On January 22, 2017, White House staff member Kellyanne Conway used the phrase “alternative facts” to defend false statements being made about the turnout for the then-President’s inauguration. Many of us were horrified by someone in such an elevated position of office blatantly justifying the dissemination of mistruth. The significance of such key moments underly Carol Off’s new book, At a Loss for Words: Conversations in an Age of Rage. Off is a well-known and highly respected Canadian journalist who has spent her career reporting on significant moments in contemporary political history, and her body of work is celebrated as being among the finest of journalistic accomplishments. Off has routinely reported on those things that society should consider in order to maintain critical public discourse, and this book may prove to be among her best and most important contributions to that dialogue.
In a compelling and succinct introduction, Off argues that in the current context, we are witness to no less than the devolution of democracy in favour of the rise of populism and demagoguery, and sets out to prove that the deliberate weaponization of language is contributing to a blurred understanding of civil society. Off identifies six key words as being pivotal to an awareness of such dangerous shifts in political rhetoric, with a chapter dedicated to each — freedom, democracy, truth, woke, choice, and taxes. Off writes:
But I mostly concentrate on the place these words occupy in the discourse of our time and why, if we don’t have them, we may soon lose the ideas they represent. Each of these words carries decades of political achievement and hard-won progress that we’re in danger of letting slip away.
As a careful documentarian who has witnessed horrific events, Off reminds us that clarity in our language is critical to the maintenance of democracy.
What we saw in Bosnia during the war, in the UK during Brexit, and in the United States during Trump’s speeches is the power of demagogues to speak to people in the language of fear, uncertainty and anger, using rhetoric to break down our trust in our governments, our societies and each other. Our only defence is language that’s clear, rational and unambiguous.
Off argues that the advent of social media and the lack of an accepted apparatus for discernment at a time when many voices are clamoring to be heard has contributed to the semantic bleaching of vocabulary taking place. She cites the work of Victor Klemperer in the early 1930s who documented the shifting of language as Nazi-speak “seeped into everyday conversations, saturating public discourse,” and goes on to document the fact that Hitler’s use of rhetorical persuasion was at the core of his strategy. She quotes Albert Speer: “(W)hat distinguished the Third Reich from all previous dictatorships was its use of all the means of communication to sustain itself and to deprive its objects of the power of independent thought.”
In a sweeping chapter on the subject of freedom, Off recaps early understandings of democratic principles, reviews the impact of the printing press on the modern world, focuses on the civil rights movement and juxtaposes that history against the Insurrection in Washington on January 6, 2021 and, in Canada, the emergence of trucker blockades and freedom convoys. Off points out that the concept of freedom as something made possible through democracy has shifted to one where small groups of individuals feel empowered to instead choose chaos and anarchy. Such choices are, according to Off, being driven by emotion and personal sentiment rather than conscientious thought and reasoned ideals. In her view, there is no longer an over-arching, definitive understanding of what freedom means, how it was won, or how we can preserve it in the midst of an increasingly complex and politically fraught society.
Off points out that the concept of freedom as something made possible through democracy has shifted to one where small groups of individuals feel empowered to instead choose chaos and anarchy. Such choices are, according to Off, being driven by emotion and personal sentiment rather than conscientious thought and reasoned ideals.
Similarly, in the chapter on democracy, Off highlights the invasion of Ukraine and the tenacity of its people who continue to fight for independence and core democratic principles. Zelensky’s performance as a motivational leader has rallied the public imagination and inspired international support. However, the sad reality underlined by Off is that political scientists have observed a widespread global shift towards authoritarianism and the demise of democracy. A review of recent national elections is indicative of the shifts taking place.
Chapters on truth, woke, choice and taxes continue Off’s narrative with startling examples and precision as she lays out an increasingly murky landscape of half-truths and alternative realities. Social awareness, once a hallmark of freedom and democracy has become denigrated by an anti-woke euphemisms meant to disguise “odious ideas into the public space”. Xenophobia, homophobia, racism and misogyny stand unchallenged in the right-wing dialectic and are reflective of a shift away from a belief in civil society and a move towards fundamental changes in our understanding of authority and its evolving role.
For those of us who were schooled at a time when Marshall McLuhan’s “the medium is the message” phrase seemed prescient, Off’s book is likewise a bellwether for this moment in our history. She writes with passion about the widespread breakdown in trust, the erosion of democracy, and the imperative to pay attention. Reflecting on Churchill’s powers of oration, Off reminds us of the inspirational power of words. She likewise acknowledges Zelensky, who has emulated and carefully channeled Churchill in his own addresses. But Off herself is no mean wordsmith, and her messaging summons the battle cry of Henry V at the battle of Agincourt, “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers”.
The role of a journalist is to report on current events in a way that facilitates deep understanding and drives meaningful action. If you read only one non-fiction book this year, let it be Off’s eloquent warning regarding the way that six key words have been co-opted by those who would choose to exert authoritarian power. And while the words themselves are laden with significance and representative of a civil and democratic society, their subtle shifts in meaning cannot be ignored.
If you read only one non-fiction book this year, let it be Off’s eloquent warning regarding the way that six key words have been co-opted by those who would choose to exert authoritarian power.
Carol Off spent almost sixteen years co-hosting the multi-award-winning CBC radio program, As It Happens. Before that, she covered news and current affairs in Canada and around the world. As a radio correspondent, she reported on politics in Ottawa and Quebec. As a television journalist, she covered the break-up of Yugoslavia; the 9/11 attack on the United States; the election of Vladimir Putin; and politics, conflicts and culture throughout Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Africa. Her first bestselling book, The Lion, The Fox and the Eagle: A Story of Generals and Justice in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, was published in 2000. Since then, she’s written three more award-winning works of narrative non-fiction, including, most recently, All We Leave Behind: A Reporter’s Journey into the Lives of Others, winner of the British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction.
Publisher: Penguin Random House (September 3, 2024)
Hardcover | 368 pages
ISBN: 9781039008434
Lucy E.M. Black (she/her/hers) is the author of The Marzipan Fruit Basket, Eleanor Courtown, Stella’s Carpet and The Brickworks. Her new short story collection, Class Lessons: Stories of Vulnerable Youth will be released October 2024. Her award-winning short stories have been published in Britain, Ireland, USA and Canada. She is a dynamic workshop presenter, experienced interviewer and freelance writer. She lives with her partner in the small lakeside town of Port Perry, Ontario, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, First Nations.