Beware of words with weight; these are buzzwords that invoke strong feelings and broach emotional arguments. Words that hold significant weight in our social consciousness are often shrouded in controversy. Just speaking a heavy word aloud causes our thoughts to ripple. In this sense these words maintain a gravity that affects our ideas and beliefs. Here are some prominent examples:

“The Future” — inherently unknowable and thus it scares people. Grand definitive statements about the future anger people if it’s not what they envision.

“Social media” — is changing how we interact with the world. It holds tremendous power but can often be deployed in destructive ways. Mentioning it in discussions reminds us of these facts.

“Socialism” — still conjures images of a big bad USSR. It seems many equate socialism to totalitarianism.

“Trump” — self explanatory, it feels like every person is on one end of the spectrum, either hating or loving him.

“Coronavirus” — immediately prompts thoughts of the state of the world and its future.

“Democrat” or “Republican” — infuses identity politics into any conversation.

“Brexit” — incites strong feelings of sovereignty or internationalism.

“Fake News” — assaults our trust in the current system. Can we believe corporations or the government?

“Climate change” — exposes your scientific literacy and creates a binary discussion environment.

“Porn” — conveys taboo but also provokes curiosity. For a while now it’s been popular to use the word “porn” to make compound words that convey something addicting or satiating, i.e. “food-porn.”

If we are aware of the current heaviest words in our society, we can use them carefully and hold productive discussions about our world. As I’ve written about previously, these conversations are important to maintaining an informed, educated, open, and egalitarian society. Per usual, awareness leads the way.