The other day, while having drinks with an executive from a major corporation, the conversation turned to politics. Knowing he was someone who could speak freely, I casually asked him, "Don't you think there's something off about the Abe administration? They do lie, right?" The reply was, "Personally, I do think so." I should mention that this person is a highly respectable and sincere businessman.
"Personally..."
Such a nostalgic phrase! I first thought about how many years it's been since I last used it. (Truth be told, I rarely made that distinction even during my salaried days). It dawned on me once again that these people have to speak from a "position", and that's a part of their pay.
