Me, spilling out all my thoughts, inner and outer, on just about anything! Lots of poetry, short stories from past experiences, anecdotes about teaching elementary school, music, relationships....garage sale type thing...Something For Everyone!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Limitations of The Written Word


Getting It All Wrong


words merely typed
(not even said in a tone
to hint at their true meaning)
can be so misconstrued
by the reader
and are so dependent on
the frame of mind,
that it makes a huge impact
on the spirit with which words are received.
and this is an unfortunate thing indeed...

the light, lively and fun
can become heavy, blind and serious
or ....
it could nail it and elicit a smile,
a response in kind,
a much appreciated
mission accomplished.

extended word counts --
verbiage from the heart,
perhaps well meaning advice,
a new point of view,
can be seen as ridicule
and can spawn defensiveness
where nothing but empathy
and protectiveness
were intended.




short, clipped, and succinct
can be felt as uncaring callousness --
dismissing any highlights
hoped to be treasured
and perhaps even passed back.

openness and honesty,
intended to be a gift,
shared in a nurturing spirit,
-- raw vulnerability,
can become threatening--
with the undue pressure
of expectations
difficult to fulfill.
-- too much room for error
and misjudgment.....


when does one take a step back
and where does one go?
was communication any clearer
before someone created signs
representing words
and marked the cave wall?
perhaps even this prehistoric pictogram
was also misread once too often –


maybe we haven't come such a long way after all......

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15 Comments:

Blogger twilite said...

Hi moi. Interesting thoughts. With words we're misunderstood sometimes, without words we're also! It's better misunderstood than never knowing... Do have a good day.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

 
Blogger meno said...

At least with words we can TRY to be understood.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

 
Blogger Akelamalu said...

Such a powerful tool - words.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Blogger Annelisa said...

I have to agree - sometimes the use of the written word can clarify more than any about of talking, and yet it is hard to convey true meaning without going into a lot of description (unless you use cliches...)

I know I have been misinterpreted both positively and negatively, and often a person ascribes their own feelings to another's words, kind of 'putting words into their mouth' or rather 'putting feelings to their words' that aren't necessarily there.

Sometimes I think good old conversations had a lot going for them! :-)

Sorry I haven't been round much. I will build up to rejoining the blogosphere bit by bit... but like you, I have so much going on in my 'real' life, that it makes it hard to concentrate on anything else.

But I miss you, so I know I will be back!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Blogger GrizzBabe said...

One of the reason I labor over my words so much is that I realize that they can convey such meaning. Inadvertently omitting a word can completely change the tone of a statement and can lead to misunderstanding. And I hate to be misunderstood.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Blogger Barbara said...

There is no substitute for a face-to-face conversation. The only problem is your can't edit it after you say it!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I find the many facets of communication both fascinating and daunting. I do find doing it with words, alone, quite intimidating at times.
I am often so impressed with those that are able to express themselves so well with language. You, I think, are one of those.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Twilite: Yes, I'm glad we have something, and most of the time it works, but when it doesn't, things can really go down!

Meno: Yes, try being the operative word. I hate when we're not successful and the cost is great.

Akelamalu: Yes....they can be friend and foe!

Annelisa: Thanks, AL!! Yes, people can red into it what they want to or just do and it may not be anything like what you intended.

Thanks for the visit and do what you have to do!

Grizz: Me too..bigtime! It's messed me up before and cost a friendship.

Barbara: So true.....no edit button on our mouths!

Coll: Oh, thank you, Colleen! I wish I could be that way all the time! Sometimes, I just can't get the right meaning or tone across.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

 
Blogger Richard said...

Yep, written communication is fraught with dangers. I think it is less so with a handwritten letter than with an e-mail though.

In my case, e-mails or any other electronic correspondence tends to be done quite quickly. Letters (which I have not done in a lo-o-o-o-ng time) are much slower and reflective (it used to take me a day to craft a single letter).

We lose a lot of nuance. These can be artificially introduced with smileys of various sorts, but I find them intrusive. I think smileys work well when they amplify something, rather than try to give it nuance.

For example, something completely egregious followed by :P works well for me.

People have to learn to be less sensitive. A good piece of advice is "There is no offense where none is taken."

Of course, offense is not the only possible misinterpretation that can occur.

Monday, September 24, 2007

 
Blogger Diana said...

This often arises with blogging. "Is she being serious? Cynical? Sarcastic?"

Monday, September 24, 2007

 
Blogger Pauline said...

we've come a long and noisy way!

I like the reflection in this post. It is true - we hear what we want to hear and disregard the rest...

Monday, September 24, 2007

 
Blogger Bob said...

nothing can truly replace talking to someone face-to-face. and a proper command of language!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Richard: I agree with you that it's not as bad in handwritten letters, but still, the tone can be misconstrued.
I've had it happen once but maybe that person was just weird and thought I was being negative where I wasn't. Maybe that person just didn't "get" me and now I realise was a really unbalanced person.

Diana: Exactly. I miss not being able to ask that in a live conversation or get it from facial or voice expressions.

Pauline: Yes, and I guess I just hate it when it causes bad feelings.

Bob: I'm so with you!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

 
Blogger mystic rose said...

I can vouchsafe for the truht of what youve expressed so well here..

sometimes though I think that the more civilised we've become, the more complicated our psyches have, and we are not so simple at all..
add to that the pace and tension of our present lives. Its much simpler esp in countries that are not so rich, and the pace is not as fast, people are more easy going, kinder and trusting. Ive found this true among people Ive met here from different countries of origin as well...
but ofcourse I dont blame our progress, we are atleast more introspective of our own motives and careful not to judge or form premature opinions, thanks to education ..

Friday, September 28, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Mystic: Thank you!! I so think we get all balled up in our dealings with others. Life was better when we were simpler.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

 

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