Why do so many Americans share the concern that success and integrity are in conflict, as if one comes at the expense of the other?
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on insults
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While derision and mockery permeate airwaves and social media feeds, satire holds the key to creating a more informed, engaged electorate.
Epic poetry tends to be seen as highbrow, while action films are regarded as puerile and brutish. But the two share an affinity for dressing up brutal deaths with rhetorical flair.
A politician who wields a comeback with skill can use it as both a bludgeon and a shield, damaging the opponent without hurting their own popularity with voters.
It’s all about context.
For more than two centuries, one particular epithet has resonated through US politics – and even helped inspire the unofficial mascot of a major political party.
A cognitive scientist observes that the words that bother college-age Americans today can cause harm.
Dealing successfully with rudeness can help people develop resilience and confidence.
Whether it frustrates or motivates your opponent can depend on the situation.
Calls to impose harsh prison sentences for verbal crimen injuria are often premised on the need to deter such behaviour.
Dehumanizing insults have become more common in political discourse. Psychology research has shown that they can prime us for violence – and even change our brains.
The Korean peninsula has a lengthy history of exchanging insults.
With the Trump presidency we may be entering a golden age of insult and name-calling. Trump is exercising leadership in this regard with about 300 people, places and things feeling his sting.
Top contributors
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Professor of Journalism, Indiana University
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Professor of International Affairs and Comparative Literature, Penn State
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Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice, University of Cape Town
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Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Georgia
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Associate Professor, Department of Korean History, Seoul National University
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Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Aberdeen
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Researcher in Communication, University of Connecticut
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Professor of Cognitive Science; Director of the Language and Cognition Lab, University of California, San Diego
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Lecturer in Psychology & Clinical Psychologist, University of Aberdeen
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Lecturer, Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics, Aston University
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James J. Stansell Assistant Professor of Classics and Humanities, San Diego State University
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Professor of Psychology, The University of Melbourne
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Associate Professor of American Literature, University of North Georgia
