Why this word is great
XENOMORPHOSIS — [Noun] A form of cognitive dissonance produced by stimulation that pulls in two opposing directions, such as simultaneous attraction and revulsion. From xeno- ("foreign, strange") + morphosis ("transformation"), coined by American filmmaker and author Nick Zedd (born 1958). Unlike "cognitive dissonance" (which describes general mental discomfort from conflicting beliefs) or "ambivalence" (which suggests mixed feelings without transformative tension), xenomorphosis is the visceral war between desire and disgust. It is the moth drawn to the flame even as its wings singe, the addict’s craving laced with self-loathing, or the grotesque beauty of a decaying mansion—where repulsion and fascination coil around each other like serpents. We are most alive when we are torn.