🎧 PART 1 — COMPANION | The Wrong Words Podcast
Companion: do you picture a champion in your corner, a quiet co-traveler, or the thing that quietly keeps you stuck? In this first part of the Companion series, Oliver Marcelle and Luon Dungee unpack what “companion” really means — and why the word gets twisted into everything from a prized comrade to an excuse for staying partnered with pain, ego, or money. Expect sharp takes on accountability, authenticity, and why who (or what) you choose to accompany you matters more than the label.
🧠 In this episode, we explore:
Companion as champion vs. companion as burden (pain, money, ego, self)
Why dictionary definitions can feel safe but miss the moral muscle of the word (comrade, champion, protector)
The difference between authentic presence and vulnerable performance — and why vulnerability can be weaponized
How we unintentionally teach people (and things) how to treat us
📚 We unpack:
Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster, and Oxford takes — and where origins give us a fuller picture
Companion ≠ partner ≠ pet — the surprising lessons from animals and allegiance
Comrade as “ride or die”: what that commitment actually asks of us
The line between being accountable for how you made someone feel vs. being responsible for how they feel
💥 Key moments include:
The “teach people how to treat you” truth bomb — why your behavior sets the companion standard
A tight breakdown of authenticity vs. vulnerability (and why one risks victimhood)
The plywood/bolt analogy: what holds relationships together when life jiggles the joint
A blunt call to stop finger-pointing and start owning the learning curve
🛠️ You’ll walk away with:
A clearer way to test whether someone (or something) is a true companion or a conditioned crutch
Actionable prompts to become the kind of companion you want (nurture, protect, provide, give grace)
Language to use in hard talks: how to state your companion expectations without blame
Permission to reassign companionship (keep what serves you; let the rest go)
🎧 This episode is brought to you by Fairways and Putts — style, comfort, and performance for golfers who want their gear to work as hard as they do. Visit www.fairwaysandputts.com today.
📊 POLL QUESTION: When you hear companion, what comes up first?
A) Champion
B) Burden
C) Self
D) Comrade
👇 Vote on Spotify and drop a comment — who (or what) is your current companion, and does it deserve the title?
#WrongWordsPodcast #Companion #Relationships #Accountability #Authenticity
