The Euphemism

The first time I thought about euphemisms was when I was in late grade school. I thought about the word, its meaning, it's intention and I came to dislike what it stood for. I understand its value, but for me it meant an avoidance of reality. I remember thinking about it in regards to death, “He passed away” —didn't die. It sidestepped something real, something harsh. We are inevitably protected by our euphemistic language. We use it's wielding power to mold a different reality for our fearful ears. 

We are creative and manipulative creatures. We can make you see the world entirely different with an inflection of our voice or a thesaurus. It is amazing and can be alarming.

I can help you grapple with your mortality, by not thinking of it at all really. Funerary practices employ a type of euphemistic application in some respects. They make you look alive, so that we think less of our ultimate end.

I understand its value, and I use it as well as others, but I can’t help but think there is so much about this world that we avoid and aren’t even aware of.