PERSPECTIVE

Why “Popposite” is My Favorite Word

And it’s not because I invented it, but because it applies to everything

Photo by Elena Leya on Unsplash

As a writer (a word I’ve only recently begun to apply to myself, as opposed to “one who has sometimes written”), I sometimes invent words. It’s not that there aren’t lots of words around for our use, but sometimes, I can’t find exactly the right one. So I invent one.

One of my favorite invented words is “popposite,” and I created the word when I was writing Alfred’s Journey to Be Liked. I am told by others that once you truly understand the word, you see its living reality everywhere.

The best way for me to explain popposite is to tell stories from Alfred’s Journey, and the reader will not have to have read the book. All you need to know is that Alfred is neurodivergent and agreed to work with “Coach” to build social skills that will enable friendships.

Here goes the invention and application of “popposites.”

Have you ever thought about how opposites make things better? Alfred’s Journey has something to say about opposites, and it comes from Alfred’s best friend, Hannah.

Hannah wrote a play called “Popposites,” with the tagline, “The pop of opposites.” She explains,