Essay
What is “The Context”?
How is the word “context” used under ordinary circumstances?
A commonly used expression is that “everything depends on [the] context.”
As with any commonly used expression, the reason for its commonality is twofold: (1) there is truth to this expression and (2) any form truth takes is advantageous to obtain for any communicative exchange.
With (2) however, the advantage of truth is not always in being truthful, but often in manipulating a particular form truth can take as a tool for practical and personal ends.
Consider the statement “I had no choice.”
On the surface, this conveys the truth that the speaker felt compelled by circumstance to take a certain action.
The advantage of framing things this way is to absolve oneself of responsibility or guilt. “With my family held hostage, I had no choice but to rob the bank.” The implication is that the speaker cannot be blamed, as they were not truly free to choose.
However, there is always a choice, even if not all choices are good ones. The bank robber could have refused to commit the crime, even at great personal cost — or, with luck in accurately guessing a bluff, at no such cost.
