (mine is from the area of Hebron). So no relation. The Ibrahim in my username is my given name (you see it on the podcasts). Zallum is my surname (which is usually the name of a founder of the clan/family--as in my case).