Doublespeak is a part of everyday life. Turning on the television, commercials and advertisements bombard households with doublespeak. Advertisers use doublespeak in the way of euphemisms, color, bold words, jargon, gobbledygook and inflated language. Doublespeak is a non-stop flow of phrases to manipulate consumer’s basic emotions and get certain reactions. For example, oxiclean advertisements use a form of propaganda called “weasel words”; phrases like “new and improved”, “acts fast” and “like magic” make the product seem better than others.
Using the phrase “acts fast” implies this product is faster than others. But what exactly does that mean? Does the product run fast, cook fast, drive fast? Advertisers don’t say what exactly the product does. Consumers just assume the product that “acts faster” is the best product. This oxiclean advertisement uses inflated language to mislead consumers. Inflated language is making ordinary seem extraordinary. To make everyday things seem impressive. Another example of propaganda more specifically card stacking is pharmaceutical commercials.
The advertisements highlight all the wonderful benefits of the drug using a soothing, sophisticated voice. Then at the end of the commercial there is a quick run through of the negative side effects: vomiting, headache, soreness, etc. using the same pleasant voice. The negative aspects are deemphasized while viewers are still left with an overall positive impression. This form of propaganda uses distorted phrases which would be the quickness of the side effects of the drugs. Lastly, the propaganda and doublespeak techniques of politics.
The wordplay of the political world has changed. Taxes has become known as revenue this doublespeak is a euphemism. Taxes has had a negative connotation and recently in the presidential election the euphemism revenue has appeared. Politicians are universally known for deceiving the public and misleading with propaganda especially in the presidential race. Slandering is no foe to politicians. They like to mislead using jargon and “weasel words” such as left wing or right wing. Left wing is a politician or citizen who is more liberal for gay rights and pro-choice.
And right wing is a politician or citizen who is looking for lower taxes or “revenue” usually upper class and shoots down gay rights. The use of doublespeak and propaganda surrounds every aspect of society, from government to television ads. Wordplay and misleading statements entice consumers to believe their products or visions are what society should chose. Advertisements catch the eye of consumers by using euphemisms, color, bold words, jargon, gobbledygook and inflated language. Doublespeak is a non-stop flow of phrases to manipulate consumer’s basic emotions and get certain reactions.
