March 1, 2012
Shock & Awe
Recently I was accused of being obsessive because I dance several times a week. My doctor encourages me to dance as a form of delightful exercise in that I have lost 50 pounds, and most of my aliments have improved to normal when tested. This accusation made me ponder. Here are my thoughts on the misuse of the English language.

The English language has been used by authors to shock and awe to the extreme that the language is beginning to have blurred definitions which creates misunderstandings. for example:
Originally the word obsession was defined as: a thought or action that one is powerless to resist edging out all other activities so that the control over ones life is lost to the obsessive activity.

However, as one scrolls down the various meanings it has come to mean a negative definition when an individual perseveres through many obstacles. Perseverance is a better use for thoughts or actions that takes determination to continue which uses all ones efforts to overcome all adversities. Or another nomenclature would be the word: determination.

Obsession makes something which is positive into a negative thought or feeling that one tries to unsuccessfully avoid. The consequences of not being able to stop oneself from an obsessive action is a form of negative behavior with negative consequences. The consequence of obsessions is mental illness: obsessive/compulsive disorder or jail for a wrong doing.

Perseverance on the other hand is a positive action with positive reinforcing consequences such as winning a gold medal in the olympics.

It is very important to understand the dictionary definition of words. Vocabulary can create huge misunderstandings when used incorrectly.

The perfume “OBSESSION” appeals to the naughty side of ones personality and creates a new connotation to the word that confuses the meaning. Our society has so many mixed metaphors as it is that it makes it even more difficult to present a pure thought to another person.

The internet definition of Obsession is: addiction, anxiety and depression.

obsessed - having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something;. An idea that continually preoccupies or intrudes upon the mind is compulsive. The definition of concern is anxiety which is another negative connotation.

Although concern can also mean (other than anxiety or worry) the placing as top priority of something. That definition is third in line. This mixing of a very negative connotations with a more neutral definition still has negative qualities. It is most often used when a person does not approve or like what another person is doing. For example: the wife spends more time with the children than the husband and accuses the husband of not caring (that he is obsessive when he has to work to pay the household expenses). Even though the husband works long hours in order to support his family, the wife feels slighted. Both situations may be taken by the spouses as ignoring the romance that brought them together.

Therefore the use of the word ; obsessive is rarely used, if ever, used in any positive construction. It has become a deteration of our language which results from a person’s need to shock and awe.