ETC.: A Review of General Semantics articles from April 2004

ETC.: A Review of General Semantics archives from April 2004

If the word is not the thing, why call it a piece of writing?(Editorial)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... Have you noticed that when describing the results of our writing activities we tend to use words that also describe physical matter, for example article, item, or piece? Does the word text suggest ideas, rather than a lump of something? The...

From the executive director: eating menus in 2004.(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... This issue of ETC marks another transition in the organizational evolution of a discipline. Published from 1943-1948 by the Society for General Semantics, then from 1949-2003 by the International Society for General Semantics, ETC now falls...

Time-binding time: a history of time-measurement and time-management in America.
April 1, 2004... ACCORDING TO GENERAL SEMANTICS, time-binding--our ability to use language and other symbols to transmit information across time--is a unique characteristic that defines us as humans. That definition piqued my interest and I decided to do some...

Profile: Andrea Johnson.
April 1, 2004... Creative. Articulate. Funny. Enthusiastic. Johnson's fervor for studying and teaching general semantics is a hallmark of her career.--Dawn Balistreri Associate Professor of Communication, Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI When she...

Media literacy, general semantics, and K-12 education.
April 1, 2004... WHEN THE Norrback Avenue School in Worcester, Massachusetts, opened its doors in a new building in September of 1999, it had reinvented itself as an innovative magnet school program designed to integrate the study of communication into the...

Media literacy and general semantics.
April 1, 2004... AFTER SEVERAL YEARS of involvement in both general semantics and media literacy, I have become convinced that the two "movements"--for lack of a better label--have so much in common that they should really get to know each other. Don't get...

Conference papers: the Twelfth International Conference on General Semantics.
April 1, 2004... The following papers were presented at the Twelfth International Conference, "Confronting the Challenges of Conflicting World Views," October 31 to November 2, 2003, in Las Vegas, Nevada, sponsored by the Institute of General Semantics, the...

The conundrum of knowing what I didn't know (the relevance of general semantics to a student).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step toward knowledge. --Disraeli Or, "I thought I was a better than average communicator until I became conscious that I am ignorant." My only consolation is that Disraeli...

On time-binding as an instrument of peace (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Near the end of the movie The World According to Garp, based on John Irving's novel, wrestling coach and author Garp and his wife sit in his car, parked in his driveway, watching his children playing through warmly illuminated windows. Garp...

From the unconscious to the conscious.(Conference Papers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Abstract As a systematic evaluation of our belief systems, general semantics (GS) serves as a methodology to view our own and others' attitudes toward prejudice and bias. With the thoughtful application and use of GS, the concept can help...

On belief systems.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Abstract Three questions drive this paper: 1) what constitutes a belief system, 2) what standards can we use to evaluate belief systems, and 3) can competing belief systems co-exist and cooperate with modern science and technology for the...

"Conspiracy theory" and sound argumentation: the method of cocaine politics for resolving "conflicting world views" (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Introduction: Recent work in communication and cultural studies has shown that, more than most other terms, the concept of "conspiracy"--a group of people acting in secrecy for an unlawful purpose--has become layered with so many emotional...

Beliefs affecting handwritten communication (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... In a world of high technology, some find handwriting unimportant. They may look with bemusement, for example, on Wendell Johnson's listing of poor penmanship among the communication difficulties amenable to a general semantics approach ("The...

Dreams, nightmares, and nonviolence.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Gregory Bateson, in one of his lectures, asked "Do you see me?" The audience murmured assent, that of course they saw him in front of them. But he pointed out that what their nervous systems were perceiving were patches of moving colors in...

Toward a civil society: anger management using GS and the techniques of the professional actor (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... How do actors learn to manage and control their emotions on stage at a drop of the hat? This workshop employs general semantics formulations and the traditional rational-emotive behavior modification techniques first set forth by Dr. Albert...

A general semantics approach to reducing student alienation.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... This presentation will examine a study that showed students manifesting signs of alienation (a well-recognized drug abuse risk factor) could be helped to reduce those symptoms through a general semantics approach. It is based on research...

Challenging culturally-expected ways of thinking.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... This paper will serve as an introduction to a session where participants in small groups will discuss these questions: How could we initiate an evolution in human evaluating? What challenges might initiators face? What social, economic,...

Seeking unmediated truths (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Before most of us arrive at work, or school, or even this conference, we have been exposed to dozens, perhaps hundreds, of media messages. You might wake up to a clock radio, stumble downstairs to turn on the TV while perking some coffee....

Religion as a belief system (excerpt).(Conference Papers)(Excerpt)
April 1, 2004... Man is absolutely the most favored creature; even to the point that it was said--which is true--that he is favored over the angels. The preference of man lies in his intellect. The intellect of man is what raised his status,...

Ramifications of Julian Jaynes's theory of consciousness for traditional general semantics.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Good morning. Thank you for coming. In my talk, first I will explore why general semantics theorists for over 70 years generally have overlooked the human behaviors that give rise to the sharpest and most violent of today's conflicts of world...

A general semantics view of the changing perceptions of Christ (excerpts): modern portrayals of Jesus in works of art.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Introduction For centuries the image of Jesus' physical appearance has been etched into people's minds. Children learn in Sunday school at a young age what Jesus looked like. The most typical North American representation is a tall, lean,...

A general semantics view of the changing perceptions of Christ (excerpts): nontraditional perceptions of Jesus Christ and reactions.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... There have been interesting reactions to nontraditional portrayals of Jesus. One of these took place in Union City, New Jersey. The Park Theater Performing Arts Center was about to begin their production of "The Passion Play" and they had...

A general semantics view of the changing perceptions of Christ (excerpts): the American Jesus: a paradigm shift.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... As a nation, America allows it citizens greater religious freedom than any other state. This freedom allows for the development of national religious perceptions different from those found elsewhere. These perceptions lead to the formation of...

Media ethics between Iraq and a hard place (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... A conference on general semantics, especially one titled "Confronting the Challenges of Conflicting World Views," provides an opportune moment to talk shop about the semantics and ethics of the War in Iraq, with special attention on behaviors...

France--USA (excerpt).(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Paris, France September 2003 As some of you may already know, I live in France, more precisely in Paris. My purpose here is to give you an account of the possible reasons explaining the French reaction to the US move in Iraq, and see...

Confronting the challenges of conflicting world views: the talk below was accompanied by a multimedia presentation.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Confronting the challenges of conflicting world views is, perhaps, one of the challenges many of us had to face as infants: the sometimes conflicting world views of mother and father and of their families: different aims and ambitions in life,...

The language of change: general-semantics and Malcolm Gladwell's "the tipping point".(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... "You cannot step into the same river twice; for other and yet other waters are ever flowing on." --Heraclitus, c. 500 B.C. To Wendell Johnson, Heraclitus was 2,000 years ahead of his time. Johnson, a general semantics...

Replacing our pattern of universal discord.(Conference Papers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Abstract Throughout his lifespan, Korzybski worked to un-conceal the underlying assumptions of the "civilization" of his day and to test them against his multilingual experiencing. Eventually he showed that the logical construct of...

Intrapersonal evolution: a sharing of semantic jumps.(Conference Papers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... An article, written by the proposer of this program, entitled "Intrapersonal Evolution: The Structured Unconscious, The Structural More, and the Semantic Jump," was published in the Fall 1994 issue of ETC. The article presented the concept of...

Changing reputations: demarginalizing general semantics.(Conference Papers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Abstract This paper explores some of the possible reasons for the marginalization of GS. After describing the unique location of general semantics among disciplines, it briefly examines the critique of GS by Martin Gardner, one of its main...

Some thoughts on the WWJD? (What would Jesus Do?) bracelet.(Conference Papers)
April 1, 2004... Throughout the country, there are thousands of people, including unknown numbers of children, who wear a small bracelet inscribed with, WWJD? ("What Would Jesus Do?"). I became aware of this when my grandson wore one of these home from...

Conference comments.(Twelfth International Conference on General Semantics)
April 1, 2004... We received the following comments from the participants of the Twelfth International Conference on General Semantics, in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 31st--November 2, 2003. This gathering of GSers satisfied my years-old urge to meet people...

Thank you for your support: list of contributors.(Institute of General Semantics)
April 1, 2004... We wish to express our grateful thanks to those who have supported our organizations with financial contributions over the basic membership rate, and for a donation of company stock. Below we list the names of those who gave so generously over...

From the president.(Institute of General Semantics)
April 1, 2004... In 1984, Ken G. Johnson introduced me to time-binding and we ('time-binding' and I) exchanged a hearty "howdy." We stayed friendly acquaintances for the next 20 years. But the power of time-binding really had escaped me until now. As I assume...

Abstractions.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The greatest detriment to progress is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge. DANIEL BOORSTIN A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. WILLIAM JAMES I have nothing to...

From the pen of Bob Pula.
April 1, 2004... ETC contributor and Korzybskian scholar Robert P. Pula died January 11, 2004. These selections from his collection entitled "Aphorisms, One-Liners, Snippets, Notes, Jottings, and Smart-Ass Remarks" were compiled by Robert Potter.* I...

Where is the "message" in communication models?(Metaphors in Action)
April 1, 2004... IN MOST communication models, the "message" floats somewhere between the "sender" and the "receiver." In the telephone-based Shannon-Weaver model, the "message" must first be "encoded" and then sent along a "channel," or wire. It is then...

General semantics for better transferable job skills.(General Semantics Basics)
April 1, 2004... When people learn highly specialized skills and later their particular type of job disappears through economic or technological change, they may have difficulty in finding new work; they need to identify their transferable job skills. ...

Gregory Sawin 1950-2004.(Obituary)
April 1, 2004... With deep sadness, we report that Gregory Sawin died on Friday, March 12, 2004. A dedicated, hardworking, very competent writer and Assistant Editor of this journal, and a valued friend, Greg continued to work on the above article while in the...

Exploring time-binding formulations with William Wordsworth.(Education)
April 1, 2004... DURING this past winter break, fortified with my portable MP3 player and a disk of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar radio serials, I took a leisurely hike around the lake at Tyler State Park in deep East Texas. During this walk, while listening to an...

Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the Maya.(Books)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Dick Teresi. Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the Maya. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. Many ancient civilizations left behind surprising contributions to the fields of mathematics,...

Salt: A World History.(Books)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Mark Kurlansky. Salt: A World History. New York: Walker, 2002. Mark Kurlansky reintroduces the reader to the importance of salt in both the ancient and modern world. As he did in Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World,...

Linked: The New Science of Networks.(Books)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Albert-Laszlo Barabasi. Linked: The New Science of Networks. Cambridge, MA: Perseus, 2002. At the beginning of the 21st century, a maverick group of scientists is discovering that all networks--from a cocktail party to a terrorist cell to...

Fifty years ago in etc.(Retrospect)
April 1, 2004... Any two art appreciators, even those of similar background and sensitivity to art, are likely to differ widely in their reactions to a given work of art. The question is raised now: Why is it that two persons from fairly similar social...