TW Hawk's Blog
January 27, 2020
Needless to Say...
We often say, "needless to say" and then say the very thing we just said was "needless to say." Might be needless to say, but it's clearly essential to hear. So we say it. It's more like, "needed to be said."
When we say "needless to say," it's like we are saying, "This is essential, for the record, to declare this point is self-evident and glaringly obvious — even if you don't think so."
It's like using the preamble of "with all due respect" and then spitting in someone's face with something that is sure to disrespect them.
Or listing a series of gripes and capping it off with "not to mention" and then mentioning the very item you weren't going to.
Or telling someone "I could care less," which actually means you do care somewhat because there is actually less room to care. What you might mean is "I couldn't care less" or simply and most succinctly "I don't care."
So often what we mean is different from what we say or do. But life is all about meaning. Seeking meaning; finding meaning; believing in meaning. Understanding the meaning of things, the meaning behind things, and the very meaning of meaning — words, actions, events, behaviors, decisions... LIFE!
If meaning is so important then why are we so mean about ascribing meaning to how we communicate?
If we actually said what we meant to say with carefully chosen words to say it, or thought about what we intended to convey with our communiqué, if we were precise about our verbiage—thoughtful, mindful, present and prepared—then, with all due respect, we wouldn't have to care less about saying things like "needless to say."
Of course, all this goes without saying.
Don't mention it.
When we say "needless to say," it's like we are saying, "This is essential, for the record, to declare this point is self-evident and glaringly obvious — even if you don't think so."
It's like using the preamble of "with all due respect" and then spitting in someone's face with something that is sure to disrespect them.
Or listing a series of gripes and capping it off with "not to mention" and then mentioning the very item you weren't going to.
Or telling someone "I could care less," which actually means you do care somewhat because there is actually less room to care. What you might mean is "I couldn't care less" or simply and most succinctly "I don't care."
So often what we mean is different from what we say or do. But life is all about meaning. Seeking meaning; finding meaning; believing in meaning. Understanding the meaning of things, the meaning behind things, and the very meaning of meaning — words, actions, events, behaviors, decisions... LIFE!
If meaning is so important then why are we so mean about ascribing meaning to how we communicate?
If we actually said what we meant to say with carefully chosen words to say it, or thought about what we intended to convey with our communiqué, if we were precise about our verbiage—thoughtful, mindful, present and prepared—then, with all due respect, we wouldn't have to care less about saying things like "needless to say."
Of course, all this goes without saying.
Don't mention it.
