A series by Thomas Sowell: The Money of Fools

Dr Sowell discusses the use in our public discourse of these and other catchphrases: "social justice", "health care", "liberal", "conservative" and "disarmament".

The Money of Fools Part 1  "Warm, fuzzy words and phrases have an enormous advantage in politics. None has had such a long run of political success as "social justice." The idea cannot be refuted because it has no specific meaning."

The Money of Fools: Part II "When you are satisfied to accept words, without thinking beyond those words to the things-- the tangible realities of the world-- you are confirming what philosopher Thomas Hobbes said in the 17th century, that words are wise men's counters but they are the money of fools."
The Money of Fools: Part III "Liberals are usually willing to let people violate the traditional standards of the larger society but crack down on those who dare to violate liberals' own notions and fetishes."

The Money of Fools: Part IV "But the only country we can disarm is our own. The only countries we might be able to persuade to disarm are countries that intend no harm in the first place. Those countries that do intend to harm others— and we know all too well that they exist— would be delighted to have all their victims disarmed."