One doesn't have to search very far in our culture to realize that we live in an age that doesn't trust words very much. We use words by the bushel, in fact we are the age that does "word processing." Even so, we don't trust words; we build scaffolding out of them, but we don't put our weight on it. We know that words can be slippery, weasel things, used to conceal, to deceive, to distort. Words are cheap; people can hide behind words.

When a politician gives a speech, what do we say? Promises, promises. When the appliance repair shop says, "We'll be there to fix your refrigerator tomorrow at 2:00. You can count on it." We don't. When a president speaks boldly of building a "new world order" or assures us "I'll never lie to you" or coos soothingly "I feel your pain," we raise a skeptical …