ahhh... to be Friday the 13th ... when this is published - even though I am beginning it the night before with a THOUGHT...
NOTE - just off the phone w/Cindy - it is now 1pm California time -- and I told her I will not be there for the "unveiling". Halachachly -- the "stone" is or will be up... unveiled - at the mausoleum?? --- SO that is what is required by halachah. DONE.... And sometime around/after Passover -- boxes of stuff will arrive from Cindy and maybe something from the sale of the car... - MY CAR? - sheeeeeshh.
Later today -- concert of Univ. Chorus in Pitzer Hall... which we are told has sold out its 350 or so seats. AOK! Now -- a nap....
I have thought this before ... and may have written a bit... but let me say the following:
With AI on the horizon and likely taking many Human-jobs ... well we have the same type of thing in the early 1800's or so with Sabateurs ... workers throwing their wooden shoes into the new machines... We did get over that ... I think.
THE POINT -- a generation or two of human-workers who expected jobs and which AI can do instead -- will leave those people feeling UNproductive, Useless... etc etc.. Real feelings and thoughts... AND AN ANSWER - a solution... is to be sure they have sufficient funds to live good lives... and do whatever they may want to do... creative, whatever -- BASED on the fact that todays unemployed workers are living on the shoulders of their predecessors ... See the intro to the book: Language in Thought and Action by Hayakawa -- there he gives a comparison to how a society can think about unemployment and such... One way or the other way... Positive or Negative....
WE DO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SUCCEED AND GET OVER TRYING TIMES!!!!!
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The Hayakawa - Semantic Parable.... explained, exampled by AI:
A semantic parable, famously exemplified by S.I. Hayakawa, illustrates how language shapes reality. In a town where citizens confuse words with the things they represent, they become trapped by labels, whereas a neighboring town thrives by realizing words are merely arbitrary symbols, highlighting that the map is not the territory.
The Town of "Fix" and the Town of "Flow"
Once, there were two towns, separated only by a shallow river.
In the Town of Fix, the inhabitants believed that words were the reality. When their ancestors first settled, they wrote a strict "Book of Naming." If a child was named "Diligent," but liked to play, the elders scolded them, saying, "You are a Diligent, therefore you cannot play." If a sturdy oak tree was designated as "Dangerous," no one would sit in its shade, even though it offered perfect protection from the sun.
Their lives were orderly but stagnant. Because they believed their map (the language) was the territory (the world), they refused to update their labels. When the river changed course, they insisted it was in the old location, because "The Book says the river is here." They spent their lives struggling against a changing world, shouting labels at the changing landscape.
In the Town of Flow, the inhabitants used the same words, but treated them as labels—useful tools, but not the things themselves. If a child named "Diligent" played, they said, "The child is acting in a lively manner, not a diligent one." If a tree was designated "Dangerous," they evaluated it yearly; if it was safe, they sat under it, saying, "The label has changed, so we change our actions."
When the river changed course, they said, "The map is outdated," and drew a new one.
The
Moral:
The
Town of Fix perished because they worshipped the word, ignoring the
world. The Town of Flow thrived because they realized that words
are maps, not the territory itself.
The meaning is not in the word; it is in the context and in the
person holding the word.
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a semantic parable
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A Semantic Parable
" usually refers to a famous story from S.I. Hayakawa’s classic book, Language in Thought and Action. It illustrates how the labels we use for things can change our feelings and behavior toward them.
The Story of A-Town and B-Ville
The parable follows two fictional communities, A-Town and B-Ville, both hit by a severe economic depression that leaves many people unemployed.
A-Town (The "Relief" Town): The leaders decide to give money to the unemployed. They call it "relief" or "charity." Because of these words, the people receiving the money feel ashamed and "less than," while those paying the taxes feel resentful about supporting "loafers." The community becomes bitter and divided.
B-Ville (The "Insurance" Town): The leaders here provide the exact same amount of money, but they call it "social insurance" or "unemployment compensation." Because these words imply something the citizens have earned or are entitled to as part of a system, the recipients feel no shame, and the taxpayers see it as a necessary civic function. The community remains stable and cooperative.
The Lesson
The parable demonstrates that words are not the things they represent—they are just "maps" for the "territory".
In both towns, the physical "territory" (giving money to people in need) was identical.
However, the different "maps" (the labels "relief" vs. "insurance") created two completely different psychological and social realities.
This story is a foundational example in General Semantics, teaching that our reactions are often triggered by our own verbal definitions rather than the actual facts of a situation.
Would you like to explore more about General Semantics or see other examples of how labels affect our behavior?
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