provocativeness

But by the 1960s, Petit’s theatrical flamboyance and onstage sexual provocativeness were less well received.

“If we start sanitizing our characters from the provocativeness of ethical questions, we’d just better stop doing what we do.”

In a statement, Ms. Canedy said the board was “very proud of this selection,” saying that its “fresh political perspective, provocativeness of the argument, and engaging writing is what we are awarded,” even though the essay’s thesis was an academic outlier.

“When I was a younger man I was very aware — and perhaps still am today — of a degree of provocativeness carrying a work into a room and grabbing people’s attention,” Mr. Ray said.

Given the provocativeness of your own language, your asking for tenderness is pretty interesting.