Semantic terroraclism

For the most part, the world is full of people who enjoy the feeling of safety. They savour certainties. Jobs, salaries, homes, families and an understanding of their place in the world all sit very comfortably with these people. They are the happy hum-drummers, beating out the predictable rhythms of a pop song existence.

But in the shadows, in the darkened corners of humanity, with the agitators and malcontents, dwell the others. Those who choose to find their own way and deliberately defy the system. They are not anarchists. Oh no, anarchy has been misunderstood for too long. Not a terrifying and unthinkable state of chaos in which nobody adheres to the law, but a peaceful and idyllic place where laws are unnecessary because people are good. No, the people in the dark are not anarchists. They are terrorists. They break laws because it scares everyone else, and fear makes people pay attention. Far too often this is perpetrated for the sake of some absurdly childish squabble ("My God's better than your god!"), but just occasionally a person has something valuable to say and they have to find a way to stop everyone mid-paradiddle and listen. A thinking terrorist - a terroraclist, if you will.

Violence is abhorrent to the thinking terrorist, as is any other extreme action that challenges the laws that protect life and liberty. Instead, how about a little mental terrorism? An attack on the laws that hold our perception of the world together is just as effective as an attack on the world we perceive itself. Indeed, many philosophers would say it was a more direct approach. So let's try sapping one of the cornerstones of understanding. Where would we be without language?

An ability to communicate what we want, think and feel comes in handy in modern society. To do this there is an agreed interpretation of the vocabulary we use. The meanings of new words are either well defined by the coiner or are recognisable constructions from previously understood vocabulary, or else they become clear from their use in context. What a well organised set up. How marvellously and simply open to exploitation it is. To tickle the foundations of meaning and understanding all someone need do is utter some completely original sound and break these semantic laws that should instruct others as to its meaning:

• Decide on a meaning but give no definition.
• Ensure that it is sufficiently different from existing words so that no meaning is suggested.
• Finally, enlist the help of like minded individuals who agree that each should attach his or her own personal meaning to the word, understand that any other meaning is as valid as their own and go about their daily lives using it as frequently as possible safe in the knowledge that nobody will ever truly understand what the hell they are talking about.

Fun, no?

But why? Why try to unsettle people? Why risk being sectioned or merely branded as a weirdo or loony? Because the world is full of pop music and not enough people twiddle the radio dial. Too many people who can think don't think. They are too busy with their jobs and salaries and homes and families and wide screen plasma digital surround sound televisions to worry about thinking for themselves. It wasn't always like this.

Join the crusade and help the world to think again - one word at a time. Start and it will spread like glottmeldy...maybe. Well actually probably not, but it might be fun trying.