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The barber clips together a lock of hair before he clips off the ends. The political boss sanctions a protest rally calling for sanctions. The stars come out only after the lights go out.
In grammar school, we learned about homonyms -- words that share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings, like baseball bat and vampire bat. We also learned about antonyms -- different words with opposite meanings, like virtue and vice.
But when you find a pair of words that are simultaneously homonyms and antonyms, then you have found our latest addition to the Ethical Lexicon: Contronym
A word possessing two opposite meanings.
Other common examples include:
Bound: heading toward a destination or restrained from movement. Buckle: secure together or collapse under pressure. Oversight: watchful observation or failure to notice. Misunderstanding plagues us under the best of circumstances. Obviously, the essential purpose of language is the unambiguous exchange of information and ideas. If so, how can we explain the bewildering phenomenon of words that hold contradictory meanings? Our answer appears in the evolution of mythology. The Romans borrowed most of their gods from the Greek pantheon: Zeus became Jupiter, Aphrodite became Venus and Poseidon became Neptune and so on.
But not all Roman gods have Greek counterparts. Among these, we find Janus, the god of doors, gates and transitions. His image is depicted having two faces looking in opposite directions.
Contronyms are also called "Janus words." Looking forward and backward at once, Janus represents the portal between past and present, life and death, youth and maturity, chaos and order. The month of January takes its name from Janus. We begin each new year with the reminder that our passage through time is a series of transitions. Each passing moment serves to provide context and perspective for the moments yet to come.
Similarly, the existence of contronyms reminds us that knowing the meaning of a word is insufficient without context. Just like the omission of a comma transforms the familial invitation of "Let's eat, Grandma" into the ghoulish solicitation of "Let's eat Grandma," the failure to discern context can radically distort the intended meaning of information into a wholly different or even opposite interpretation.
In politics, two opposing candidates may simultaneously argue that the economy is worsening and improving. Technically, both are right: Inflation may be on the rise, even as the rate of inflation is in decline. Facts without context are often worse than useless.
In business, contronyms force us to pause and evaluate whether we're about to bolt down a deal or the client is about to bolt, whether our model is an original or a copy, whether we're the only competitor left in the running or about to get left behind. Most importantly, they remind us to consider that there are two sides to every issue, that without examining all the angles, we can't possibly make good ethical choices, let alone solid decisions.
Contronyms also demonstrate how much control we have over our own response to circumstances. Anxiety and excitement manifest with the same symptoms: rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, increased perspiration. When we feel the first signs of tension, before labelling them as anxiousness, we can refocus ourselves and reframe our feelings as eager anticipation, producing positive energy rather than crippling fear.
We can do the same thing with how we view the personalities of others, whether employees, bosses, or coworkers, as well as friends and loved ones. What if you stop labelling Fred as OCD and instead think of him as meticulous and conscientious? What if you stop deriding Suzy as flaky and start admiring her free-spiritedness and creativity? What if you stop resenting Pat as a relentless critic and appreciate their commitment to helping you improve your skills?
Our world is filled with contradictions, and our efforts to ignore or eliminate them inevitably prove futile. Recognizing that the way you choose to look at your reality actually creates your reality is a positive step forward on the path toward future prosperity and the balance of wellbeing.
Rabbi Yonason Goldson graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in English, which he put to good use by setting off hitchhiking cross-country and backpacking across Europe. He eventually arrived in Israel where he connected with his Jewish roots and spent the next nine years studying Torah, completing his rabbinic training as part of Ohr Somayach's first ordination program. After teaching yeshiva high school for 23 years in Budapest, Hungary, Atlanta, Georgia, and St. Louis, Missouri, Rabbi Goldson established himself as a professional speaker and advisor, working with business leaders to create a company culture built on ethics and trust. He has published seven books and given two TEDx Talks, is an award-winning host of two podcasts, and writes a weekly column for Fast Company Magazine. He also serves as scholar-in-residence for congregations around the country.
Previously:
• Groucho Marx and Embracing Tension
• Toward a more civil civilization
• Break Down Barriers of Thought to Build Towers of Innovation
• 'Tis the Season for Reflecting Beyond your Reflection
• Why Antisemitism Is Not Just a Jewish Problem
• The rank stupidity of 'Just let it go'
• To create a functioning, biblically-based civilization
• The difference between optimism and hope
• The Next Piece of the Puzzle Might Fill the Hole in Your Heart
• Self-Esteem Isn't Given -- It's Earned
• Remember the Past to Promote a Successful Future
• Are We Making Failure the Price of Success?
• Demoralization Is More About Culture than Feelings
• The Lesson We're Missing From the Death of Charlie Kirk
• Invest in Your Own Success by Building Up Others
• The Most Valiant Heroes Fight on a Different Battlefield
• How Pundits Came to Give Punditry a Bad Name
• The Wisdom of Knowing What You Don't Know
• Success Thrives in the Light of Purpose and Passion
• When Seeking Peace, Don't Release the Dogs of War
• Greta Thunberg Sails Toward Moral Hypocrisy
• Checking More Boxes Is Not the Solution
• Why Sometimes NOT Seeing Is MORE Believing
• A Healthy Diet for the Brain Promotes Ethical Clarity for the Mind
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