3 Categories of Words Wise People Avoid Like Cats Eschew Water

"Most of the world's problems stem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings." — Elif Shafak.

Language is not a one-way street.

The words we speak out are picked up by our ears and reverb back in our heads. The Pygmalion Effect in Psychology proved that verbal (self)-praise, for example, improves our performance. The words we speak change our behavior. If you seek wisdom like water, start here.

Intellectual superstars avoid these 3 categories of words at all costs:

1. Absolutes:

Words like: "Always," "Never," "All," and "None".

These words ignore the nuances and complexities of real life.

They are too definitive and overly simplistic. Life isn't two-toned, and those who miss the shades of the rainbow come across as close-minded and immature.

Have you ever wondered why people lose interest in someone once they reciprocate their feelings?

It's called splitting in psychology, and it's abundant in teenagers and lingers longer than it should in most adults.

It's when someone sees the other as either good or bad. This binary thinking results in losing interest as the idealization is broken.

It's an extreme way of looking at life.

2. Exaggerations:

Hyperbolic terms such as: "The worst," "unbelievable," or "horrendous."

These words distort our character.

Their lack of precision undermines our ability to speak the truth. It erodes our trustworthiness and makes people question whether they can take us seriously. They reflect an emotional state rather than a reasoned, helpful response.

Wisdom in decision-making means taking time into careful consideration.

Emotional responses are often temporary and dilute the true nature of the situation. For example, being angry, tired, or hungry ruins our ability to see what's happening.

The house might be a bargain, but the seemingly marginal issue of having a sewage treatment plant nearby will frustrate you every winter morning when the winds shift and you are airing your bedroom.

Yikes.

3. Jargon and Overly Complex Language:

Sentences like:

• We need to synergize our core competencies and leverage our paradigms. (Combine our strengths and use our methods effectively)
• We'll refactor the codebase for better MVC separation (Reorganize the code for clearer structure)
• At this point in time (Now)
• This text deconstructs the paradigmatic underpinnings of post-modernist thought (?)

Wisdom of thought is clarity in expression.

This is what makes Richard Feynman a genius; let's take The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Here are two explanations; you tell me which one belongs to Prof. Fynman:

#1

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle tells us that there’s a fundamental limit to how precisely we can know certain pairs of properties of a particle, like its position and momentum. The more accurately we know one, the less accurately we can know the other. It’s not a limitation of our tools but a fundamental feature of nature. So, in the quantum world, you can’t know everything about a particle simultaneously, no matter how clever you are

#2

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle elucidates the inherent indeterminacy associated with the simultaneous measurement of non-commuting observables. This principle articulates that the product of the uncertainties in position and momentum of a quantum entity must surpass a certain threshold, which is reliant upon the reduced Planck’s constant. This foundational assertion underscores the inherent probabilistic nature of quantum systems, thereby precluding the exact simultaneous determination of these conjugate properties, thus substantiating the Heisenbergian imperative within the quantum framework

You skipped the second one, didn't you?

Sharing information is the key to effective communication, but you can't do that if the information isn't fit for human consumption. Simple and inclusive language helps you reach a wider audience.

Naval said it best:

“I think the smartest people can explain things to a child. If you can’t explain it to a child, then you don’t know it. It’s a common saying and it’s very true.” — Naval Ravikant

Wrapping up

‘The limits of my language are the limits of my universe.’ — Goethe

Language carries weight.

Intellectuals avoid absolutes and exaggerations for their oversimplification. They also steer clear of jargon and complex language, opting for clarity in communication. They know that they are listening.

Like them, you are the most important person listening.