Monday 28 August 2023

Thwarting Evil Wiles


Suella Braverman on BBC R4 just now, defending Home Office policies. Repeatedly discussing the courts "thwarting" Government plans (eg deportation to Rwanda). Later on, the same phrases cited in the Guardian.

She seems tone deaf to the words she uses. Mostly, for us at the Trees, things that are "thwarted" are the plans of evil masterminds or the wiles of the Devil.
As in:
"Crowley looked up slyly.
“'Then you can't be certain, correct me if I'm wrong, you can't be certain that thwarting it isn't part of the divine plan too. I mean, you're supposed to thwart the wiles of the Evil One at every turn, aren't you?'
"Aziraphale hesitated.
“'There is that, yes.'
“'You see a wile, you thwart. Am I right?'
“'Broadly, broadly. Actually I encourage humans to do the actual thwarting. Because of ineffability, you understand.'
“'Right. Right. So all you've got to do is thwart."
(Pratchett & Gaiman, Good Omens).

What I'm unclear about is whether the Home Secretary is genuinely and profoundly tone deaf to the language she uses, or is simply revelling in the way it characterises her as the Evil One. 

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