# For or against By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-08-31 Intentional human effort is about _something_. At a very simplified level, it is often the case that efforts are conceptualized as being _for_ or _against_ a given element of focus. But being for or against something is not necessarily different semantic ways of thinking about the same thing. How one frames the for/against conceptualization holds implications for action. Whereas there is any number of potential examples to illustrate this point, the student protests within the United States about the Vietnam War provide a useful, albeit somewhat dated, example. Some students were anti-war protesters. These individuals were against the US involvement in Vietnam, the draft, or college research supporting the development of weapons. Other students were also mobilized in opposition to the war, but they were not anti-war protesters, but rather, they were part of the peace movement. The focus of this group was not only on ending the war but on building the societal frameworks required for peace. Since peace is qualitatively different from the absence of war, there is an important distinction between being for something (e.g., a peace activist) and being against something (e.g., an anti-war demonstrator). Analysts benefit from developing this type of conceptual thinking.  Analysis is conducted on data. These data are often categorized among a host of variables. Hallmarks of data analysis are that the categories are complete, independent, and mutually exclusive. In practice, this isn’t always easy. There is a potential difference between a person who is anti-pollution and a person who is for clean water. The anti-pollution stance could be directed toward industrial firms but not necessarily naturally occurring concerns. The person that is for clean water might not have an interest in air pollution. One can’t know for sure simply by examining collected data. In approaching organizational analysis, it is important to account for the conceptual gaps which potentially emerge between those who are for or against something. These are not necessarily complementary constructions. Being unaware of this issue or ignoring its implications can introduce distortions in one’s analysis. Potential fulcrum points emerge when one attunes to subtle distinctions among categorical variables. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Thinking]] [[Semantics]] [[Organizational Analytics]] [[Data]]