Con Fusion

Take con-fusion, for example.
Separated, it almost sounds hopeful – like an invitation to come together.
Fused, however, it turns into something that feels messy, tangled, maybe even chaotic.

Naturally, the word has Roman roots.
(Where else? All linguistic roads lead to Latin.)
The original term confusio meant a blending together, a mixing of elements or ideas – always with a touch of bewilderment.
And yes, the blending of ideas has often caused exactly that: confusion and uncertainty.

But let’s break the word apart and see what happens.
The prefix con means together or with – hardly confusing at all.
Togetherness is a clarifying thing, even uplifting.
So, if people unite in a fusion, they essentially build something greater as one.
There you have it: con-fusion perfectly explained — and, naturally, slightly confusing.

Today, the term “confusion” tends to emphasize only the messy part.
But being confused isn’t always bad.
Because when you’re confused, you’re searching.
You’re looking for the moment when things start to make sense again.
When familiar, “safe” life situations dissolve or drift apart, confusion often moves in.
That’s when it helps if people come together — in a con-fusion — to untangle the problem.
Confusion and delusion aren’t the same thing, though they may share the same parents.

Yes, times are confusing.
The world — especially the political one — feels uncertain and frightening.
“It’s not like it used to be,” people say.
Sure, that’s true. But it’s also a dangerous sentence to leave standing on its own.
Why? Because it tends to attract two unwelcome companions: fatalism and cynicism.
A toxic couple, if you ask me.

We can do better.
After all, humans were born with two remarkable evolutionary apps:
the brain and emotion.
And when you sync those two, the magic begins.

So, what would happen if brain and emotion decided to con-fusionize?
Imagine the possibilities!

And if these two apps joined an entire collection — say, a grassroots network — who knows what kind of creative update might emerge.
History shows, time and again, what motivated humans can achieve when they come together to make life fairer, freer, and more meaningful.

So yes — let’s get a little con-fused.
Because, as Confusius once said:

“Let’s make the world a better place.”