Intent is Magic

When used in its natural context, internet forums and message boards, the phrase tends to be negative: "Intent isn't magic!" sometimes with "asshole" thrown in for good measure.  This is understandable when one knows why it comes up at all.  The phrase is used to chastise commenters who have, perhaps inadvertently, offended or insulted others.  They then explain that they did not mean to cause offense, that was not their intent at all.  But, just because somebody does not mean to be insulting, that does not mean that their choice of words was not crude or thoughtless.  That is the idea behind the phrase: you cannot erase another person's experience just so you do not have to think carefully about the way you choose to communicate.

The importance for relating to other people through communication is more in the reaction to the phrase than what inspired it.  When alerted to the fact that one has offended others, one can apologize and move on, or one can take offense at the expression of offense.  For many people, the ultimate insult seems to be that others do not give them the benefit of the doubt in every possible moment.  They are angered that others might think they are careless with their words when they accidentally offend, and just as angered that others might think they are actively trying to cause harm.  In many cases, the whole misunderstanding is a one time thing, either being resolved with apologies and care in the future, or with the departure of one or another of the commenters.  Sometimes, however, especially on websites specializing in controversial issues, non-magical intent is invoked time after time, with the same commenters.  This makes others think that, less than careless, they are participating in bad faith.

Our Doctor began by saying the topic has a distinct non-Latin feel, and that he was unsatisfied by searching for definitions of "intention" and "intent" because dictionaries do not agree.  Finally, he had to say that intent is neurological.  It comes from within our physical selves, and even in face-to-face communication we do not always see true intent.  On the internet, it is even more complicated, as we lack intonation, facial expression, and gestures to convey the real meaning of what we say.  Internet communication is black and white, therefore easy to misinterpret.  The words themselves are emotionless, but the reader feels an emotional reaction, sometimes a very powerful one.  As a person involved in theater and poetry, he is also very aware of the importance of word choice and delivery.  The actor on stage has all the tools to present the desired ideas, but the writer has only the words and to some extent, context.  Writers communicate almost with their hands tied behind their backs.

The Real Philosopher did not look kindly upon the phrase, saying that the connection of intent and magic is highly dependent on the real intent of the speaker.  Many people profess false intent, either to lull the audience into listening or to placate an agitated, or offended, audience.  It is impossible to know real intent, since we can say anything, and sometimes we ourselves have unconscious motivations that inform our intentions.  However, the point of the Philosopher was that there is a certain magic in deception, so being able to hide one's real intentions, especially when they are malicious or at least lacking seriousness, is a kind of illusion or magic trick on the audience.

One participant did muse over the underlying question: how much responsibility do speaker and listener have respectively with regard to message?  Words can hurt, but so can acts, and in most cases we do not hold a grudge against someone who accidentally steps on our toes, but an unintentional insult can create hard feelings lasting years.  She also remarked on the culture of victimhood that we seem to be developing, in which some people claim a right to be offended at anything.  Curiously, I'd say those people are the same ones, in most cases, who will speak thoughtlessly and then be deeply "hurt" when their words are "misinterpreted".  Later, she was more sure that good intentions do not absolve people of negative consequences.  Although anyone can have a bad day and a bad reaction, the responsibility lies with the speaker/agent to consider the outcome of the planned speech/action.

Our Leader made the point that actions speak louder than words, so the best way to divine intent is to observe actions over time.  On the internet, there is a level of difficulty not present in meatspace, given the supposed anonymity and use of pseudonyms for commenting.  This is often exploited by internet trolls, who exist simply to generate conflict and leave bad feelings wherever they go.  The benefit of the doubt is generally given for the first "misunderstanding", and sometimes for many after that.  Eventually, other commenters will be fed up and either demand action be taken or take their participation to another site.  The use of the phrase implies an honest or lazy mistake on the part of the commenter, but a mistake nonetheless.  Trolls do not make that mistake but exploit the willingness to forgive and foster smooth communication between participants through deception.  For the Leader as well, the real "magic" is in convincing other people of something that does not exist, in this case the good will of the troll poster.

In another contribution, the Doctor pondered intent as a result of our interpretation of reality.  We think we are responsible for our own actions, but we do not always know the reasons we do what we do, any more than we know the reasons others do what they do.  We should be humble about our interpretations of others, because we cannot know them completely, hence the only source we have for their intentions are the others themselves.  Although they might try to deceive us, we should be careful about making negative judgements without precedent to base them on.

There was one participant who completely misunderstood the meaning of the topic, confusing "intent" with Spanish "intento".  Even after several contributions to the discussion, she remained unaware that her interpretation was erroneous.  I guess there is a curious consistency in her opinion that trying things is like magic and her trying to participate in a discussion which she was completely confused about.

The topic was my idea.  I am well aware of the danger of confusion and misunderstanding, but that is, in fact, my intent.  I often choose wordings for topics that are not perfectly clear, and that people have to consider before tossing out opinions.  Or at least, they ought to consider.  Some might say I'm not being fair or kind to non-native speakers, but I say at least I'm not devious about it at all.  I only hope to promote the magic of vocabulary and intellectual expansion, and I'm completely open, if a little arrogant, about it.