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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/05/in-america-the-social-fabric-is-starting-to-collapse-australia-must-also-learn-that-words-shape-our-world>
"As I travel the world, I am reminded again and again that the health of a
society is revealed not only in its laws or its institutions but in the way its
people speak to, and about, one another. My father taught that nonviolence
begins with language and the discipline to choose words that uplift rather than
degrade, that clarify rather than distort and that build community rather than
fracture it.
Last month in the United States, we marked the holiday that bears his name at a
time when our own social cohesion is under immense strain. The rhetoric of
public life has grown sharper, more cynical and more divisive. Too often, we
speak as if our neighbours are adversaries rather than fellow citizens. But
this erosion of respect is not unique to America. It is a global challenge and
Australia is not exempt.
During my Australian visit, I have sensed both the extraordinary achievements
and future potential of this nation along with the fragility of its social
fabric. As I see in so many communities across the world, there are deep wounds
and deeper misunderstandings. But what I also observe is the power of
narrative. The stories we tell about one another, and the stories we showcase,
shape the possibilities of our shared future.
When we speak about groups of people as problems rather than partners, we
diminish our collective humanity. Reducing individuals to stereotypes or
statistics closes the door to empathy and allowing fear-based narratives to
prevail weakens the bonds that hold us together.
Australia is at a moment when it is wrestling with the impact of language and
division and the realisation that the choice of language matters profoundly.
While these concerns apply across all of society, it is in the nation’s
relationship with its First Peoples that has been the focus of my trip to
Sydney this week, and further illustrated for me the importance of language,
respect and narrative."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
