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Word salad is something I often find myself thinking about more often than I’d like, especially when I’m in a
group call with friends. Depending on the size of the call, conversations can quickly become burst shots of
nonsense that are said out of pure impulse to get
a laugh out of the group. I can’t articulate just
how much these times when nobody has a filter numbs my brain. Nothing makes sense, and it’s genuinely painful
to try to follow the derailed train of thought.
This seems to be a side effect of the internet in general, however. When you look at social media, the
interactions there are similar to as the ones I vaguely described (I’m sorry I can’t be more accurate; all I
can say is that these scenarios aren’t round). You could
even argue that the algorithms behind these sites support this mentality with how interactions like “likes”
work. It promotes everyone trying to say what’s top of mind to get the most attention garnered to them.
Extending from the usual social media pursuit for fame, there’s also an incentive to be the first person to
come up with some witty comeback first. All this adds up to create a sour environment of pure confusion,
something that is incredibly dangerous when we need crystal clear communication more than ever.
That’s what was top of mind when I built this page. I wanted to visualize those ideas of words being tossed
around meaninglessly, without thought or care being put into them. At the end, I hint to something else that
troubles me regarding how loose we are with words. The ideas we put forward shape our reality, whether that be
perceived or genuine. Blog writers constantly write about the influence a simple webpage can make, as you
never know the reach it will have on others. The same applies to the words we use, as what we say can take
root and have far-reaching consequences we never anticipated. Going back to the chaotic calls with my friends,
when does something no longer become “a bit”?
