"Is that really necessary?" It's a question that we may ask when something unpleasant or disturbing has been said or done. If someone brings up a topic like capital punishment or abortion at the dinner table, you might ask rhetorically, "Is that really necessary?" In that situation it probably isn't, but there are times when such issues do have to be discussed. We can't always insist on keeping things light and comfortable.

When somebody does refuse to face some of the tough realities of the world, we might say that that he or she "just doesn't get it." The implication is that the person ought to be able to grasp whatever it is that's in question and see the necessity of dealing with it, that enough opportunity has been given, but that for some reason he or she just doesn't - or won't - u…