Definitions

Definitions are everything. Definitions determine whether or not you're having the same conversation, true for any topic. I'll reference three subjects here: the 2020 presidential election, gun control, and abortion.

The painful topic of abortion is particularly divisive because no one agrees on the operating terms like "life", "killing", and "choice". When does life begin? When is killing really only choosing? When is choosing really only killing? Are they the same? Both? Without first defining these perspectives- an arduous or maybe even impossible task- how can useful dialogue happen?

The social quagmire of gun control policy means different things to Americans. Some folks define the topic as their own guns will be controlled, but not criminals who easily obtain their weapons illegally. Other folks think control means curtailing semi-automatic guns and rifles, large capacity ammo, and attachments. The two sides remain far apart because there are few common terms defined, like "rights", "self-defense", and "public safety". So, the stalemate continues, our society is more violent and dangerous in this sad era of gross mental health funding neglect, along with the uncontrolled access to guns.

The 2020 presidential election left the country injured, untrusting of media, mainstream institutions, and govt at every level. Was the election "stolen"? Once again, definitions are everything.

It depends on what your idea of "stole" is. Was the election won by shady or illegal methods such as altering election regulations, stuffing ballot boxes, harvesting votes, allowing non-citizens to vote, weaponizing the FBI to stall or fabricate news to benefit a certain candidate, or a wink-nod among big social platforms to bury certain stories for political gain? If any of these things occurred (and we know they all did), then it can be said the election was in fact stolen. How would you define it? Without first a consensus of definitions, no insights are possible.