“Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge”
— Toni Morrison
Simplified Meaning:
When we use hurtful or harmful words, it's not just expressing nastiness; it's actually a way of being mean or violent. For example, calling someone names or insulting them doesn't just show that we're angry or upset; those words can cause real pain, just like physical violence can. Similarly, when certain groups of people are constantly spoken about in a negative way, it can restrict them from discovering new ideas or learning new things. Imagine a teacher always telling certain students that they're not smart enough—those students might start believing it and stop trying to learn. So, harmful language can really hurt people emotionally and mentally, stopping them from growing or understanding more about the world. To make the world better, we should use words that lift people up and encourage learning and kindness.
