Anarchopathology of Language (2/5): From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism

 

Anarchopathology of Language (2/5): From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism

Mahmoud Sadeghi Janbehan

Translated into English by ChatGPT

Poeticization in Political Language: Power Represented in the Veil of Beauty

1. Definition and Nature of Poeticization

Within the framework of the Anarchopathology of Language, poeticization in political discourse refers to a condition in which politics, rather than serving as a domain for rational analysis grounded in ethics, for action based on human dignity, and for critical social reflection, becomes entrapped and imprisoned within metaphors, poetic imagery, and literary excitements. Such a condition strips language of its fundamental functions: articulating reality, clarifying relations of power and their destructive consequences, and opening the space for critical dialogue. Consequently, politics is neither transformed into a tool for social change nor into a ground for the realization of justice; it is reduced instead to a stage for artistic display and for psychological impacts born of limited emotionality.

From within this poeticization arise tendencies such as blind patriotism, extreme nationalism, fascism, racism, dogmatism, doctrinaire thinking, and radicalism, all of which draw significant parts of their theoretical foundations from historically embedded ideas concealed in poetic traditions. In underdeveloped cultures, poetry and poets are frequently treated as authoritative sources for explaining political events. Poetry, through its enchanting aesthetic power, captivates minds—just as proverbs, historically produced and disseminated under domination, have been deployed to justify poverty, injustice, the absence of freedom, and oppression. Once the praise of kings becomes entrenched in poetry, its harmful effects cast shadows across generations: the perpetuation of “sultan after sultan” and the reproduction of monarchism in modern forms is nothing but the persistence of the same mental and rational backwardness.

In the conceptual system of the Anarchopathology of Language, poeticization represents a potentially dual disorder: on the one hand, it can inspire novel and liberatory ideas; on the other hand, it can reproduce domination and foster political inertia. Although poetic language in politics carries beauty and passion, in the absence of philosophizing and critical analysis it becomes an instrument for legitimizing established powers. This fundamental contradiction has accompanied history, producing ambivalent shifts in political culture. The reign of a poetically enchanted language has repeatedly hindered the consolidation of non-authoritarian social transformations. In most cases, art in general, and poetry and literature in particular, have been placed in the service of rulers and structures of domination.

In such a condition, nations are defined not by critical thought but by candle, poetry, and wine, failing to recognize that this orientation constitutes an inseparable component of the machinery of domination and mystification. Rationality is sacrificed upon the altar of poeticization, and peoples, instead of confronting the depth of their crises, immerse themselves in poetic dreams—entranced by enchanting voices that are void of any transformative potential. The public sphere, saturated with amorphous poetic atmospherics and conceptualizations, becomes a space where society is lulled into slumber while the Sheikh, the Sultan, and the landlord rule effectively and continue exploitation.

2. Historical Roots of Poeticization in Politics

The roots of poeticization in political language can be traced deeply through the history of political thought and practice:

• Philosophical and literary experiences: Some thinkers throughout political history have described politics through poetic or abstract language, aiming to highlight its moral and aesthetic dimensions.
• Influence on public opinion: The use of metaphor and poetic imagery in politics has always functioned as a tool for directing collective emotions and cultivating group loyalties. Especially in authoritarian contexts, this technique transforms language into a means of control and legitimation.
• Connection with historical domination: Poeticization thrives where critical expression and real action are suppressed—where the direct articulation of reality or opposition to power structures is perilous, metaphor arises as a substitute.

3. Consequences of Poeticization in the Language of Political Careerism

Poeticization in political discourse is not merely a linguistic inclination; it is a structural pathology that imposes profound consequences on modes of thought, political practice, and even the formation of collective identity. By generating false horizons, poeticization empties language of its foundational roles: representing reality, critiquing domination, and opening emancipatory possibilities. Its primary consequences can be outlined as follows:

• Contamination of language by domination: Language, potentially an instrument of freedom, critique, and resistance, loses this capacity when captured by poetic imagery and metaphor, becoming instead an apparatus of domination. By aestheticizing and romanticizing harsh social realities, poeticization helps conceal the violence of power. Language thus becomes not a medium of freedom but a vehicle of entrenching authority.
• Reproduction of fruitless emotions: Poeticized political discourse generates passion and excitement, yet often without practical or strategic grounding. Social energy is consumed in fleeting emotional surges rather than organized for structural transformation. This diverts societies away from scientific reasoning and critical rationality, leading toward a politics of spectacle, shortsightedness, and episodic outbursts.
• Deviation from political philosophizing: Sound, justice-oriented politics rests upon philosophical reflection, rational critique, and critical dialogue. Poeticization derails this trajectory, replacing analysis and inquiry with romanticized and abstract imagery. Instead of breaking domination and opening new horizons, such language fuels the reproduction of myths, the sacralization of leaders, and the perpetuation of authoritarian traditions.
• Erosion of society’s critical memory: One hidden consequence of poeticization is the erosion of a people’s critical memory. When historical and political events are represented poetically or metaphorically, their harsh truths are obscured beneath aesthetic charm. Subsequent generations encounter not the reality of oppression but its poeticized representation—a narrative that serves more to intoxicate and justify than to enlighten.
• Consolidation of false dreams and collective negligence: Poeticization immerses nations in enchanting dreams that, through romantic promises, marginalize harsh realities. Societies thus remain lulled while political and economic powers continue domination and exploitation unchallenged.

In summary, poeticization in political language, while seemingly radiant with beauty and passion, hollows language of its emancipatory potential, transforming it into an instrument of domination, diversion, and political inertia. Only through philosophizing, rational critique, and ethics-centered political practice can societies escape this linguistic pathology and open horizons of freedom and justice.

4. Poetic Language and the Possibility of Liberation

Despite its deeply negative consequences, poeticization is not devoid of emancipatory potential. Within the framework of anarchological critique of political language, poetic language may indeed harbor the possibility of liberation—provided that it is accompanied by rational analysis, interpretation, and critique, and does not serve merely as a source of aesthetic pleasure or a mechanism of legitimating power. This possibility resembles a seed sown in fertile soil: if cultivated, it can grow into a language of emancipation; if neglected, it becomes a tool of domination.

Reference

Sadeghi Janbehan, M. (2025). Anarchopathology of Language (2/5): From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism. Retrieved from https://anarchology.blogfa.com