Words have the power to reshape how we see each other. They can strip away humanity or restore it, depending on how we wield them. This raw, urgent episode dives deep into how language becomes the first battleground where human dignity is won or lost.

When certain words keep appearing—invasion, flood, illegals, infestation—they aren’t random choices. They’re calculated terms designed to frame people as problems rather than humans with stories. I break down how these war words and pest control terms create psychological distance that makes further violence possible. Before raids tear families apart, before policies separate children from parents, the groundwork is laid through language that strips away empathy.

What’s most heartbreaking is hearing this dehumanizing language from within our own communities. Phrases like “I did it the right way” or “that’s not our problem” aren’t neutral statements—they’re active attempts to deflect responsibility and disassociate from our shared humanity. But as I explain through both personal reflection and cultural analysis, deflection isn’t protection, disassociation isn’t neutrality, and silence is never innocence.

This episode calls you to action: pay attention to the language in the news, in your group chats, at your family gatherings. When someone says “illegal,” correct them. When harmful jokes normalize dehumanization, interrupt them. The virus of dehumanizing language doesn’t discriminate about who it eventually harms—we’re all connected, and our words matter. Join me in this necessary conversation, and stick around for next week when we dive deeper into how this rhetoric takes root within our communities.

This is the book I reference in this episode:

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism―Understanding the Social Science of Cult Influence

*By the way, I’ve linked the book Cultish in the show notes using my affiliate link—so if you decide to grab a copy through that link, I’ll get a small kickback at no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win: you get an incredible read, and you help support the show just a little. Gracias in advance!