--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
drafting spec…
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: Miscommunication slug: miscommunication type: process status: running version: ∞.∞.∞ released: "prehistory" maintainer: no one dependencies: - language - assumption - tone - context - the listener - the speaker license: Public Domain (unfortunately) tags: - communication - human-error - relationships - conflict - cognition ---
Two people sharing an exchange and leaving with different files.
One entity encodes a thought into language. Somewhere between the mouth and the ear, the signal degrades. The receiving entity decodes it using their own context, assumptions, emotional state, and history. Both parties believe the transfer was successful. Neither checks.
The gap between intended meaning and received meaning is not an edge case. It is the default. Clear communication is the anomaly that requires explanation.
SEND: "I'm fine."
RECEIVED: "I'm fine."
ACTUAL PAYLOAD: "I am not fine. Please ask again differently."
STATUS: transmission successful
ERROR: total
"I thought you knew what I meant." "I thought you meant what you said." Both were wrong.
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
MCM-001 | Silent Assumption | Something was implied. Nothing was confirmed. |
MCM-002 | Emotional Override | Correct words, wrong tone. Meaning inverted on receipt. |
MCM-003 | Missing Context | Message arrived without its dependencies. |
MCM-004 | Retroactive Reframe | Past exchange reinterpreted after new information. Changes everything. |
MCM-005 | Medium Mismatch | Content sent via wrong channel. Nuance did not survive the format. |
Miscommunication requires at least two parties but performs best when one is distracted, one is anxious, and both believe they are being completely clear. Optional amplifiers include unresolved history, time pressure, and group chat.
Can it be fixed? Sometimes. Requires both parties to admit the file got corrupted, which is its own separate bug.
Is it always someone's fault? No. Language was not designed for precision. It was designed for survival. You are using a spear to do surgery.
What's the patch? Ask what the other person heard. Not what they understood. What they actually heard.