Hypothetically speaking

A post about the rise of non committal language on social media

I could be talking bollocks here…..

BUT

If a person wanted to write something that incites an action in others, they might deliberately apply a hypothetical ‘if’, along with words such as ‘would’ or ‘should’. That way, they would not be committing to anything, merely expressing thoughts on a situation that may or may not exist or arise.

Following?

They might also choose to employ modal verbs such as ‘may’, ‘might’ or ‘could’ that convey the possibility of something happening, falling short of cementing it as a certainty.

Perhaps they might also want to qualify some of their statements with terms like ‘allegedly’.

They would absolutely want to avoid directly instructing someone to do something horrible. Because that would reveal them to be a nasty piece of work, wouldn’t it?

Alternatively, they could post a link to a controversial news story and type something along the lines of ‘Hm…’, ‘Thoughts?’ or ‘Are you okay with this?’. Or a ‘reaction video’ in which they sit there making faces, not actually saying anything at all.

Because doing so would go a long way in absolving them of any responsibility should something nasty happen, wouldn’t it?

Let’s suppose there are clever individuals out there with malicious intentions. Such people might realise there are others less intelligent than themselves, people who could amplify their dark thoughts for them, without anyone ever suspecting their involvement.

Think of it as shit stirring without ever having to touch the pot.

Yes, they/you/whoever (damn it, I’ve had enough of this now!) can shit stir with their own bare hands, shit stir with a spoon…….or outsource it completely. Just discreetly point others in the direction of both the shit and a large implement, then sit back with popcorn as walls are duly daubed with brown stuff.

Those of you with long memories, may recall OJ Simpson’s “If I did it” - a particularly ghoulish 2006 book that is billed as a hypothetical description of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. That’s right everyone, OJ wasn’t saying he’d done it - a double murder!  He was merely telling you what his thoughts would have been if he had done it……but he hadn’t…..Got it?

Sick bucket, anyone?

As laws tighten and more examples are made of people spreading ‘misinformation’ and inciting hate on social media, we will see more and more use of hypothetical language. Of clauses that deliberately distance the writer from the possible repercussions.

We will see more and more naive fools unwittingly carrying out the donkey work of those more devious.

The darkest of minds are also, sadly, sometimes the brightest.

Bait will be set, and taken.

Ideas will be dangled like candy.

You will be taunted.

See through those people.

The ones who say just enough to get you mad, yet always fall short of incriminating themselves.

Those who are happy to swan off abroad as Rome (or Liverpool) burns.

Those with prime time talk shows.

Those with enough money to have lawyers vet their every social media post.

You see, those people may be smart enough and manipulative enough to harness other people’s anger and frustration to serve their own nefarious agendas, but they are not bright enough to see the harm a fragmented world does to ALL OF US including them and their kids.

But YOU on the other hand, might be ARE.

The intention of non-committal language is to present hypothetical or possible scenarios.

The intention of many of those using it on social media, is to draw you into very real ones with serious consequences.

But then again…..

I could be talking bollocks, eh?

PS: You can find more of these kind of posts under ‘opinion piece’ at the top of the page.

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