Ambiguity

Ambiguity in day to day social intercourse is like a gun! At once ambiguity is a great and useful tool for good, it’s fascinating, spellbinding, entertaining, useful and/or an instrument of tremendous evil. Skillful ambiguity can be all of the above at the same time except for good or evil, but that depends on personal perception.

Salesmen use ambiguity for good. I wrote about this recently in Competence By Association / Borrowed Power Being ambagious can open doors, but all ambiguity ends when you open your mouth!

Salesmen offen use ambiguity for evil. The most common being evasive about facts that could kill a sale, saying nothing in a manner that leads the client to his own wrong conclusions. Then there are those unwilling to simply say "Agents are not allowed to discuss such issues" who resort to ambagious answers thinking they can lead the client to the answer while avoiding the law, it doesn’t work.

Politicos of the Left and Right, Evil and even the rare Good use ambiguity constantly. Being ambiguous lets their minions think they heard what they believe in while the politico actually said nothing. Like salesmen politicos become ambitious to hide the facts and/or avoid admitting to the truth or ignorance.

Yesterday, I ranted on a friends blog He posted good news I agree with his conclusions, but from an ambiguous source. He or rather his source hit on a pet peeve of mine.

I believe "figures don’t lie!" Sadly "liars figures." If liars weren’t bad enough there is no end to ambiguous figures derived from true, but ambiguous facts. The ones that offend me most are percentages quoted with out a fixed reference number! We see this everyday about real estate and every hour about Gold, both are irrelevant. Real estate get compared to a year ago, gold to 10 years ago! You’ve got to check specifics to know what’s happening today! Gold will disappoint you, real estate will be good, but nothing like what the percentages would lead you to believe.

There are times when ambiguity is the best policy i.e. "Honey, do these pants make my bottom look fat?"

Then there are times when you want to insult someone, being ambagious may be the best policy, but I prefer specific, but obscure words. Ether way it gives you time to get out of harms way.

OMO

I had planed to insert a veido of Charles Durning singing "I Love A Little Sidestep" but I couldn’t locate it.