Frankly: Beware anyone who starts a sentence with "just..."

Every complicated problem has someone willing to solve it with one word.

Just.

Just leave.

Just get another job.
Just communicate better.
Just move somewhere cheaper.
Just work harder.

This week, Pauline Hanson suggested women experiencing domestic violence should "just leave". It's the latest example of a word that shrinks complicated human realities into simple slogans.

The problem with "just" isn't that it simplifies. Good communicators simplify.

The problem is that it pretends complexity doesn't exist.

Leaving an abusive relationship isn't just about walking out the door. It can involve fear, coercive control, finances, children, housing, isolation and, tragically, the greatest risk of violence.

The same is true of so many issues we argue about. Housing. Mental health. Education. Climate. Business.

Real life is messy. The best communicators don't ignore that. They acknowledge it, then help people understand it.

That's the difference between clarity and oversimplification.

One builds understanding.
The other just builds headlines.

Bel