Hi! I watched a exposition by Mark Pagel which he talks about language. Pagel states because of language we can benefit of others’ ideas and the human cooperation is possible. I’m agree with him, but I think the true power of language is related with its potential manipulation according to particular intentions. When he says that language is useful to promote a “free flow” of ideas I think he is too cynical because isn’t a mystery that by means of language can be legitimized the most aberrant ways of domination. Moreover, flow of information is something different of “communication”. In a modern theory about this, comunication is definied in relation with a symmetric interaction between individuals where is posible a exchange of information.
I think language is a relevant element on the social construction of memory and identity because by means of an ideological discourse a lot of aspects of the history can be maintained underhand. Nowadays, when we can talk about “multiculturalism”, the social construction of identities is becoming important. On that sense, when Pagel talks about “a world with one language” in the future he only consider economical and political factors. I think he don't consider the diversity and his thoughts cover a dangerous eagerness of universalism...
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