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If someone starts off with such terms, they're already putting an undue burden on me to sort out what they actually mean since the terms are so heavily overload
by cgriswald 6y ago
If someone starts off with such terms, they're already putting an undue burden on me to sort out what they actually mean since the terms are so heavily overloaded and come with so much attached baggage. They're also strongly signalling that they have nothing meaningful to say and may not even be open to an honest discussion. It's not so much I feel I can identify them. It's that I can identify that they're a waste of my finite time and attention.
- nathias 6y agoAnd how are people to know what is contentious to you and what comes with attached baggage for you?
- cgriswald 6y agoWhether a term is contentious may not always be black-and-white but it isn’t really subjective.
- nathias 6y agoOf course it's subjective, it just might be similar for other people in your exact context so it works for small groups, but it never works when you're talking to people outside of your immediate group.
- cgriswald 6y agoIt is not my subjective opinion whether people are arguing over a word. I think you are confusing people who dislike the usage of a word with people (like me) recognizing that the word is contentious for that reason.