Complexity, Cognition, and Language: How Our Linguistic Habits Shape—and Distort—Our Understanding of Today’s Complex Strategic Environment
Speaker(s): Kerbel, J. (National Intelligence University)
Date: 1 March 2022
Speaker Session Summary
SMA hosted a speaker session with Mr. Josh Kerbel (National Intelligence University) as part of its SMA General Speaker Series.
Understanding the language of state leaders from non-English speaking countries is important for diplomatic dialogue and national security. However, the US State Department’s and DoD’s largest language deficiency is a shallow understanding of the power of language, its nuances, and potential for miscommunication, even in our own language. Mr. Kerbel commented that the way individuals use language constructs their worldview and can either expand or limit their ability to fully examine a complex and changing security environment. Current analysts using security terms used during the Cold War are limiting their ability to discuss more modern and complex issues.
The careless use of terms, definitions, and metaphors can create confusion and even change the desired meaning of their message. Using proper metaphors is especially important because it helps frame the conversation for everyone taking part—if they recognize the metaphor. An example of misusing metaphors is the frequent use of Cold War to describe the current Sino-US competition. Categorizing this competition as another cold war causes those responsible for analyzing it to use the same language used during the Cold War. The way topics are framed influences the way in which people discuss them. For example, during a discussion about crime punishment, policies were more punitive after calling crime a “beast,” rather than a “virus.” Mr. Kerbel concluded his presentation by stating that language really matters and that a linguistic revolution will also lead to a cognitive revolution.
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