Whether it was a teacher talking to you, a parent, or a friend ...you may have heard, "You did it wrong!"
Did you hate hearing that ...or did you welcome the statement, eagerly awaiting the person to show you how to do it right??
You could say the teacher, parent, or friend should not have used the word, 'wrong' ...but, instead used a clever way to show you, or allow you to discover it yourself.
But, I find little hope in thinking we should just try to eliminate the use of the word, 'wrong'. I would rather aspire to a hope of eliminating swearing, but that is equally unreasonable. Why would I hope to minimize something that is so ingrained in our society that it is gaining ground in popularity? I can choose a different path for myself, and even encourage others not to swear ...but, I should not deceive myself with unreal expectations for others. Movies are glamorizing the use of bad language. People don't think it's bad. Maybe I should try to find a cure for cancer ...we agree that's bad, and I'd likely have more success with something we agree upon.
Several centuries ago, the ruling class awaited word from some daring sailors. Many people believed our Earth was like a dish, not a globe. Instead of picturing Atlas holding up a globe, imagine a clumsy waiter carrying soup on a platter. We'd have not only colossal storms on the sea ...we'd eventually have no oceans at all. Evolution would have to call to the waiter, to order a new plate of soup.
Less centuries ago than the flat-earthers, the elite civilized people believed that tomatoes were poisonous. But, the common people were putting the prolific fruit in just about everything ...as well as eating it raw. So, you could say that theory was proven wrong.
And I'm thankful for that, as some of my favorite dishes have tomato paste. (An additional note: scientists agree it is definitely a fruit, but in 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States classified the tomato as a vegetable. But, on a different note, the courts have balanced it out ...making many fruity decisions in recent years.)
Don't ask me to define civilized, but among that group we have people today who don't believe anyone has ever landed on ...nor walked on the moon.
There are things we can believe can be fairly accurately proven, and there are things that can not be.
That aside, we don't seem to often care what data there is to scientifically back a statement ...because we feel our ideas are supreme. I know data can be skewed, twisted, and manipulated ...but, some facts stand clearer than others, and not just because a select group of highly-esteemed and respected authorities say so.
When data is provided to disprove something, let us not be unmoved. And let's a least move forward in a polite manner. When attempting to solve a problem, let's listen to the other person's data and argument ...and be ready to provide our own.
Name-calling, insulting, and belittling may be an emotional boost, but it does little to advance the discussion. Restating a conclusion with cursing does not add accuracy to facts.
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