God Terms and Devil Terms
Ultimate Terms
Within the rhetoric of persuasion, there are certain terms that carry such positive connotations, they are viewed as unquestioned 'goods.' These terms are often called 'God terms,' implying that they are given almost godlike power within the culture. A speaker who uses such terms does not need to defend them; they are part of the accepted cultural landscape as positive values. In contrast, 'devil terms' are concepts that are so demonized they are often used as bogeymen by speakers and have no positive connotations, sometimes for very arbitrary reasons.
A good example of a 'God term' in American discourse is that of 'freedom.' Despite the fact that there are other liberal, Western democracies in existence, Americans often say that they are 'proud to be free' and feel lucky to have been born in America because they are free. Americans are profoundly resistant to the notion of constraints upon freedom, even if these constraints might produce some social goods. For example, many opponents of recent insurance if they did not have the insurance through their employer or the federal government. Many people were outraged about a limit on their 'freedom,' even if the freedom was the dubious one of being free to do without preventative care and to be more likely to go into medical bankruptcy, in the event of an emergency (Kenen 2012).
People have reacted with similar anger about limitations on their freedom to smoke in bars, to not be able to buy supersized sugary soft drinks, and wear seatbelts. Virtually all of these laws have more positives than negatives, in terms of the benefits they offer society. They reduce the risk that nonsmokers will get lung cancer; they control the consumption of massive amounts of cheap, sugary beverages that…
