[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: cultural myths and misery



> From: "souscayrous" <souscayrous@wanadoo.fr>

> Or, rather, go back to the argument of those 
> who rule the symbols rule us because humans are

> a semantic class of life (after Korzybski) and 
> refute John's claim?

I see how that quote could have given one a false
lead. I believe we need to know the tools our
rulers might use--and know them well enough to
know the tools' weak points, the extent of their
validity, their potential use for our own
attempts at evaluative self-defense.

Korzybski emphasized our time-binding or semantic
characteristic for re-education because, as an
evolved characteristic of our meat-computers we
cannot abandon it. And if we don't know how to
use it well, we leave ourselves open to
manipulation by the more unconscionable users of
symbols--and, as people have been quick to
observe in this thread and elsewhere,
unfortunately sometimes this describes our
rulers, whether in the guise of bureaucrat,
psychiatrist, lawyer, priest, banker, CEO, etc.

By the way, Toby, thanks for
'meat-computer'--what a fun little neologism.
Sean

______________________________________________________ 
Send your holiday cheer with http://greetings.yahoo.ca