How to get sick in a healthy manner
The concept of \”healthy aging\” is a contradiction.
Imagine reading the sentence below in an article on company management. \”This factor is crucial in achieving a successful bankruptcy.\” Doesn’t that sound strange? If you were to read the following about football training, would it sound strange? It is possible to win a football game and lose it in a positive way, contrary to popular belief. These are oxymorons, according to the Oxford dictionary, which are \”figures\” in which seemingly contradictory words appear together.
It is not just obvious that the statements are contradictory. For example, bankruptcy is the opposite of \”success\”, and losing a match is the opposite of success for a team. You can be very creative: \”a blockbuster failure\”; \”the façade of the building degraded nicely\”. You can use \”aging gracefully\” or \”healthy ageing\”.
Sometimes, semantics do matter
These examples are admittedly extremes. The facade of a building has aged well. This means that while it has deteriorated over time, it could have been much worse. It is still possible to appreciate the original look. If the façade of your home deteriorated – however graceful or shameful – you would probably renovate it before it began crumbling.
Source:
https://www.leafscience.org/getting-sick-in-a-healthy-way/
