What do you mean?
MaryamQ
We’ve all seen it -- people using the same words , yet talking at cross-purposes, almost as if they are speaking different languages. How does this happen? Even if we heed RF Williams' recent call to a more mindful use of language, why do we so often misunderstand one another?
Any student of the English language knows that it is filled with ambiguities, false cognates that appear to be drawn from other languages, and a constant evolution of meaning and usage, in addition to a wide variation in regional and national dialects. These problems are compounded by the various meanings of a single word, which may not be understood similarly by even the most fluent speakers. Love, the topic of my most recent previous article, is a perfect example of this. Modern English uses a single word for various emotional states, each of which may have its own word in another language.
These are only a few of the Greek words that have been used to describe types of love. Others may include ideas such as mania (obsessive love). So when I am talking about playing with love, there is an immediate problem in discerning what type(s) of love I mean or what that word connotes to the reader. Add to this, that many (including me) consider that love should be expressed in action, not just held as a passive emotion, but we may differ on whether or how those actions show love, and even to whom they show it.
Sometimes, we arrogantly assume that others see things as we see them. When I am tempted to believe that, I remember a poem I once wrote, which was meant to describe for a nonmusician friend how it felt to sing in a large community chorus. When I posted it, I was stunned to find that some who read it thought it was about sex. Okay, I will admit that I often don’t see symbolic meanings in things, and some of those making the comments were young and male and possibly saw sex in everything, but really, the feeling I described wasn’t THAT good.
We also need to remember that not everyone reading an article or a post is a primary speaker of the same language as the poster. This can also lead to misunderstandings.
Sometimes the misunderstandings are intentional and humorous, although that may not be clear to the reader at first.
Other times, the speaker may be intentionally manipulating language to mislead.
Masha Gessen argues that, not only does the autocrat mean what he says, but also that the normalization of hate speech degrades all public discourse while increasing the power of the autocrat to manipulate society.
It is evident that the society may not resist if the change is gradual.
The rather infelicitous rebranding of USWP to The Constitution Party is another illustration of disagreement about the meanings of what appear to be common words. Aside from the ever-present argument about whether an eRepublik community can or should be governed by meta rules, the connotations of that word, “constitution” and the misunderstandings of its use and importance are even more problematic in game than they are in RL. While a constitution may, on the surface, provide structure and context for a community, in practice, it may be used as a weapon against those who do not choose to participate in the meta-game, or worse, against those who are not liked by a certain core of players. This has proven to be true in both large and small communities, and is reflected by many of the comments on the announcement article. Even the best of intentions may be met with resistance if words are not used with care.
In conclusion, I would like to thank RF Williams, Niemand, and TheNorm for their insights about some of the ideas in this article. Their collective wisdom and shared experience are a never-ending inspiration to me.
Comments
Great work, Maryam!
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I like this so much. I am glad I have met MaryamQ. She knows how to take care, to address problems and to reach out. I sincerely hope this will get more people involved in the struggle for a better community. o7
o7
O7
struggle then for a better community. o7
wait,doesn't what you wrote in that last bit apply to the SFP's own forum ruled con ...(y'all got your own social pretenses) ..stitution
That's a valid point. I am not saying a constitution is good or bad, just that there is more than one way to view it, and that centering a party's whole mission on it might not be a good idea.
OR it might be a good idea, a very good one.
If this is an answer to Gnirap's call for members to publish articles forwarding constitutionalism, welcome aboard!
Dear MaryamQ, is it love you feel when you are taking behind my backs on your Discord channel, as a friend informed me?
Is it love when your friends publish false accusations & slander me in public?
Is it love when your dear friend Tyler Bubblar harasses me in almost every comment in my articles & now even with shouts to his friend? Or those nasty ad hominem trolling coming from TheNorm?
How can you justify people calling someone mentally ill, just to discredit him?
Is this acceptable?
And is it love when you bully against me, present lies in form of "you do this & that" without proof, without reason.
It's not! It's hateful & sick!
You are trying very hard to picture yourself as some kind of moral authority, your articles are sweet.mouthed & seducing. It's a quality role play, my dear, it doesn't depict you how you are!
Because you are vindictive, when it comes to silent someone who asks provoking questions, who dares to question authority. Then you say yes to exclusion, blacklisting & bans!
And you are double-faced, because your weapon of not facing a debate with arguments is ignoring the same.
And you are dishonest, because you don't see it necessary to judge your friends by the same criteria you judge me.
Tell me please: why did I deserve to be treated like this? Why are you treating chickensguys the same way? And what did Harcourt do do deserve all that trash-talking against him, being bullied out of the SFP?
Is it because they see me being in the right? Is it because they dare to support me? Is it because they have integrity & don't bow to that "hammer of reason" you swing?
I know you will probably not respond to this comment, because you ignore questions you can not answer.
So I shall leave you with this: try not to judge other people before making sure you don't make the same mistakes as they do. Try not to lecture others because of same practices you use. And try to accept that everyone has the right to play this game as he/she wishes!
This is comedy gold.
You are drowning in your own pool of delusion.
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i have been schooled.....
o7