That's not my most-often-accepted definition, and I think that many people
would accept that all humans are created inequally, but are equally
entitled to express their humanity, however they see fit, so long as they
don't hurt others. It behooves each other and ourselves to ensure this is
the case, at least within our own locus of experience, for the writers
among us, in the wider world. Expansive and hard to do, I realise. Call me
an idealist, see if I care.
>
>but, i have to say that i do not believe that "language is the only hope
>of progress."
>i am not sure i believe in progress, first of all.
>but there are other modes of knowing and communicating besides verbal or
>written language. if you are offering a more expansive definition, i would
>love to hear it.
Language is the only mediating artefact we have that can discuss itself in
its own terms. Language coordinates meaning and behaviour in society and is
the _only_ avenue for progress. To deny language its primary place in
social production, reproduction, and change is to deny our humanity. Also,
devaluing language devalues and obscures thought - removing language from
the centre stage of public discourse allows propaganda to take its place.
Sure there are other modes of meaning making. But the meaning f these is
coordinated in language.
>>>what about a personalized, subjective, context-dependent approach?
>>
>>Every approach is personalized, subjective, and especially
>>context-dependent. Shared experience of these is the basis of community.
>this is as problematic a statement as "all men are created equal"
>what is shared is more than what is talked about as shared or common, it
>includes things like what people do or don't do, who gets to do or talk
>about what, how often the shared experience, or common vision, or
>community rules, (i see all these phrases as overlapping sections of a
>continuum), are invoked to control which behaviors and what type of
>people.
Yeah sure. That's a given (at least here). However, your statement contains
its own resolution and antithesis: because shared experiences "are invoked
to control ... behaviors", this can be discussed, as it is, and so can be
changed. Once again, we get back to language as liberatory versus
propagandist. My previous statement is axiomatic: "Every approach is
personalized, subjective, and especially context-dependent". These include
instantiations of exploitative and oppressive action.
>>
>>
>>>the journey of a thousand miles that begins with one step.
>>>the step towards my self.
>>
>>Such an emphasis on self-reflexiveness is a dangerous kind of selfishness.
>>Today's societies are severely afflicted with a solipsism that borders on
>>the pathological. The trip inwards is fine, inevitable in fact, as long as
>>it is not at the expense of social reflexivity.
>i disagree. i think that the pathological labels fits activities like
>consumerism (how much stuff do i need to be happy? i'm not happy, yet, so
>i must need more stuff) or femininity (how many more pounds do i need to
>loose in order to be a real woman? what am i doing wrong that makes my man
>so angry with me?) or other practices that view one self as a unitary
>being in a darwinian world. none of that is what i think of as
>self-reflection.
>maybe soul-reflection better expresses it, but that creates its own set of
>problems.
I understand Kathie. And I agree with you. But I do think that many
influential currents of thought endorse (implicitly or explicitly)
increasing degrees of solipsism that delegitimise the social.
>
>
>you also wrote.
>"My point is that diversity _is_ the human condition (perhaps that of life)
>and so requires no further definition or promotion. It's a first principle,
>I think."
>
>i agree whole-heartedly,
>but how to express this first principle in a caring, connected,
>non-dualistic way?
>how to avoid the self-social dichotomy?
Self-Social is the first distinction. We must all make this distinction or
perish. I have no answers. If I did, I'd be wrong.
Phil
Phil Graham
pw.graham who-is-at student.qut.edu.au
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/8314/index.html