observation on my idiolect (cusswords in post)

[rikibeth]

Someone commented, yesterday, on my use of "problematic" in an online discussion. They characterized it as a weak word. I hadn't thought of it that way.

It made me realize something about the way I use words. If I disagree with something, but want to give the speaker/writer the benefit of the doubt for good intentions, the word I tend to use is "misguided."

"Mistaken" is a little stronger than that, when I feel it's more than just a matter of opinion.

The next level up from that is "wrongheaded." This is the polite version of "they have their head wedged up their ass."

By the time I'm dragging out "problematic," I'm going for the G-rated version of "that's some pretty fucked-up shit, right there."

However, I can't expect the rest of the world to have a secret decoder ring for Rikibeth Is Trying Not To Swear.

aren't words cool?

Comments

[fairylogic.livejournal.com]

I use "problematic" much the same way. Also "unfortunate" when something is fucked up but I don't want to particularly place blame.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Whereas I'd put "unfortunate" more around the level of "misguided" or "mistaken," because of the not-blaming. It carries, for me, a connotation of "I still on the whole like this person or body of work, and wish this one bit weren't in here." "Problematic" is top-level OH NO SHE DI'INT stuff, and if I'm dragging it out, it means that the thing I'm calling out with it has potentially tainted the rest of it. The only thing I've got worse is "horrifying."