[Annemieke]

Originally Posted by Orca

Actually I don't see a huge difference, it's more about nuance.

If I read you correctly in that post, it seems like much more than just a nuance. As I read what you write about it, it comes across as a huge difference. Well, at least to me it does. But maybe I am just reading that because I think they are really different myself, although I can not get into words yet how exactly that I see the difference.

I am trying to get a definition for those words that reflect the perception of others as well. I do not want to use the word evolution in what I write, if that is perceived different from how I mean it (although I can never really avoid that of course). But I use the words development, transformation and evolution a lot, so I am really interested in how others use and perceive those words. Maybe I should start another thread about that.

I like the word "transformation" because it feels just a wee bit less competitive and judgemental than the word "evolution". No one seems to go on about people who are the most "transformed", but people do seem to talk about who is the most "evolved". I think "transformation" is more neutral because it means we do not have ideas of what the end result should be. It seems more a natural mystery, something special to that specific person and not transferable to others.

If I understand you correctly here, I would say that evolving is more of an activity, an achievement, and transformation is more accepting, more reflective.

That would mean that transformation is more of an inner process. Something that can not be seen and as a result not judged by others. And it can also not be compared with the transformation of someone else, because it even might be the opposite of that transformation.

"Evolution," to me, seems to imply we know how and where people should get to, if that makes sense.

Yes, that certainly makes sense, although I am not really aware of that if I use the word evolution. Although I much more use the word development. But somehow I tend to use them for about the same concept, while I use the word transformation rather different.

But the more I read about them, the more I am thinking development and evolution might be rather different too.

The concept of how "evolved" are you means you should be XYZ, right? Well, I understand that pov. But that still means someone has to be the judge of said person, right? To talk about someone's transformation feels more uniquely special to that specific individual than talking about how evolved they are or whatever.

So I understand the idea behind both words, but I just happen to like transformation. That's just me. Make sense?

Again that absolutely makes sense. But as I said, I do not think of it as just a nuance. I think it is really different. Well, maybe it is just me as I find out why and when I use those words. And how I read into it if others use them.

Update: Now I got to think about it further, I think the real difference is in any physical development (actually doing things, is that called craft?) as opposed to any mental development. I have to think about that further, but suddenly it seemed an essential differentiation.