Words

THERE is a history of writers who work with government, those who are paid by politicians for PR and speeches, who become spokespersons and communications secretaries. Certainly one cannot fault writers who decide to work for government. But one would hope for an amount of self-reflexivity, a sense of the compromised position they hold. At the very least the ability to see that their positions of power imbue words with power as well, making it more dangerous.

Not for them who speak, whose words are now protected by the State, but for those they speak about, officially or unofficially, on social media especially.