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It is called a metonymy where you substitute a name that is associated to some other thing instead of mentionning that thing.

Some examples: Wall Street = NY Stock Exchange the White House = US president and his cabinet the Pentagon = US Dept of Defense Downing Street = UK prime minister

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonymy Scotland Yard = Greater London Metropolitan Police Tehran = Government/officials of the islamic republic of Iran

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As a person who lived for a long time in a political capital I was so frustrated with news articles titled like this.

"[City] decides [XYZ stupid thing]!!!"

No! We in the city didn't decide it - our responsibility is limited to our political representative. Everyone else voted in idiots and sent them here to decide idiot things!


This is a common literary device in wide use everywhere. No one is saying that YOU PERSONALLY did something just because you live in a place. Chill out.

That works until you are speaking with people who literally ask why our city is deciding so much stupid stuff. Recall average intelligence and how many people are dumber than that.

The media shape perception but they don't help with critical thinking...


When the media say "Pentagon" is attacking Iran, there's just no level of mental acrobatics you can do to ever arrive at the idea that the actual physical Pentagon building is growing arms and legs and traveling to Iran.

If you truly believe this is a real problem then you need to turn off your internet and touch grass.


...that's nothing to do with my comment. Have a good day.

>It is called a metonymy

or called synecdoche (square/rectangle)




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