Janet CollinsKill the word Mastermind
January 8th 2009 22:05
One of the Bali Bombers - Amrozi
For years now the word “mastermind” has been probably one of the most overused – and incorrectly used – words in journalism. It is a word that seems to be used quite liberally when it comes to terrorists and it’s about time that all journalists should stop writing about terrorists in this way.
The definition of a mastermind according to the Oxford Dictionary is: a person with outstanding intellect; person directing intricate operation. It seems to me that this definition implies a high level of intelligence or brilliance or both.
For years it made me angry to hear or read of the Bali Bombers as masterminds. I would think it is far from brilliant to stroll into nightclubs with bags of fertiliser and set them alight.
In an article in The Sydney Morning Herald today, “Terrorist attacks masterminded by phone in Pakistan”, it is reported that all the foot soldiers were basically given instructions by phone from Pakistan throughout the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Leading the article is this:
"WE HAVE three foreigners, including women from Singapore and China," a terrorist says into his mobile phone. "Kill them," is the reply.
The response is supposed to be from a tactician in the terrorist group giving instructions from Pakistan. The article is an interesting one and I am inserting the link for anyone interested in reading it but it made me angry, as it always does, that terrorists are almost being crowned for “organising” if you can call it that, what to me is just brutal savagery.
Really Long Link
We heard it all for years with 9/11, the Bali Bombings, the London bombings and now the ones in Mumbai. Remember the London Bombings. A few young men had been conned into strapping explosives to themselves and blowing up everyone around them. I just do not know what is intelligent about that.
Please come up with another word for them besides “mastermind”. After all, they’re not smart. They’re just lunatics who actually enjoy seeing lots of people being blown to pieces.
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Just once.
Or maybe embattled "war on terror" mastermind George Bush or prisoner of war abuse mastermind Donald Rumfseld.
Instead it's all democratically elected thanks to rigging the votes president and hand-picked deputy that.
By the way, Mastermind used to be one of my favourite board games. Then Connect Four came along.
Comment by Damo
Mastermind
Extremists
Fundamentalists
Hardline
Conservative
Ultra-???
Liberal
Radical
???-phobic
Just a few words that are often used because of their emotional impact rather than their accurate description. Just the correct adjective and the whole tone of the story changes.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Communist
Feminist
Scientist
Intellectual
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Embatted mastermind? I like it. Maybe the board game is a good one but it still doesn't mean terrorists are masterminds. I hope they don't start calling them rationalist either.
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
The words may not be accidental but I still think "mastermind" is a really inapproriate word for a terrorist. Once one journalist starts using a word, they all then use it constantly. It's not even clever.
Comment by Damo
Megalomaniac
Sophist
Genocidal
Intolerant
Arrogant
Pompous
Self indulgent
The list is as endless as the reasons why people choose such words.
It is only a question of whether such words are appropriate at the time of use.