If we ever colonize Mars, I’m convinced the first thing we’ll bring with us isn’t technology or innovation or some noble spirit of exploration. No. We’ll bring miscommunication.
We’ll bring the same talent for hearing the wrong thing, reacting to the wrong thing, and assigning the worst possible meaning to words that were never meant that way. Honestly, the Mogwai would handle interplanetary diplomacy better than we do — and they turn feral after a midnight snack.
Which brings me to this line I’ve been thinking about lately:
“She means to say that which she says, but does not necessarily connote that which she says.”
Because here’s the thing: I like to think I’m fairly articulate. I know the difference between entice and incite. I can usually find the right words. Sure, I’ve made my share of typos — starred instead of stared, busses instead of buses — but generally, I communicate what I intend.
And yet… people hear what they want.
Case in point: a while back I contributed to an article about overpopulation. I offered two intentionally absurd “solutions” — one wildly altruistic, one wildly unethical — to illustrate how impossible the issue is. It was satire. It was commentary. It was meant to make people think.
Instead, one reader (let’s call her a moron, because accuracy matters) fixated on the unethical option and decided I was personally advocating for it. She skipped nuance, context, tone, intention — all the things that make language, you know, language — and went straight to hate mail.
This is why colonizing Mars would be a disaster. Not because of oxygen or gravity or radiation. Because we can’t even handle a metaphor on Earth.
And it’s the same energy I see in so many conversations — about food, about the Second Amendment, about violence, about anything that requires nuance. People don’t listen. They react. They project. They weaponize their insecurities and call it morality.
We desperately need conversations — real ones, non‑violent ones, ones where people actually listen. Because there are valid arguments on all sides of almost everything. But we can’t get anywhere if everyone is too busy misinterpreting each other on purpose.
As for the aforementioned moron? Don’t worry. I solved that problem.
I kidnapped her, took her to Mars, and left her there. She won’t be bothering anyone anytime soon.
There was no other solution.
Today’s post inspired by the WordPress daily prompt: Do you think humans will ever colonize Mars? What would life there actually look like? Cover image created with Jetpack Image Editor.
DISCLAIMER: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice. Also, I’m a writer and an editor. And I try my best to make sure every post is articulate and free from errors. However, being that I edit my own work—and it’s next to impossible to properly edit your own work—I admit, occasionally there may be an error or two I miss. But doing so doesn’t make me an idiot so don’t be mean. Just smile, pat yourself on the back for finding an error and be glad you’re not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes … xoxox
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