Choosing Words

Choose your words carefully.

Poets do it. Advertisers do it. Because certain combinations of words touch images, memories, and triggers in people’s minds.

But sometimes in conversation, it’s harder to choose words. Thinking before you speak only goes so far, because a conversation is an act of improvisation and therefore can’t consist of well-chosen words 100% of the time.

Yet, words are important.

There’s a clear difference between the meanings of obfuscate (render unclear or unintelligible) and block (make movement difficult or impossible), yet they are sometimes used interchangeably.

Or certain catch phrases like, I could care less, which don’t mean what we intend them to mean.

I used to use to say how much I hated the software we used to use at work, until my colleague pointed out that hate is a strong word.

The thing about choosing words carefully in an online conversation is that it’s easier to do compared to real life, but rarely do online pontificators think before posting, unless they’re a professional, or just dedicated to the craft.