# Great threat: influential words, isolated murder?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [March 5, 2000, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610 "2000-03-05T01:38:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![upstatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ce73a5/32.png) [@upstatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upstatic)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610/1 "2000-03-05T01:38:00Z")

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Which is a greater threat the world today? Isolated murders or the influencial words of groups such as the KKK or a manipulative man such as Charles Manson?

I believe that words or ideas preached by a group or person are much more of a threat than all the isolated murders combined.

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R.J.D.

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**Author:** ![Nu\_Vo\_Da\_Da](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@Nu\_Vo\_Da\_Da](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nu_Vo_Da_Da)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610/2 "2000-03-05T02:30:00Z")

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Yes indeed, they must be banned immediately.

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610/3 "2000-03-05T02:54:00Z")

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Get serious. Words can’t make anyone do anything. People choose to do things.

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**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-threat-influential-words-isolated-murder/17610/4 "2000-03-05T08:17:00Z")

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Matt:  
Words and ideas can be very influential. fanatics have maimed, tortured, raped and killed people throughout history based upon their interpretation of certain words or ideas. You are correct that at some point individual people must make a choice to act (or not act) in a certain way, but that does not diminish the power of ideas.

In a sense, I agree with the OP. Words are extremely dangerous. Powerful words and powerful ideas have the abillity to catalize violence and direct hatred.

The question is, what should we do about it.

My answer is, make sure people have access to better ideas. Kind of what this board is all about, at least on teh good days.

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The best lack all conviction  
The worst are full of passionate intensity.  
\*