darkinshadows
Posts: 4145
Joined: 6/2/2004 From: UK Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: wetsub000 Wow ... such emphatic defense of the word! What I was trying to say was that the word (as defined by say The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) can have by DEFINITION negative connotations. This dictionary defines manipulation as: 1 a)The act or practice of manipulating. b)The state of being manipulated. 2. Shrewd or devious management, especially for one's own advantage Merriam-Webster Online defines it as: 1 : to treat or operate with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner 2 a : to manage or utilize skillfully b : to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage 3 : to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose Any word which by definition relates to deviousness, artful or unfair can't be all good. This is why it has a negative connotation, it can have a negative definition. I think that both the webster and the american standard dictionaries show positive definitions, as well as the negative. I would suggest that because you view and understand the definitions of manipulation as negative, that is what you see first. That is what You highlighted. This is what could be seen - 1 a)The act or practice of manipulating. b)The state of being manipulated. 2. Shrewd or devious management, especially for one's own advantage (Shrewd suggests a sharp intelligence and often an intuitive grasp of practical considerations) Merriam-Webster Online defines it as: 1 : to treat or operate with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner 2 a : to manage or utilize skillfully b : to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage 3 : to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose Further delving into different definitions provides... manipulation n 1: exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage; "his manipulation of his friends was scandalous" [syn: use] 2: the action of touching with the hands or the skillful use of the hands Manipulation can mean many things - just like the slave/submission debates that rage asunder - manipulation is what you make it - no more, no less. I choose not to manipulated in the negative - but to be manipulated into the postive. Others, choose as you. It is all relative. Peace and Love
< Message edited by dark~angel -- 8/3/2005 6:37:29 AM >
_____________________________
.dark. ...i surrender to gravity and the unknown... |