Lately, the title word has been used a lot in overheard, active, and broadcast conversations. It was used so much it began to lose meaning. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. Say it three times real fast and you’ll never use it, again. It’s Oxford dictionary definition ends with the word: “Totally”. There is also a list of words you can use in place of the A word.

So, why is it being used so much? Google said this in 2015: “It is a strange paradox (two physicians?) that in an age of relativism, an age that emphasizes personal opinion and subjective feelings over objective truth, so many people substitute for ‘yes’, words like absolutely”. In 2015? Subjective feelings over objective truth? Google adds: “Perhaps we subconsciously seek certainty in an age of uncertainty”. We can quibble about the subconscious versus the unconscious actions but Google nailed it with why 10 letter words are used when three letters, yes, will do.

The A word is heard mostly in political venues these days in 2024. “I’ll absolutely never vote for _______.” (Name of your choice.

One heard more recently was more personal: “If my house was on fire I’d absolutely save my _______.” (Dog, cat, parakeet (two keets?), fish.)

So, what’s the problem? Not sure. When someone uses the word absolute or absolutely, doesn’t it sound like they don’t need to think about it, they know, for sure, totally, what they’re saying is not just true, but the final, end-of-it-all Truth? No more discussion? I see a connection between absolutism and Tribe Over Truth, do you?

Embedded in the absolute syllables, too, is the dare to prove otherwise than the absolute truth declared by the speaker. “I’d absolutely never leave my pet behind” cries out for the listener to accept an un-verifiable truth without challenge. “I’d absolutely vote for _____”. Why would I–or anyone–vote for anyone else?

It should be absolutely easy to see, now, if you use absolutely in a conversation you draw a line in the sand for someone to cross, verbally. Most listening people would not accept the challenge, and end the conversation. The speaker wins, with or without finding the truth.

No one can ever be absolutely sure what they’ll do when faced with fire. Who among us would give up our own lives so we wouldn’t have to live with the guilt of not going back into a burning building for Tabby? You absolutely cannot know until actually faced with the (Sophie’s) choice.

It’s a little harder with politics. If you’re read some stuff here, you know my thought is no politician is worth our undying, absolute support. I would absolutely not 100 percent support anyone.

Oops. Maybe there is an absolute need for absolutism.

But give it some thought and my guess is you won’t be absolutely sure of how to use the word, anymore. Except maybe in a critique of this essay.