There are subtle differences in our understanding of words that some people never explore.
I’ve been thinking again. Uh-oh!
Usually, my thoughts are about words and their meanings. Actually, the frequency that human beings misunderstand each other is my greatest fascination.
We have an understanding of what we ‘mean to say’ that sometimes doesn’t translate exactly ‘that way’ to others who speak the same language. I’m aware that language is somewhat fluid, but it seems there are people who use words ‘willy nilly’. I often wonder if they think about words at all.
Here’s my latest quandary:
When I’m asked if I ‘like’ something, to me, it’s asking, “am I fond of it?”. If you know me, I’ve usually already decided if I’m fond of, indifferent to, or dislike something.
What I’ve found out is that if I say I don’t particularly like a food item, the person asking sometimes ‘assumes’ that I dislike it. But most often, I’m just indifferent. To be placed on my ‘like’ list, I have to have a fondness for it or even occasional cravings for it.
In my experience, the indifferent group is my largest category. I’m hardly a fussy eater. My ‘dislike’ list is actually the smallest.
This difference in food preference interpretation, of course, brings me to a larger philosophical point.
The frequency that people find binary choices, or make binary conclusions, where they don’t actually exist. We’re complicated individual beings and deserve better. Life has countless variables and answers are seldom easy.
Taking the ‘binary’ shortcut is often just lazy and many times inconsequential. But it’s a devastating way to investigate problems, justice, or understanding.
I call this the “either/or” approach and think it’s extremely dangerous and divisive.
Once you place anyone on that ‘contrary therefore other’ list you have created a rift that has no possibility of being bridged.
Incidentally, those who take that route are bigots.
Don’t take that route. Expand to understand.
We’re all in this together!
Sillyfrog's Blog 
Being indifferent is close to being apathetic, and when you detach your opinions from issues, people will feel that you just don’t care.
I’m indifferent when it comes to food.
Opinions and issues are not all the same. I care about most things (except the Will Smith incident) but caring (or not) has nothing to do with critically analyzing topics. In fact, if caring was all we had to offer, nothing would ever get better. Taking a side instead of having an argument is immature. Assuming that people who don’t agree, don’t care, is another ignorant approach. It’s exactly what I’m warning about.
Incidentally, I don’t care what people feel about my opinion on an issue. I care what people know about it. I decide what to ‘feel’. I don’t need to virtue signal. 😉
I question whether or not I use “like” correctly on blogs. I see so many angles of things to like. Others I think only “like” based on content and whether or not they agree. I “like” effort; so if I can see that a blogger has put effort into his blog, I like even though I don’t agree. I like when someone writes in English; even though he makes lots of grammatical errors. He does better than I at a second language. I think that is caused by my many years of teaching. It runs in my blood to like almost all blogs I read. I don’t have indifferent in my file box. I don’t like and generally quite reading anything that offends me, so I go on my way. The blogger got a “click” from me, that’s enough reward from me. 😀
I like your thinking.
I don’t think there’s a ‘correct’ rule for hitting ‘like’ on blogs. The fascinating part is the variety of reasons we use it. I like most blogs much the same as you. I may not fully agree but find the effort, style, or intent, good.
Not hitting ‘like’ after reading, or starting, a piece is more powerful. The writer may never know but I can’t even pretend to like some messages.
My indifferent tendency is a ‘whatever’ attitude. It’s my buffer between liking and being offended. I don’t enjoy either/or choices. Happy Easter. 🙏😁😊