Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

A description portrays what is now; a prediction estimate what may come. Sometimes we confuse the two at our peril.

Some words are predictions. We use to them to portray our estimate of the future. Few of us are satisfactory as predictors of the future even though most of us think we are.

Some words are descriptions. We use them to portray something as it is now. We are adept at descriptions.

Consider a couple of examples:

1. A temporary structure or a quick-to-assemble-and-dissemble structure
2. A developing country or a poor country

The first part of each example is a prediction, while the second part is a description. It is easy to confuse the two parts of each example.

When we mistake a prediction for a description, we usually base a decision on what we hope will be instead of what is. I believe that someone has already said something like:

Hopes are not plans.