Topic: Newspeak

The discussion explores the rebranding of the Department of Defense back to the "Department of War" as a move to frame immigration issues as a national security invasion. This leads to a deeper look at the work of William Lutz and the concept of "doublespeak," where language is used to distort reality, citing the original 1947 name change as a prime example.

The episode closes with a recording of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1961 farewell address, warning against the rise of a scientific-technological elite. The hosts recommend Jacques Ellul's book, The Technological Society, as essential reading for understanding modern technocracy. The final musical mix focuses on the theme of decentralization as the ultimate path to freedom from corporate and government control.

A critique of a KTVU news report highlights the journalist's failure to distinguish between "open borders" and "abolish borders" despite standing in front of a sign explicitly stating the latter. This is framed as a modern form of "Newspeak" where journalists ignore the literal meaning of activist demands to fit a softer narrative.

A passage from George Orwell's "1984" is read to illustrate the concept of "reality control" and "doublethink." The text describes how the party imposes lies that eventually pass into history as truth by controlling the present and the past. The hosts suggest that modern society is currently living through the scenarios described in Orwell's dystopian novel.

The hosts critique the modern linguistic trend of abbreviating words, such as "convo" and "adorbs." The discussion then turns to former New York Times editor Jill Abramson, who is campaigning for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Abramson claims to have new evidence that Thomas committed perjury during his 1991 confirmation hearings.

Adam Curry reads a passage from George Orwell's 1984 regarding the party's control of history and the concept of "doublethink." The hosts relate these literary themes to the current media environment and the manipulation of public perception. They also acknowledge the show's moderators and the "Judas Goat" artwork submitted by Nick the Rat.

CNN reported on the creation of "porn for the blind," consisting of books with raised images of naked bodies and braille descriptions. This is cited as an example of "newspeak" or the constant redefinition of common terms in modern media. The segment questions the classification of artistic tactile images as pornography.