After reading this piece (which I thoroughly agree with), I came across an article about a bonfire in Northern Ireland where effigies of migrants in a boat were burned. It struck me as the opposite of an empty signifier - not vague, but aggressively full of meaning. It's horrifying that nowadays, meaning is so often ascribed through acts of hostility. Here’s the link to the article:
Powerful post and a great conclusion. Multiple examples of how "nefarious actors can get at words and pull them in unsavory or dangerous directions" can be found in the ramblings of the current POTUS. E.g. “There could be no more heinous betrayal of American values than to use the law to terrorize the innocent and reward the wicked.....But now, with the return of law and order, the entire world is witnessing the triumph of American justice and American freedom. That's why we're here today, gathered with people that have love for our country.” Trump at the DOJ 3/14/25. The same bottle can be filled with vintage wine or deadly poison.
Peace can have so many meanings. It is not simply the absence of war. If one side crushes the other and fighting stops, that is not true peace.
Germany was defeated in World War I, but came back in WWII.
In Australia, it took about 150 years for the colonialists to suppress the indigenous resisters, but that didn't create peace.
Rings is a lovely bloke, but it takes more than fine words to create peace and love. It takes justice, observed by all participants.
After reading this piece (which I thoroughly agree with), I came across an article about a bonfire in Northern Ireland where effigies of migrants in a boat were burned. It struck me as the opposite of an empty signifier - not vague, but aggressively full of meaning. It's horrifying that nowadays, meaning is so often ascribed through acts of hostility. Here’s the link to the article:
https://apple.news/AJfATtZv7TUGIRj4WksyUZg
Powerful post and a great conclusion. Multiple examples of how "nefarious actors can get at words and pull them in unsavory or dangerous directions" can be found in the ramblings of the current POTUS. E.g. “There could be no more heinous betrayal of American values than to use the law to terrorize the innocent and reward the wicked.....But now, with the return of law and order, the entire world is witnessing the triumph of American justice and American freedom. That's why we're here today, gathered with people that have love for our country.” Trump at the DOJ 3/14/25. The same bottle can be filled with vintage wine or deadly poison.