Capacity for Abstract Thought?
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JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
OK, so here's the scenario.
I'm at a discussion group of local activists. Not all of us are avowed Libertarians in the group, but there's a strong libertarian sentiment nonetheless. I am speaking as the group begins to dissolve in some petty little squabble or another, and I make the statement "we need to win the war; THEN divide the spoils".
At this point, some older gentleman who's been mostly listening, pipes up "War? What war?" and beging on his own little rant (I fully expected a "Now THAT was a war" story to follow, but I digress).
I had clearly phrased my statement in such a way as to be metaphorical. However, in envoding, the lstener perceived it differently. Sadly, I have this sort of communication problem more often than I care to admit; which leads me to ask: whatever happened to ABSTRACT THOUGHT? Are we really becoming so linear in our thinking as to degenerate into basic processing and become immune to a well phrased simile or metaphor?
I am certainly hoping not; otherwise, I'm gonna be DAMN careful who I tell "I'd KILL for a hamburger right about now"...
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish
I'm at a discussion group of local activists. Not all of us are avowed Libertarians in the group, but there's a strong libertarian sentiment nonetheless. I am speaking as the group begins to dissolve in some petty little squabble or another, and I make the statement "we need to win the war; THEN divide the spoils".
At this point, some older gentleman who's been mostly listening, pipes up "War? What war?" and beging on his own little rant (I fully expected a "Now THAT was a war" story to follow, but I digress).
I had clearly phrased my statement in such a way as to be metaphorical. However, in envoding, the lstener perceived it differently. Sadly, I have this sort of communication problem more often than I care to admit; which leads me to ask: whatever happened to ABSTRACT THOUGHT? Are we really becoming so linear in our thinking as to degenerate into basic processing and become immune to a well phrased simile or metaphor?
I am certainly hoping not; otherwise, I'm gonna be DAMN careful who I tell "I'd KILL for a hamburger right about now"...
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish
