Humans beings are metaphorical animals.

Metaphor and idiom are ubiquitous in our speech and writing.

Words rarely mean what they actually mean and our brains quickly interpret them to make sense of them. This happens because language is really about intent and social interaction. The metaphor in language informs us about what the speaker is thinking, feeling and intending to do.

When the language of war is used there is a strong intent of the following:

We are in this together and we have to act together
There is a common enemy that we must defeat
We need to gather resources in order to battle the foe
The normal rules of social interaction must be suspended in order for the good fight to be had

We understand this intuitively – and our brain responds accordingly. Here is the problem: brains find it very hard to distinguish between reality and interpretation. When is a war really a war?

This ability something that should not be taken for granted. I work with individuals who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is the key challenge for those with high functioning autism: the ability to distinguish between spoken words that are metaphorical versus the plain meaning of the word (or phrase). Metaphors are often confusing to them, and, therefore, social discourse can be disjointed and difficult to maintain. Metaphors can often feel like untruths to individuals on the spectrum.

The irony of the current situation is that we are being consigned to social isolation and separateness – which is the hallmark of autism. What is even more ironic, is that perhaps we would benefit from taking a more “autistic” view of the metaphor of war, being used currently in the conversation about Covid-19.

You are considered a traitor if you don’t agree with what is happening.
Democracy and the values of freedom of speech seem to matter a lot less right now
The rule of law seems to be secondary to the fight against the enemy
There is a clear good and bad in this war and you need to be on the side of good

The danger of demagoguery of disease is profoundly present in the conversation about Covid-19. It is not just unhelpful – it actually promotes bad thinking and feeling in response to the reality of the situation. If unchecked, it will lead to terrible social, economic and physical consequences. There are also psychological consequences: I’m already getting calls from people with tremendous anxiety, that is getting in the way of their ability to function.

Let’s be clear about the use of the word “war”: a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state. This is not the case here.

Let’s be clear that the use of the word “war” gives power to individuals that often wish to accrue more control at the expense of others. It creates a black-white thinking approach to situations that are actually complex.

Alternative words and metaphors could include: the important of the social contract – the responsibility we have toward one another in society. The importance of not creating impenetrable psychological and emotional boundaries in our social isolation; that we learn to cross the boundaries in safe, respectful ways, with hearts wide open in gestures of peace not war.