Vermin. Rooting out. Enemy of the people.
While some extremist language obscures itself (think: white supremacist codes such as 1488 or symbols like the OK hand gesture), the language of dictators and their wannabes has no such nuance. It’s flamboyantly over the top, it’s riddled with lies, and it revels in cruelty. As much as strongmen-types hold themselves up as extraordinary individuals, they could almost be produced on an assembly line, adhering closely to this predictable communication style, from one generation to the next, from Mussolini to Maduro. As Ruth Ben-Ghiat, historian and author of Strongmen, has noted, authoritarians follow a playbook. And the first “tool of rule” in that playbook? Propaganda.
“Words can be like tiny doses of arsenic,” wrote Victor Klemperer, a Jewish scholar and diarist who chronicled the Nazi regime. “They are swallowed unnoticed, appear to have no effect, and then after a little time the toxic reaction sets in after all.”
So as we approach this election, what can we do, as communicators and organizers, to combat the language we often hear coming from the Kremlin and Truth Social? Consider incorporating these few expert tips:
- Speak clearly and in words everyone can understand. According to the Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide, compiled by the Open Dialogue Foundation, dictators “will distort the language, coin new terms and labels, repeat shocking phrases until you accept them as normal and subconsciously associate them with whom they like. A ‘thief,’ ‘liar’ or ‘traitor’ will automatically mean the opposition, while a ‘patriot’ or a ‘true American’ will mean their follower.” So our job is to be specific about what we mean, avoiding grand abstractions and jargon whenever possible. A great example? Calling something weird, well, weird.
- Learn and use different languages. Authoritarians are xenophobes and nationalists — they shun travel and exposure outside of their comfort zones, and demonize immigrants. So employ and amplify other languages. For example, in 2017, Latino USA reported that Chicano Batman’s Spanish-language version of “This Land is Your Land” had become an “unofficial rallying song” for protestors of then-President Trump’s travel ban.
- Don’t repeat their lies, even to debunk them. “Beware of the illusory truth effect, wherein disinformation can be inadvertently spread by stories that aim to debunk it. Impressions of truth come from hearing repeated claims, regardless of context,” according to the Authoritarian Playbook by Protect Democracy.
- Read everything you can about dismantling authoritarian speech. It’s a cliche that knowledge is power — but some cliches are true. A few places to start: Umberto Eco’s “Ur-Fascism,” Surviving Autocracy by Masha Gessen, op-eds by Charles Blow and Jamelle Bouie, and On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder.
- Write poetry, make art, be silly. Authoritarian language is foreboding, apocalyptic, and intended to gin up fear and hatred. Do the opposite. “The evocative power of poetry and its quality of linguistic compression means it can have a unique function of redeeming language in situations where language is being abused and also stripped of meaning by authoritarian bombast,” notes Ben-Ghiat. When you evoke beauty, love, humor, cuddle a piglet or dance with joy, you take a little bit of power away from the haters.
Not sure how to get started? Together, we can help you find the right words to meet this critical moment: To speak clearly, stand up for reality, and embrace joy. We’d love to hear from you.