by Milton Dawes
In the dictionary, vast has been defined as "great in extent or range." I think of general semantics as vast — great in both extent and range. In high school I used to remember formulas in physics by making up words. This was before I knew
of the term "acronym." VAST is my acronym for general semantics. The following is my play on this.
V: Values, Variables, Visualization
Variables are defined as "symbols that can represent any one of a set of values." Each one of us experience things differently, and we value different things. Things are considered more or less important, useful, worthwhile, etc., to each one of us. Things change. We are not the same from one day to the next. We can think of every thing, including our 'selves,' as a variables. When I am aware that we value things differently and value different things, this awareness helps me to better understand myself, others, and situations I find myself in. When I am aware that each one of us brings our own experience, hopes, fears, training, skills, cultural conditioning, and so on, to a situation, I accept that we cannot help but give different values. This awareness that we give to our own values and to the variables of Universe, helps me to better avoid and manage stress, and improve the way I communicate. This awareness helps me make better plans, helps me to be less dogmatic, and to be more open to new ideas and suggestions from others. With an awareness of the notion of variables I experience fewer conflicts and less disagreeableness. When I think in terms of variables, I develop more creative approaches to thinking about and understanding things-including myself.
Visualization. I am aware that words often sabotage our evaluations, so I complement my verbiage with visualization. Visualizing helps me see things in terms of relationships and interrelationships…a structural point of viewing. With visualization I see things from different perspectives. Visualizing helps me give more values to the
variables of situations. With more values to the variables of situations, I can make better 'maps'.
Here is a little formula I value a great deal: My self-improvement is a function of my self-correction. My self-correction is a function of my self-awareness. We benefit from general semantics when we apply general semantics principles as attitudinal and behavioral modifiers (or ABMs). I believe that if we want to advance to higher stages of personal development, we have to be alert and attentive to what we are doing, and how we do what we do, so that we can general semantically address the effects of millions of instances of cultural conditioning.
A set is defined as any collection whatsoever…with specific rules as to what will be considered members of a particular set. From the diverse entities of Universe, we create our own collections. We each create our own sets. And each one of us create our own rules as to what and who will qualify as members of our sets. As sets tends to be exclusive, there is great potential for violent clashes since we live in one world--and the rules we make up for membership in our individual sets will affect members of the sets of others. For instance: If I consider a fetus as a member of the set of persons, with rights, I will be offended by abortion. If I make the word "nigger" a member of the set of terms I find offensive, I will react accordingly. If I think all nations should belong to the set "democratic", I expect there will be some nations that will resent this inclusion. If I love trees, and value trees as 'members of the set of things to be preserved at all costs,' and you own a lumber business and value trees as 'members of the set of things essential for your business welfare,' we have a tough — for both of our values are valid. If we decide to negotiate and not fight, an arbitrator can use general semantics and the notion of "sets" to help us reconcile our differences.
Many students of general semantics avoid the word "spiritual" as not being scientific or sometimes even deny the existence of anything "spiritual". In Manhood of Humanity Korzybski wrote, "Though this book has been written with scrupulous care to avoid words or terms of vague meaning-and though it often may seem coldly critical of things metaphysical, it has not been written with indifference to that great, perhaps the greatest, urge of the human heart---craving for the higher potentialities of that which we call 'mind,' 'soul,' and 'spirit.'" I do many things to nourish my spirit. I enjoy watching little children at play. I enjoy trees and clouds and things I find beautiful. I like to hear little children singing. I enjoy seeing someone doing a good job and enjoying themselves. I enjoy the quiet of an empty church. Curiosity elevates my spirit. In the spirit of the organism-as-a-whole principle, I encourage you not to deny but to nourish that part of your being which you associate with the spiritual.
"ST" stands for standard, structure, self-therapy.
The word "structure" is one of the few in the language with which we can form a sentence without additional words: "Structures structure structures." This suggests to me the wide applicability and potential value of this term. I am aware that the quality of my living involves the way I structure-map and relate with situations. Structure involves order and relationships. As far as we know, everything is related. I appreciate Korzybski's proposition that structure is the
only content of knowledge, and that we structure the world according to the structure of the language we use. I don't know anything directly…not even myself. What I claim to know involves relationships, relationships between whatever is going on 'out there' and the processes going on in me. To keep a certain level of sanity, and realizing that Universe beyond me works by it's own rhythms, and does not exist to meet my expectations, I try to match the structure of my language with the structures of the world around me. If I am puzzling over some problem, or situation, I think "structure" - what are the parts? How are they interrelated? I try not to forget that I am part of the structure.
STANDARD. We use clocks, tapes, speedometers, etc. as standards, as reference points. With standards, we agree on common values. I think of the structural differential, as a general semantics evaluation standard, a model, against which
I can compare my thinking, feelings, attitudes, evaluations, and so on, to see how they measure up in terms of identification, allness, elementalism, etc. I believe that as with clocks and tapes, when we abide by agreed on standards,
we minimize conflicts, disagreeableness, and violence.
SELF THERAPY. We can use general semantics principles to transform ourselves to higher levels of being through conscious time-binding.
Wouldn't it be nice if we understood and valued each other as much as we valued our technologies? As conscious time-binders, we can make better progress in whatever we choose, based on a method. The philosopher Bernard Lonergan defined method as "a set of directives which serves to guide a process towards a desired result." With general semantics as our tool, we have a set of directives we can use to improve ourselves. With a method, we accelerate progress by complementing our dependence on gut feelings, trial and error, intuition, etc. With a method we are conscious of, we can make changes to this method when it no longer works for us.
As often as I remember, I apply a theoretical approach to anything I think and do. I like making up stuff about things... I do it for fun, and as "mind exercise". Here is a theory: All of us live by theories. It's just that some of us have become self-conscious about this and make of it, not something that happens, but also something we can do. A theoretical approach makes sense when we accept that we don't know all about anything. With a theoretical approach, I am more open to corrections, suggestions, and advice; and I am more prepared to make changes in the light of new information. With a theoretical approach I am not as devastated and disappointed when my plans and expectations, are not met.
When my 'theories' are not confirmed, I sometimes say "Hmmm ... niverse works that way too". A theory not confirmed tells me something about how Universe works…Of course I don't always listen. For our sanity sake, to live less stressful, more creative, more satisfying lives, I think it of great value for us to work with Universe and appreciate its structures rather than expect Universe to fit our notions, beliefs, expectations, and culturally conditioned ways of thinking ... our theories. I theorize that if we ever get to addressing where we are going as a species, general semantics "A Theory of Values" will play a very big part in our efforts.
My two most favorite general semantics principle are the calculus and relative invariance under transformation. The calculus is for me a very powerful scientific and psychological tool .We can apply the calculus approach to the immeasurably small and to the immensely large. Like general semantics, I think of the calculus as vast. Generalized, the calculus is about being incrementally attentive to changing relationships, appreciating limits, and discovering interrelationships. When I find myself engaged in gross mapping, I move to structuring, analysis, and differentiation to discover some finer points. Korzybski wrote that he could not have developed general semantics without the calculus.
The calculus and consciousness of abstracting are closely related. If we remember that while awake we are constantly abstracting, the more aware we are in a given situation the more chances we have to be conscious of our abstracting, the less likely we will treat different things and situations as if they were exactly the same. Close awareness approaches what has been called "meditation" — and I relate this to the general semantics principle "silence on the object level."
I also see the "relative invariance under transformation" principle as "vast." Accepting that no two things are identical, and also that we live in a fractal world, I look for structural similarities in diverse and seemingly unrelated situations. If I recognize that some situations are somewhat like others, this increases my ability to anticipate problems, and accelerate my understanding of many new and unusual situations and behavior. Without some biological processes based on the relative invariance principle, I believe we would have no rules, laws, learning, expectations, and so on. Without anticipation of continuity, we would make no plans, or decisions ... for each situation would be so completely different, we would not be able to make sense of things…there would be no sense of self. In a world of change, if some characteristics
of a person, thing, or process didn't remain relatively unchanged, I believe our lives and relationships would be of a very different order.
If you want to make sense of the seemingly strange behaviors you hear, read, about, or experience, I highly recommend you study and apply this principle. I believe that if we are to create a better world, it might help if 'we' (whomever we are) consider this: Although 'others' are different from 'us', 'we' are somewhat like 'them'. We are members of the same set - the human species. I expect that if 'we' (whomever we are) forget this, 'they' (whomever they are) will remind us of this elementalistic glitch, sooner or later.
M. Dawes/2005
Values have to do with "what is considered worthwhile, useful, important." Korzybski formulated general semantics as a General Theory of Values. For our own well-being, and in terms of the sanity and survival of the species, I think it important that we choose values that serve us well. Some general semantics values include principles of non-identity, non-allness, non-elementalism, consciousness of abstracting, among others.
A: Abstracting, Awareness, Attentive, Alert, Apply, Adjustment, Advancement
I practice conscious abstracting to help me develop consciousness of abstracting. Conscious abstracting is a label for doing things with awareness. To advance as an individual; to develop consciousness of abstracting; to adjust myself to the ups and downs of living; to see word, labels, names, definitions, and classifications, maps, etc., as not the same, but different from the things I talk about, label, name, classify, define and so on, I work at being alert and attentive to what I am thinking-feeling, saying, and doing. I believe that with higher levels of awareness we can better evaluate our thoughts and actions and make more appropriate adjustments for improvements.
S: Symbols, Science, Sanity, Survival, Speaking about Speaking, Set, Spirit.
We live in neuro-linguistic, and neuro-semantic environments. We live in a world of words and meanings. We are symbol creators and symbol users. If we don't learn how to rule our symbols, especially our own words and the words of others, our words and symbols will rule us. Korzybski was concerned with the sanity of the species. He proposed that in the methods of modern science there are factors of sanity to be tested empirically. We can think of general semantics as "generalized science." We can study scientific methods and apply them to everyday situations. One
of the most important aspects of a scientific approach has to do with revision: In science, what's going on in our 'heads'— our theories, are revised in the light of new information. In everyday situations we tend to defend our ideas, our feelings about things, our beliefs, our values, etc., verbally, and sometimes violently. General semantics involves speaking about
speaking. Our words reflect our thoughts. We tend to see situations and we respond to others and situations based on the way we talk about things. And vice versa. I believe that one of the most effective ways to practice general semantics involves being attentive to the way we speak.
T: Time, Time-binding, Theory, Transcendence, Transformation, Tool, Technology.
I show my respect for a Universe of change through 'dating.' I follow a theory that "my feelings, beliefs, expectations, theories, conclusions, judgments, and so on, depend on the information I have at the time, and the accuracy of this information." I believe that through applying general semantics principles we become more conscious time-binders. I think of the whole system of general semantics as an elaboration of the time-binding mechanism. I believe that with general semantics time-binding principles as our tool, we can transcend our mainly primitive ways of thinking about things, and develop more feelings of interconnectedness and interdependence, and transform our lives.
