Too much focus on individual words?

Do we put too much focus on individual words? By this I mean, are we looking at words by themselves over what's being said as a whole? I just feel that a lot of arguments that come up in threads are over specific word choice rather than actual meaning.

I have said in other threads that since we can only communicate via written words here that word choice is something that should be considered carefully, but that was not meant to imply that words should be viewed as seperate from the message.

I feel, that as Jedi, we should strive to look at the message rather than the messenger. The words are important but they are just the vehicle. Conversations might go smoother and be more enlightening if we looked at them that way.

Please do not see this as targeting individuals, this is just a commonality I have seen througout the forum and think we could benifit from thinking about how we're reading other peoples posts. That applies to everyone including myself.

My good deed for the day is not commenting in this thread. lol

Less words. More feel.

As a once mechanic and car enthusiast, I sort of view it in terms of an arguments depth is power, its capacity to be understood is torque, and its ongoing engagement with the other party... traction. I used to love spinning my wheels, the more power and torque the better, but it just makes a lot of noise/smoke without actually getting anywhere
:silly:
Now I'd rather just get there quicker so I can have a nap :huh:

Contrary to popular beliefe, words mean the world! Words stick in our minds and hearts. A heart felt word at the right moment can bring you enough strength to endure the day or...the exact opposite and tare you to pieces and leave u in shambles un able to function properly. This is our first and some times only way of communication. How to communicate more precise should be the proper meditation. A lot of people just speak without filter or meditation and to do this is some times hurtful. My self i take it to mind that things i say will...they will be hurtful. so, to make sure this is not done i simply think what will grow from these word i will speak. What seed will i plant? what will come from this when complete? It helps me a lot to think of my words as seeds. When i do this it tends to help me keep from sowing seeds of hate and malice and mean-ness. What do you sow? who do you sow more to? what is growing because of your communication? Theses should be meditation thoughts to help.

Unfortunately words are our only medium on a forum, and they can often be taken out of context or the wrong meaning taken because we cannot see the person with whom we're 'talking'

Sometimes we can get so caught up with a conversation, eager to get our point across, that occasionally what we say can appear hurtful or derogatory.

I try to read through what I've written to see if what I've said makes sense and can't be taken out of context or another meaning misconstrued. (Or that I haven't insulted someone)

If I'm angry, then I'll refrain from commenting for a while until I've a) had chance to calm down and b) had chance to find out why I'm so angry in the first place. If I've typed something often I'll save it as a draft and re-read it before I send it, believe me I've learnt from bitter experience!

I guarantee 90% of arguments are down to mis-communication and off the cuff comments taken out of context

Goken, I was just thinking about this myself. I think if you can tell what someone meant, which often requires giving them the benefit of the doubt (for example if something they said comes off as insulting or offensive) I think it's better to assume they didn't mean it and ask for clarification.

But words are important, and I think as Jedi we are responsible for everything that comes out of our mouth. Words have history and connotation as well as definitions, and you have to know that those meanings will be read into your words as well as just whatever they mean in the dictionary. So in that way, we are responsible for how people understand us, and need to choose our words carefully.

To put it briefly, words are important but ask questions and give people time and space to explain their points properly.

I totally agree, Goken Words are fallible, whereas feeling is everything.

I remember havng heated arguments with Relan Volkum on the importance of words. At the time I thought they were meaningless, and I said as much. Relan, on the other hand, was entirely certain that words were everything.

As of now, I'm somewhere in the middle. A word is a symbol, but what counts is the things behind the word that is being symbolized.

Finger pointing to the moon...

Amen, Alexandre