Words have great power. If you know the right words and use them well, you can usually convince people of almost anything. In this sense, words are much more than simple linguistic designations of concepts. Words encode our most deep-seated thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. This is why metaphor is such a powerful tool.
In our everyday existence, we use metaphors to help us understand our life better. For example, we often think of a relationship as a journey in which the road can be bumpy or smooth with shortcuts or detours. We talk about time as though it were money, which can be saved, wasted, or lost. Strictly speaking, neither metaphor is true because a relationship is not a trip to the Seychelles nor can time be put into a retirement fund. But both work.
In this way, metaphors provide a linguistic anchor for our confused attempts to understand a potentially indescribable phenomenon. That is why in ordinary discourse, people talk of being “at the end of their tether” or are “unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel”.
Metaphors are never more evident than during a crisis such as a recession, a war, or a pandemic. At such times, metaphors tend to pop up like clown heads in a carnival game. For example, during a recession, companies ‘downsize’ or ‘retrench’, which is better than saying that 20% of the employees were laid off. Soldiers who ‘liquidate’ or ‘neutralize’ the enemy still kill them, but it does not sound quite as messy.
In times of war, metaphors can also persuade us to blindly support questionable plans of action. When people are called on to actively participate in a doomed venture, they accept their fate more cheerfully if they can don the appropriate mantle and assume a heroic role.
The other day, President Trump stated that the USA has done such a great job of controlling the pandemic (according to Vice-President Pence) that restrictions should be relaxed, and states should open up so that everyone could return to work. Since the curve has not as yet begun to plateau in many places in the USA, this course of action will doubtlessly make the death count spiral way past 100,000 by June.
President Trump added that he was aware that some people would be affected very badly by lifting restrictions, but the economy was more important. Those who were still alive by then would eventually be able to rejoice because next year would be “the best ever from an economic viewpoint”.
In terms of egocentric idiocy, this decision can be compared to the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade or General Custer’s Battle of Little Bighorn. But that is merely my opinion.
To be fair, it is also true that a significant percentage of the American people seem to be very much in favor of this course of action. They seem to believe that it is okay to sacrifice several thousand (preferably nameless) Americans on the altar of a better economy.
In light of his popularity, especially among his cult followers, President Trump can only be complimented on his powers of persuasion. Perhaps one reason for his success lies in his choice of metaphor, as reflected in the following declarations:
"I'm viewing our great citizens of this country to a certain extent, and to a large extent, as warriors. They're warriors.”
And again to a delegation of nurses on National Nurses Day:
“And you just said, ‘Thank you for calling us warriors,’ but you are warriors. That’s what you are. Incredible warriors.”
These statements not only ascribe nurses, but all American citizens (even the most unlikely specimens), to the conceptual category of WARRIOR with all of its accompanying skills, values, and virtues.
The term ‘warrior’ originally comes from the Old North French ‘werreier’, defined as ‘a person engaged or experienced in warfare’. Since this word has been around since 1300, it has lost any claim to objectivity that it might have had when it was first coined. After 700 years, it has acquired a lot of baggage.
Over the centuries, this term has come a long way. A warrior is no longer a mere soldier, but rather someone who is especially honourable and brave, not only in war, but also in other fields of endeavour such as politics or athletics. Its synonyms ('champion', 'fighter', or 'hero') reflect these positive connotations.
Although a warrior kills other people, he always does so for a just cause. When he is in a battle, he fights according to a code or set of explicit rules. This very demanding code of honor holds the warrior to higher ethical standards than a normal citizen in a similar situation.
This code defines how the warrior should treat others, and sets boundaries on his behavior. For example, in medieval times, a knight had to offer mercy to any knight who yielded to him in battle.
So, it is extraordinarily positive to be categorized as a warrior. It makes people feel good about themselves. This social role makes them feel more worthy.
However, nowadays, being a warrior is not as easy as it used to be. One of the greatest difficulties is to find a proper battlefield, where one can presumably obtain honor and glory.
Centuries ago, there was no shortage of battlefields. There was thus more opportunity to show off one’s courage to the general public. For example, the Battle of Bannockburn (1314) and the Battle of Agincourt (1415) were glorious victories for the Scottish and English, respectively. Back then, fighting was doubtlessly more chivalrous; killing was probably less gory; and the disembowelled did not bleed, at least not quite so much.
These days to find a propitious battlefield, it is necessary to travel to uncomfortable foreign places such as Afghanistan or Syria. Perhaps for that reason, those who wish to fight for a cause (worthy or otherwise) are forced to invade state government buildings with assault weapons and misspelt signs.
However, in Times of Coronavirus, it is now possible to be a warrior even without a battlefield. The virus is no longer the enemy, but rather economic recession.
This means that all Americans can be warriors fighting on the front line by returning to their jobs in meat packing plants or fast-food restaurants. That way, one can still work, but at the same time wage war against the forces of evil that want to destroy the economy. This is the new Way of the Warrior.
Unfortunately, in exchange for these feel-good moments of warriorhood, which involve exhibitions of peerless bravery and courage in a factory or restaurant, there is always the negative trade-off. According to Miyamoto Mushashi (who really knew about warriors), “the Way of the Warrior is resolute acceptance of death”.
So, according to the small print, true warriors are also expected to willingly make great sacrifices, even if it means laying down their life for a good cause (i.e. the US economy). The only drawback to this glorious scenario of selfless abnegation is that potential heroes (warriors) also happen to be excellent cannon fodder.
In the immortal words of Stanley Kubrick (Paths of Glory, 1957), “You will cease to be heroes when people are no longer afraid; you will cease to be heroes when politicians find you no longer useful or of interest. Now you are cannon fodder, that’s why they call you heroes.”
