Dana Lynn Pope, Writer, Editor, Proofreader, Philologist
Miscommunicationology – Optimizing communication for efficiency and effectiveness
The definitions of words are changing. Truth used to mean an “indisputable fact.” Now it means anything that will be “accepted as fact.” There are those who are aware of the change and those who are not. When you speak you don’t know what definition they are using and they don’t know your definition. Communication is becoming lost since we don’t have a common language.
In my blog, THEY THINK YOU ARE SAYING SOMETHING ELSE,”we look at the problems that are occurring today.
There are some definitions you will need to know as I use them often: Self-Serving, Sheeple, and Enlightened.
Preoccupied with one’s own interests, disregarding the concerns, needs, well-being, etc., of others; serving to further one’s own selfish pursuits; habitually seeking one’s own advantage, especially at the expense of others. They reject the existence of truth.
Generally, the Self-Serving force their own agenda and ideologies on the unsuspecting. They plan to make official their way of thinking. The goal is to drive the behavior of all others, to get people to think their way. They do this stealthily and slowly so people will not see it coming. Although it is a lengthy process, the unsuspecting will not notice how far they have drifted from the original.
If people were deceiving you right to your face would you want to know? That’s not such an unheard of idea. When people talk with each other today it’s common not to say what we mean.
Honey, do these jeans make me look fat?
No.
[It’s your butt that makes your jeans look fat but I can’t say that.]
Would you like to go out again?
Yes.
[He never heard from her again.]
He’s a really great worker.
[I’m glad he’s out of my department. He wasn’t a good employee.]
It’s easier to say what we think someone wants to hear instead of saying what we think. We want to avoid hurting another person or the confrontation that might ensue. We want to get our way so we gloss over the truth. Taking the painless way out is just easier. In our communication theses practices are common and it’s considered acceptable. It’s delivering a message by using words that hide our true thoughts.
