Words

I was very pleased with myself having found a way to convince J (someone I find to be extroverted in a particularly infuriating way) that being introverted was not a problem, just a difference, it was a different and equally useful set of skills. Encouraged by this success I went on to lay claim to the description of being 'sensitive' as a positive trait, even though the term is often used in a disparaging way, asking if he really thought that being 'insensitive' was a better way to be than being empathic. 

As I was doing this I realised that the words we use carry more or less subtle signals of approval or disapproval as well as meaning, and that we can change our own as well as other people's perceptions by choosing to use different language. Also that what is a strength in one circumstance can be a weakness in different circumstances. For example, being empathic and sensitive might be a useful skill for most doctors in interactions with patients but a disadvantage in a field hospital in a war zone, where being somewhat tough or even callous might get important things done more efficiently.