The Vacuum Of Clear Communication

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Will always be filled by people’s own conclusions. Because people want understanding. The human mind wants to fill in the blanks. The human heart wants to grasp the whole narrative.

In the visual arts, white space is intentional. Often what is not drawn or painted, what is left to be filled in by the viewer’s imagination, is part of the power.

In poetry, line breaks create visual space that leave a sense of openness, and imagery leaves meaning open to the interpretation and creation of the reader.

In other cases, like medicine, or law, or government, or business, or finance, or so many other areas of life, such ambiguity is unsettling. And not helpful. And possibly even harmful.

Not everything needs to be 100% clear. Nor is that even possible. But you have to ask yourself if there is some conclusion that really is important for others to understand (even if they disagree), or if you are open to them creating their own conclusions (even if you disagree).

Rodger Otero

I'm a husband-father-musician-pastor trying to make a decent contribution to the world. California is the Motherland, North Carolina has my heart, Georgia is Home. These are mostly my riffs on formation, leadership, and being fully human.

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