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"5 Commonly Used And Yet Obscure Terms (Vol 4)"

Post on: August 6, 2020

In our daily lives, we may have come across terms which are good to know, but we might have overlooked them as we are bombarded with “infobesity” or information overload.

Then again, some of these terms may be worth knowing as it gives a feeling of empowerment in our daily activities; e.g. while meeting our clients. As we unleash such phrases in the course of our conversation, it makes us feel knowledgeable and enhances our self-image. Not forgetting, being likened to a repository of information.

Detractors tell me, “Aiyah! Such terms are nothing but a piece of cake! We’ve known them since our secondary school days! They aren’t obscure but well-documented terms.”

Well, congratulations! Such is the power of the internet; the millennials are barraged with such terms from an early age. I sometimes marvel at the varied subjects the younger generation talk about so effortlessly.

However, for the benefit of those who’ve failed to notice such terms, I have listed 5 commonly used and yet obscure terms.

1. Placebo Sleep – If you convince yourself that you slept well last night, even if you didn’t, you can trick your brain into thinking you aren’t tired. It improves cognitive function and it makes you perform better than when you constantly complain about being tired all day.

2. Locus standi — In Latin, it means “place of standing”. In legal terms, locus standi is the right to bring an action, to be heard in court, or to address the Court on a matter before it. Locus standi is the ability of a party to demonstrate to the Court sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged to support that party’s participation in the case.

3. Collateral damage – Injury inflicted on something other than an intended target, specifically civilian casualties in a military operation. An example: The public was appalled by the massive number of civilian casualties; however, the military justified that collateral damage was inevitable considering the covert operation took place in a residential area.

4. Learned Helplessness – In psychology, it is a mental state in which a person or animal suffers from a sense of powerlessness as a result of a persistent failure to succeed. Hence, they stop trying to change the circumstance even when they can do so.

For example, Baby elephants are tied to a rope by their trainers. However hard they struggle to break free would be in vain. Eventually, they would accept this as the status quo. Subsequently, the elephants would resist overcoming from captivity despite growing into a mighty animal! The reason — it has been ingrained since childhood that any kind of struggle is a futile attempt.

5. Backfire Effect—There is a psychological phenomenon called the Backfire Effect. Essentially, the more you try to convince someone they are wrong using facts and figures, the more convinced they become that their pre-existing beliefs are correct.

For example: When the current leadership of the college electoral board paints a negative picture of a candidate which the undergrads favour, it will cause an increase in support for that ‘disapproving’ candidate. (showing people evidence which proves that they are wrong is often ineffective – it has the reverse effect and ends up backfiring).

These words may not be heard regularly; however, they never fail to tickle the ear and amuse the mind. The Jolly Good Times hopes these terms come in handy in your everyday usage. If it’s worth knowing, it has to be shared — invite your kakis (buddies) to Like us Facebook and website.

By: Shaji Thomas Varughese

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