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CONTEXT (with an emphasis on written material)
This is the instance in which words become subjective and take on meaning to an individual.
Are we responsible for setting the context with the people who we want to communicate with? Yes. I've done a poor job of this in the past and frequently pissed people off. I'm frequently guilty of not setting a proper context for my words. It's these little instances that teach me that context is 51% of what you're trying to say. Without it, people are free to think whatever their mind is dialed to.
BIASES (regarding all communication)
Biases take a tight grip of the subjective matter when context is not set firmly enough. That's plain and simple.
RESCINDING
Under normal functioning, you cannot brainwash from your mind the impression that you received from a message, even when it has been rescinded. While you may be told that you have misunderstood, the chance of you forgiving the misconception decreases with the intensity with which you have acknowledged the original message. It's easy to dismiss something trivial, but you'll still entertain it's alternative in the back of your head.
On the other hand, cognitive dissonance grips you hard if you originally misunderstood something that affected you in a dramatic fashion. You put so much emotion into this notion that when you are informed that it was in fact misunderstood, you are then inclined to believe the false version more. (Please note, all psychological assumptions are provided with the pre-attached disclaimer, "on average.")
Discuss how you like.. more to come later.
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