A Story in a Title

Ambiguity.

That, perhaps, is one of the best and worst parts of language. Ambiguity is the best in that it allows the author of whatever text to hide behind a series of meanings for whatever reason and manner that such concealment suits the author's purposes. Ambiguity is the worst part of language for the exact same reason. For one who simply seeks a grain of truth, the frustration alone is annoying, let alone the irony that a medium whose purpose is to convey information is being used to obscure information.

Besides the valid reasons of an author to hide behind a text, the layering of meanings in a text does add more than the sum of each layer, so that a whole text is truly more than the sum of its parts.

Moreover, the state of the human condition would suggest that, at least historically, the only messages worth hearing are ones that run more counter to other messages.

Frankly, mine is an oft repeated grievance when it comes to language’s ambiguity. And that grievance has little ground, too. I would be both astonished and delighted to learn if there were, in fact, a better alternative. But I still dislike that ambiguity, if only because it just bugs me. Fortunately, I’m justified because of the frequency of conflict over ambiguities.

And so without further ado, I name this blog "Changing Expectations," a title with at least two meanings. Do I mean to change the expectations of those around me? How? From what to what? Do I intend to change my own expectations? How, and from what to what? Who knows.