This, um, issue came up at work recently. The gaffer wanted to exclude some items from a list of challenges, and I was arguing that this turned it into a list of problems. As an example, I was arguing that we should describe the arrival of significant numbers of immigrants who do not speak English is a challenge, not a problem (because if it is a problem, the solution may be to simply send them back).
1a: a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution (merriam-webster)
Looking up "challenge", I find
3: a stimulating task or problem
Simply calling the thing a problem doesn't mean the solution is to send them back; if it's a challenge, the response could equally well be to send them back. It's a disruption in the status quo; it's an interruption in the normal flow of things; it's a stumbling block; it's a frickin' PROBLEM. The idea that calling it something else will magically change peoples' attitudes or approaches reminds me of the brutal truth of this.
Guilty as charged. A year or so ago we had our first real release of a cooperative project, and the partner basically said we couldn't say they had bugs in their product; they only had "open issues."
It was like I'd caught a cold; I find myself willingly using this term now even when referring to projects that do not involve that partner.
And that. Is why. I hate. My job. On the days I hate it, I mean.
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It was like I'd caught a cold; I find myself willingly using this term now even when referring to projects that do not involve that partner.
And that. Is why. I hate. My job. On the days I hate it, I mean.