#important af
There’s a writing tip I’ve heard a lot over the years claiming that a thesaurus can be your best friend because it can expand your vocabulary and help you avoid repetition. There are also posts floating around promoting the whole “said is dead” idea, bringing attention to the fact that there are many other words that could be used in place of “said.” While I think this is great and having an extended vocabulary is important, especially being a writer, this can also get you into trouble.
In lexical semantics (i.e. the study of word meanings), synonymy and antonymy are things that come up kind of a lot. One of the most basic ways that we humans conceptualize the world around us is by comparison–saying something is like something else, or the opposite of something. The same is true when ascertaining meaning. For example:
Person 1: So, what is a wolf?
Person 2: Well, it’s like a dog, but has x, y, and z features.Person 1: What exactly does “day” mean?
Person 2: It’s not night, for one thing.And so on.
One of the main features of language in general is that it’s efficient, or at least it tries to be. Taking this into account, it’s hard to believe that there would be two single words that express the same exact meaning. Even words that appear to have the same exact meaning, upon closer inspection, have subtle differences which makes them two separate words. They may belong in the same semantic field, but there’s still some tiny difference in meaning that warrants the existence of both.
Take, for example, the word scared. If you were to look this up in a thesaurus, you’d probably find words like afraid, terrified, andfrightened. Sure, they all have the same general meaning of a feeling inflicted by fear, but they’re not all the same. Each word is a varying degree of fear. Even afraid, despite being almost the same as scared, can’t always be used interchangeably without slightly changing the meaning of the entire clause it’s a part of.
It’s really important to take this into account when writing. Take those advice posts with a grain of salt. Sure, those posts can give you a hundred different substitutes for the word “walk,” but if you really mean walk, don’t say ambleorsaunter because they’re entirely different types of walking. True synonyms don’t actually exist. Write exactly what you mean, and don’t try to flower it up by plugging in a bunch of words you found in a thesaurus.
If anyone has anything else to add, please do!
Be angry about the use of white sage. Be angry about the racism. Be angry about capitalism. Be furious. But don’t be angry about new witches finding the craft. If someone finds this community through that awful kit just welcome them with love and begin to educate them.
let me say just a few things ooc– as a hedge/kitchen witch. yes, be furious that this is (and has been for a while now under other venues) happening; yes, be furious that the increased harvesting of white sage is having a real effect on first nations rituals; do all of that, but more than anything be concerned. if you hear that someone owns one of these kits, see that they’re educated and given every appropriate resource available. encourage them to return that kit and go about exploring witchcraft in a safe, healthy way by talking to older, more experienced practitioners (find a circle, even. we’re everywhere and we have meetings just like weekly knitting circles and book clubs do).
please be aware that witchcraft is notthe same as wiccanism, neopaganism, or satanism.witchesare not wiccans(wicca is a religion which started as a cult in the 1950′s, originated by gerald gardner and aleister crowley). witchery is nota religion (it can go hand in hand with religions of any type or even with no religion at all); rather, it is a form of spirituality and practical manipulation of the surrounding environment (energy can be included).
be sure those whom you have the chance to educate understand not only this, but they’re made aware handling items infused with energy (magic, high frequency vibrating atoms, however you choose to describe it) can have drastic, dire consequences if done from a place of ignorance. i bought a rose quartz crystal in a department store once and the energy it had absorbed (rose quartz absorbs negative energy, even if it dispenses it out at a much lesser frequency) was so strong, it almost burned a scar my chest until i cleansed it twice and even then it was still difficult to handle.items of power, like the ones in this ‘witch kit’ house energy and have already been handled by numerous hands with many different intentions (conscious or unconscious) before coming to their buyer.
it’s the same as taking home an ouija board and messing around with it– channels can be opened for anything interested. what’s attracted generally isn’t bad persay, but the possibility is always there. be aware. know methods of cleansing and protection. gobble up books and ask questions. dust your windowsills with rosemary, burn greensage from safe and protected sources, work with whatever friendly deities or energies you choose, but be aware.
this isn’t a cute aesthetic, it isn’t trendy, it isn’t pretend, and it’s not a game.
i’m not angry, because of consumerism; i’m angry, because someone could get hurt.
please feel free to reblog. the more ‘on trend’ this phenomenon becomes, the more important it is that people are educated to the fullest extent.
