Linguistic Anarchopathology (4/5): From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism

 

Linguistic Anarchopathology (4/5): 

From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism

Mahmoud Sadeghi Janbehan

Note: This English translation was prepared with the assistance of ChatGPT.

From Poetic Enchantment to Sloganeering in the Pathology of Political Language

1. The Fusion of Two Disorders and the Reproduction of Domination

Contemporary political language—especially within authoritarian and domination-ridden contexts—suffers from two fundamental pathologies: poetic enchantment and sloganeering.

Poetic enchantment encloses language within layers of exaggerated metaphors, unrealistic imagery, and emotionally charged expressions. Instead of illuminating reality, language becomes a tool of intoxication and psychological misguidance. Politics is reduced to a stage for the “representation of collective emotions,” without engaging in rational analysis or undertaking a radical critique of domination.

Sloganeering reduces language to short, superficial, and noise-driven utterances. While slogans create the illusion of collective mobilization, they lack the capacity to generate critical thinking and, in practice, often serve to reproduce the very dominant order they claim to resist.

The combination of these two disorders empties political language of its fundamental functions—critique, analysis, and the enabling of liberation. Language, which could otherwise be an arena of resistance, disclosure, and emancipatory dialogue, is transformed into an instrument for legitimizing power and perpetuating domination.

From the perspective of anarchology of language, this condition marks a clear symptom of a pathological political praxis—one that appears passionate and energetic on the surface, yet in truth lacks ethical, cognitive, and justice-oriented grounding. False fervor and rhetorical clamor replace critical thought and moral courage, leaving behind a politics that conceals truth and reproduces domination under the glitter of ornate words and hollow slogans.

2. The Combined Consequences for Political Action

The fusion of poetic enchantment and sloganeering in political language generates profound consequences for the realm of political praxis:

• The contamination of language as an instrument of domination: Language—rather than serving as a medium for critique, dialogue, and the realization of freedom—is reduced to a tool for managing emotions and orchestrating collective control. Words, instead of opening paths toward justice and emancipation, become chains that restrict thought.
• The erosion of cognitive and ethical courage: When language is trapped within exaggerated metaphors or shallow slogans, the ability to think critically and to act ethically is undermined. Both individuals and society as a whole are deprived of the courage to confront truth, becoming passive consumers of prepackaged messages.
• The rise of theatrical political action: Politics, under such conditions, resembles a theatrical stage—noisy but devoid of meaning. Political action becomes more of a performance aimed at reproducing domination and attracting attention than an effort to bring about genuine transformation or social justice. Spectacle replaces action, and politics turns into a dazzling yet fruitless play.

From the standpoint of anarchology of language, these consequences are not merely linguistic distortions but a pathology of political action itself—where language, rather than embodying truth and freedom, degenerates into a sickness that conceals domination and renders emancipation impossible.

3. Diseased Political Language and the Potential for Liberation

Despite these distortions and deviations, anarchology of language insists that liberation remains possible. Even within diseased language, seeds of emancipation and resistance persist—provided they are properly cultivated. These seeds unfold along three fundamental paths:

• Linking poetic language with philosophy and analysis: Metaphorical and poetic expression, if confined to imagery alone, falls into sterile enchantment. But when interwoven with philosophical reflection and critical analysis, it can open new horizons for understanding and liberation. Metaphors then serve not as veils, but as pathways to deeper clarity.
• Merging slogans with moral courage and practical action: A slogan, if merely an echo of emotional arousal, remains nothing more than collective deception. Yet when accompanied by ethical courage and practical commitment, it can transform into a voice of insurrection and a call for justice—not as empty agitation, but as the language of emancipatory resolve.
• Sustained critique of mechanisms of domination: No language is immune from the danger of being co-opted into domination. In anarchology of language, a liberating and transformative discourse is possible only when critique is applied continuously and relentlessly to the mechanisms of power. Such critique is not a singular event but an ongoing process that purifies language from contamination by domination.

In this perspective, linguistic emancipation is akin to a movement toward the sun: the closer we move to a liberated language, the more warmth and light we generate—even if perfect union with it always remains beyond reach.

Reference:

Sadeghi Janbehan, M. (2025). Linguistic Anarchopathology (4/5): From the Poetics of Enchantment to the Clamor of Propaganda in the Language of Political Careerism.

Retrieved from: https://anarchology.blogfa.com

Note: This English translation was prepared with the assistance of ChatGPT.