By Andy Weddington
Wednesday, 22 August 2018
There is no unique picture of reality. Stephen Hawking
Last week a talking head used the term "conservative free speech."
Her three words uttered nonchalantly. They were not a point of emphasis rather just three words in her discourse.
But those three words stopped me dead cold - thinking about them in context of more than a four decades long pursuit of sanity. That is, conscious awareness of the power of and shortcoming of words, of any language, framing a false reality (most unwittingly accept as truth).
In truth, there is reality. Sort of.
That which we (humans) perceive and receive through our senses of what is going on about us.
But human reality is just that - human reality.
Living things have different realities - because sensory systems differ and detect differently. Too, brains differ.
Now some argue humans, for their brains, are the most complex of living things interacting with their surroundings.
Not me.
For certain humans are, if not the most complex, hands down the noisiest of living things.
To point, the young woman and her three words.
Some hours later I sent a text to a long time friend ...
"I think we need to change, for accuracy sake, the language being used today in the political fight to preserve/conquer our Republic.
That is ... not 'conservative free speech' but 'speech aligned with our Constitution' and not 'liberal free speech' but 'speech in discord with our Constitution.'
So doing clarifies there is a problem - not of speech but of an internal attack on our country."
Granted that is a simplistic perspective but germane. And my aim here not to detail the argument but spark thinking. Action, too.
So ...
Why are socialists (and socialism) outside of America considered contrary (enemy) to our way of life yet socialists within our country are not being treated as domestic enemies?
Though reality within the frame of words is not reality it is the reality we face.
The word war is real.
And you are free, at least for now, to believe that or not.
But know that free, though the spoken objective of socialism, will be everything but free.
Therefore, ruthless, in word and deed, must become the purveyors of 'speech aligned with our Constitution.'
Otherwise, the powerful words penned long ago framing (our reality) freedom will be rendered impotent.
Another framed reality scary.
That's the picture.
That's reality.
Unique a matter of opinion.
End note: For sanity - read and more importantly digest and practice: 'Semantics and Communication' by John C. Condon, Jr. and 'Language in Thought and Action' by S. I. Hayakawa
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1 comment:
I am continuously amazed that our Nation tolerates groups directly opposed to the words and beliefs of our founders and the documents they created. We are a Democracy - a constitutional republic. Our allegiance is to a document and not a person. Our oath! That a socialist could be a candidate for our Congress is baffling. For the Presidency? MADNESS! When do those who have "speech aligned with our Constitution" slap down any group who speaks contrary to our Constitution? Would our Nation permit a Nazi party to produce a candidate and permit them to run for any government office? Or would we rightfully and justly crush them? How about Sharia law? Are we to tolerate that under the guide of free speech and religion? Our Constitution and Islamic law are incompatible. Forever so!
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