275. Obfuscate

Excerpt from, “Don’t Blame Autism for Newtown,” by Priscilla Gilman, The New York Times, 12/17/12:

Rather than averting his eyes or staring, this stranger took the time to look, to notice and to share his appreciation of a child’s soul with his mother. The quality of that attention is what needs to be cultivated more generally in this country.

It could take the form of our taking the time to look at, learn about and celebrate each of the tiny victims of this terrible shooting. It could manifest itself in attempts to dismantle harmful, obfuscating stereotypes or to clarify and hone our understanding of each distinct condition, while remembering that no category can ever explain an individual. Let’s try to look in the eyes of every child we encounter, treat, teach or parent, whatever their diagnosis or label, and recognize each child’s uniqueness, each child’s inimitable soul.

Obfuscate: render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible; bewildering

274. Theodicy

Excerpt from, “Three Words of Caution in the Wake of Another Mass Killing,” by Jonathan L. Walton, 12/16/12, Huffington Post:

Life has an improvisational quality that one can only describe as absurd. There is no logic. No viable explanations. No rhyme or reason. One day a family is decorating the house in preparation for the holiday season. And the next day the unspeakable happens. It makes no sense. And any attempt to provide a reason for the tragedy of Friday would only lead to glib theodicies, insensitive sermonizing, and puerile platitudes. I would go as far as to say that all words at a time like this come across as cliché when we try to make sense of the nonsensical. The human language is neither complicated nor creative enough to capture the depths of this sort of pain.

Theodicy: the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil