Concept in Definition ABC
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Cecilia Bembibre, on Feb. 2011
Gag is understood to be that element (material or symbolic) used to silence a person. The gag can take the form of a simple piece of cloth that is placed in the mouth to prevent the person from speaking. However, when we speak of symbolic gag we refer to different elements that can be established (such as laws, regulations or statutes) that prevent people from expressing themselves publicly as this is considered a crime that requires sanction.
The idea of a gag is precisely to impede or hinder the person's speech. It is generally understood as an element of torture or suffering since it is placed against the Will of the individual and may not be easily disposable. It is common for gags to be used in situations in which someone is held hostage or kidnapped so that their cries or calls for help cannot be heard. In general, jaws of this type are placed in the mouth, tightly pressed between both lips and against the teeth in such a way as to make it difficult to use the language.
However, the gag is not only a material element that can be used to censor the person's voice but it can also be an element symbolic that is imposed at the social level to limit or prevent people who disagree with certain elements from making their public seem. This type of jaws can be much more effective and difficult to circumvent than the materials since, in addition to truly preventing the normal use of the expression (for example, through a law that prevents one from expressing freely on certain topics or that charges fees or taxes for doing so), also generates a grade important of psychological censorship since it transforms the act of silence into an act of persecution.
Topics in Gag