The Semantic War

"The Semantic War" by Bill Clothier is a mid-20th century science fiction novella that explores the destructive power of miscommunication. The story showcases a strange conflict sparked by two mysterious phrases—"the Wistick dufels the Moraddy" and "the Moraddy dufels the Wistick"—revealing how easily abstract ideas can drive individuals to irrational and violent extremes, leading to both societal collapse and personal heartbreak. The narrative follows a philosophy professor who watches the world around turn upside down in the wake of this semantic war, as people divide into warring factions, relationships fall apart, and violence erupts seemingly without reason. Feeling alone and confused, the professor struggles to understand the reasons behind a devastating conflict, eventually fleeing to the mountains where he thinks long and hard about whether any of the sides has a good reason to be fighting. In the end, the book becomes an exploration of meaning, faithfulness, and what it means to be human within a world where language creates conflict instead of agreement.