I'm sorry, I just thought of something else that is related to this subject... The study of general semantics. I first encountered the subject as a young teenager, when I was reading ACE science fiction novels. Brand new, the cover price was generally around 60 cents. I stumbled upon the "classic" works of A. E. Van Vogt. From Wikipedia: The World of Null-A
The World of Null-A, sometimes written The World of Ā, is a 1948 science fiction novel by A. E. van Vogt. It was originally published as a three-part serial in Astounding Stories. It incorporates concepts from the General Semantics of Alfred Korzybski and refers to non-Aristotelian logic.
In this story Gilbert Gosseyn (Gilbert Go-sane) Can we speculate that David Bowie was paying homage with "Aladdin Sane" --A lad insane?
In any event the main character has to overcome the linguistic programming that has put psychological fetters on his ability to interact with the world. After a long struggle with himself and what he thinks are his most cherished beliefs, he transcends himself to become a superman.
A decade after reading the collected works of Van Vogt, I took what was then an advanced class on the meaning of "meaning". Our textbook was Language in Thought and Action, by S. I. Hayakawa.
From Wikipedia: The original version of this book, Language in Action, published in 1941, was in many respects a response to the dangers of propaganda, especially as exemplified in Adolf Hitler's success in persuading millions to share his maniacal and destructive views. It was the writer's conviction then, as it remains now, that everyone needs to have a habitually critical attitude towards language — his own as well as that of others — both for the sake of his personal well being and for his adequate functioning as a citizen. Hitler is gone, but if the majority of our fellow citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue.
I vividly recall 2 slogans from the text: the map is not the territory. The word is not the thing.
To give a very simple example, a driver traveling for the first time to a place he has never been. He is following a road-map carefully, Suddenly the map says to go "right" but there is no right hand turn. If the driver is deeply invested in that map he will continue looking for a turn that does not exist. A different driver, not so much in love with his map, will quickly conclude that the map is wrong and find a person or a gas station to get updated directions.
Wikipedia again: "The original version of this book, Language in Action, published in 1941, was in many respects a response to the dangers of propaganda, especially as exemplified in Adolf Hitler's success in persuading millions to share his maniacal and destructive views. It was the writer's conviction then, as it remains now, that everyone needs to have a habitually critical attitude towards language — his own as well as that of others — both for the sake of his personal well being and for his adequate functioning as a citizen. Hitler is gone, but if the majority of our fellow citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue."
I will point out that both sales and marketing, and particularly modern politics, use simplistic words to create the illusion that the race is about "us vs them", the "1% vs the 99%" "pure Americans" vs impure immigrants".
Also book-based religions obviously are heavily invested in getting people to believe that: the word IS the thing. Critical thinking is frowned upon, while blind faith in things that can not be seen or experienced for one'self is considered the highest virtue.
