1. (
Religion/Spirituality): The
act of using vague or shallow spiritual soundbites on social media to create an appearance of spiritual insight:
*Meme-based expression: Sharing religious or spiritual memes without deeper analysis or personal reflection.
*Lack of evidence: Failing to provide sound philosophical, theological or scriptural justification for beliefs.
*Superficial engagement: Avoiding in-depth discussions or deflecting challenges to their views.
2. (Informal) The use of vague, unsubstantiated statements to appear knowledgeable or authoritative on any topic:
* Generalities: Speaking in
broad terms without specifics.
* Evasiveness: Dodging questions, refusal to engage in discourse or provide details.
* Non-committal language: Using phrases like "
maybe" or "it depends"while still being certain of ones poition
3. (In
Politics): The use of ambiguous or emotionally charged language to manipulate
opinion or avoid taking a clear stance on an issue.
* Appeal to a specific audience: Using vagueness to avoid alienating potential voters.
* Distract from specifics: By focusing on generalities or emotional appeals, which divert attention from details of policy or potential negative actions.
*
Shift blame or responsibility: Vague statements make it difficult to hold politicians accountable for their actions & inaction.
* Create a sense of urgency or
fear: Vague warnings or threats are used to manipulate public
opinion and gain support for specific policies.
Spiritual Vaguenism on Social Media:
"Just trust the universe, friend. Everything happens for a reason. #Blessed " (This sentence uses vague platitudes and lacks any specific spiritual guidance.)
Sharing a meme about finding
peace without explaining how to achieve it.
General Vaguenism in Social Media:
"We need to make a change! Let's work together to create a better world! " (This statement lacks specifics about the desired change or how to achieve it.)
"Do your own research! The mainstream media is lying to you!" (This avoids providing evidence for the claim and encourages distrust without explanation.)
Political Vaguenism:
Politician A: "We need to strengthen our national security." (This is vague – it doesn't specify what "strengthen" means or what threats are being addressed.)
Politician B (opponent): "My opponent's plan is dangerous and
will make
us less safe." (This uses
fear-mongering without outlining the specific dangers of the opponent's plan.)
