The Power of Suggestion

I think the first time that I realized how powerful language could be was in 1977. I was in a crowded movie theater watching Star Wars with all the other ten year olds, wondering how I could possibly get my hands on a Landspeeder and a real light-saber, when I heard the following:

Stormtrooper: Let me see your identification.
Obi-Wan: You don't need to see his identification.
Stormtrooper: We don't need to see his identification.
Obi-Wan: These aren't the droids you're looking for.
Stormtrooper: These aren't the droids we're looking for.
Obi-Wan: He can go about his business.
Stormtrooper: You can go about your business.
Obi-Wan: Move along.
Stormtrooper: Move along... move along.

Whoa, what just happened there? If somehow I could use the power of suggestion, like Obi-Wan, then a light-saber would just get in the way of what I really could achieve!

Fast-forward thirty years, and recently a friend's daughter tried to Obi-Wan him when told it was time for bed. "These aren't the droids you're looking for", was the response, and of course it totally busted him up with laughter, and earned the little one an extra ten minutes of "stay-up" time. This just goes to show you that kids still think of this as a great power, and a great scene!

So now, some thirty years after Luke looked across the desert of Tatoonie with those super-cool binoculars, is the power of language really still that important?

Why yes, of course it is. This week is the start of TED 2008, one of the most amazing, and exclusive conferences the world has ever known. Great thinkers gather to speak on many different subjects around a common loose theme. The videos are now being put up on the web for all of us to see. I'd suggest a visit to the site to see if you can find your Obi-Wan amongst the speakers.

May the Force be with you!