Something that hasn’t happened for awhile has happened recently. I’ve caught myself using the same word, or variations of the word, too often, i.e. some others, some people, sometimes. Maybe it’s still happening, just look at the 1st word in this post. I need to consult with a group of neurologists and figure out what is going on. I’m afraid that, beyond hindering communication, overuse of a word could influence the way I think. A worst case scenario would be that my thoughts are built from a skeletal structure of variations on a word. I can best communicate what I mean with the aid of the figure below.

[Image lost to the digital aether]

What is shown is the groundwork for a thought in the worst case scenario. The complete thought would be formed by filling in the blanks between the variations of the word. This process is in stark contrast to the way I imagine most thoughts are formed, in a fluid, flexible, associative way. What would be happening at the neuron level to create such a restrictive thought process? Would neurons that should normally be separated by some distance be clinging to each other as if by static electricity? Trying to conceive of what’s happening at the neuron level, in order for the same word to keep popping into mind, by imagining that the neurons are clinging to each other as if by static electricity brings me to my next point:

While the use of similes and metaphors to explain abstract concepts is obviously popular because of how much easier it makes things, I think they’re overused. It’s true they can lead to insights, but I think that more often they lead people astray of the abstract concept.

What better way to ridicule the use of similes and metaphors to describe abstract concepts than by using them to illustrate their own negative impacts? Using a simile or metaphor to describe an abstract concept is like taking a hot shower without turning on the fan, so that steam accumulates. The abstract concept you’re trying to get a handle on is the reflection in the mirror, and when you exit the shower you can vaguely see the reflection, but it’s blurred on account of the aforementioned stream.

If it wasn’t clear, the words in bold are intended to show that I’m still afflicted by this mental ailment.