Great post, Andrew! I always find these linguistic deep dives fascinating. It's amazing how often we use words interchangeably without realizing their subtle but important distinctions. I had a similar experience with "empathy" and "sympathy" — I used them as synonyms until I learned that empathy involves truly understanding another person's feelings, while sympathy is more about feeling sorry for them.
Keep sharing these insightful posts; they're always a pleasure to read!
Yay! Happy to be here, and to have your brain working alongside mine.
I did the same thing w/sympathy and empathy, although I managed to course correct a while back on that one. I was almost certainly in my 30s by the time I realized that difference! These are really fun to think about.
To me, it seems they are different words but with some overlap and then consider one (envy) can be used as a verb or noun. And the other is used as a noun or adjective. Both nouns, but also more than that.
Yes, it seems both involve the common element of fear cleverly disguised. On one hand I fear not getting what I want because without it I feel I cannot be fulfilled. On the other hand I fear losing what I have because it is part of my identity, and without it I would be nothing. It is how fear controls the world, and we are its puppets. Enlightening post.
Yes, my "surprising gap" was the recent discovery of the difference between "choke" and "strangle" you pointed out in one of your articles. Live and learn and all that!
I've recently come across another way to put someone to sleep: by triggering the vagus nerve. There is a way to do this at the back of the neck, quite contrary to 'chokes" or "strangles", where the focus is on the front, mainly. I should maybe clarify: I was shown how to do this like 20 years ago, but only just now realize what's actually going on there.
I am envious of your erudite writing skills, and jealous that you have more subscribers than I do.
Thanks, Ken! I am honored by your participation in our thinking network here.
Great post, Andrew! I always find these linguistic deep dives fascinating. It's amazing how often we use words interchangeably without realizing their subtle but important distinctions. I had a similar experience with "empathy" and "sympathy" — I used them as synonyms until I learned that empathy involves truly understanding another person's feelings, while sympathy is more about feeling sorry for them.
Keep sharing these insightful posts; they're always a pleasure to read!
Yay! Happy to be here, and to have your brain working alongside mine.
I did the same thing w/sympathy and empathy, although I managed to course correct a while back on that one. I was almost certainly in my 30s by the time I realized that difference! These are really fun to think about.
To me, it seems they are different words but with some overlap and then consider one (envy) can be used as a verb or noun. And the other is used as a noun or adjective. Both nouns, but also more than that.
I am envious of your clever observation, but jealous that you might take my spot as top language nerd.
Nope. You have too much indoctrination for me to overcome. The layers of hidden humor alone…
The Neville Brothers understood the difference: otherwise they wouldn't have been singing about "Fear, Hate, Envy and Jealousy"..
Perhaps widening my musical tastes much sooner would have resulted in a little exposure to this song for my young brain!
that was quite powerful. loving language imparts its superiority, and discovering gaps is a vulnerability. thanks for sharing that
Yes, it seems both involve the common element of fear cleverly disguised. On one hand I fear not getting what I want because without it I feel I cannot be fulfilled. On the other hand I fear losing what I have because it is part of my identity, and without it I would be nothing. It is how fear controls the world, and we are its puppets. Enlightening post.
Fear is the mindkiller!
Yes and we fear being labeled, “Out of our mind”!
Yes, my "surprising gap" was the recent discovery of the difference between "choke" and "strangle" you pointed out in one of your articles. Live and learn and all that!
I've recently come across another way to put someone to sleep: by triggering the vagus nerve. There is a way to do this at the back of the neck, quite contrary to 'chokes" or "strangles", where the focus is on the front, mainly. I should maybe clarify: I was shown how to do this like 20 years ago, but only just now realize what's actually going on there.
Why is Envy one of the 7 deadly sins but Jealousy isn't? I had a similar compulsion between Problems and Issues
What's the difference between problems and issues? Has the distinction been helpful since you went down that particular OCD rabbit hole?
It was more like an itch because I used to do issue management (to keep them from turning into problems) and I'd forgotten the way
Ah! Don't let an issue become a problem - good mantra, right?
U gottit!!