You fucking morons. You have no definition for communication, but you use that word all the time.

Yes, you fucking morons — you. You have no universally agreed-upon definition for communication, and yet you told me you communicated mission parameters to the corporal. Did he even receive the information you just pushed in his direction?

Lieutenant Hardknuckle was correct, though. I was a teacher and Zack was a diesel mechanic, but neither of us wielded a universally agreed-upon definition. Do you have one?

In a military environment, even a training one, miscommunication can kill you. In the corporate world it can lead to humiliation or loss of revenue. Within relationships… well, you know that one.

One major problem from that day: the lieutenant did not provide us with a definition. We were punished for not communicating, but we never received that final nugget of wisdom.

A colleague who nearly watched his marriage burn said the breakthrough came when both he and his wife realized that it’s not always about finding the right words but also about asking which words, which demeanor, which attitude could work for the other. And then the repair starts — that long journey toward making it okay again. Throughout that tough time he mentioned how many times he heard, “You guys just need to communicate again, that’s all.” Back to square one again. Imagine Hardknuckle versus the sideline spectators to tragedy.

But okay, let’s talk usefulness. Let’s talk utility. Communication is the process of generating, transmitting, and receiving meaning through the exchange of information, signals, or messages. Hardknuckle, sir, there’s a definition. You can forget the bullshit of “sharing info.” For crying out loud — I can share info on a bulletin board at the local supermarket. If nobody sees it, did I merely publish while entertaining the illusion that I communicated?

Communication is just one word. There are a million others. And I include slang, of course. I will defend the hill where I say we use words without ever thinking about them. I will die on that expansive plain where I see our language doesn’t always evolve to facilitate the meaning we crave and need. Disconnection — the biggest human existential fracture — results.

A practical, safe, and even fun way of reinforcing your understanding of meaning and the potency of words is to look at billboards when you drive. Think about the ads on your screen. Sit in a meeting, and just listen. Set a reminder on your phone for a specific time of day saying, ask what one word means — one that gets used to death. A word that has become more diluted than someone chugging white wine with ice cubes.

This site will always lead the crusade against language that no longer fires up meaning. If I have to evaluate that against my own preaching though, what will “always” mean in this context? As long as I draw breath, stay healthy enough to type, and no EMP kills all electronic devices on Earth, I will write about this and share utilities for combating the crud we so often hear preached as truth.