Spot on. I'm a therapist (training as an analyst), and I hate the word "boundaries". Every time I hear a 22-year-old repeatedly talk about "boundaries" and "toxic" people, I cringe internally and sometimes ask them to elaborate on what they mean. I find myself using the word more than I would like (as well as toxic), when I can't think of a substitute, but I usually use air quotes when I say it, or say something like "for lack of a better word". I see how it can be weaponized, as when a person accuses someone of violating their boundaries when the reverse actually seems to be true.
Boundaries, I think, should be flexible, and negotiable, and they vary so much depending on the nature of the relationship between the two people. Plus, they can change over time. Granted, they are crucial sometimes in cases where some form of abuse or emotional harm is occurring.
Thanks for sharing the link to the article in Parapraxis.
Spot on. I'm a therapist (training as an analyst), and I hate the word "boundaries". Every time I hear a 22-year-old repeatedly talk about "boundaries" and "toxic" people, I cringe internally and sometimes ask them to elaborate on what they mean. I find myself using the word more than I would like (as well as toxic), when I can't think of a substitute, but I usually use air quotes when I say it, or say something like "for lack of a better word". I see how it can be weaponized, as when a person accuses someone of violating their boundaries when the reverse actually seems to be true.
Boundaries, I think, should be flexible, and negotiable, and they vary so much depending on the nature of the relationship between the two people. Plus, they can change over time. Granted, they are crucial sometimes in cases where some form of abuse or emotional harm is occurring.
Thanks for sharing the link to the article in Parapraxis.
Yes, thanks for sharing this. I too find myself using the term more than I'd like! 😬