January 16, 2009

• Random thoughts.

  Every person is a reporter—asked, ‘How are you?’ a person must report their thoughts.  Conversation is the art of reporting your thoughts well.
  
  The distinction between words and meaning is crucial.  When a person says, ‘Boys are so selfish’ what they actually mean is that ‘I have had experience A and experience B, and so on, and in these experiences I apprehended that the person involved was both 1) a boy and 2) selfish.’  They do not actually mean that all experiences by all people everywhere are such that people always experience boys as being selfish.
  
  Instead of asking many things directly, we test them indirectly.  Instead of asking ‘Do you love me?’ we call them in the middle of the night and tell them we need their help.  Instead of asking if someone is afraid of the dark, you turn off the lights.  Instead of asking if someone is talkative, you go around them and say a few things, and wait to see what will happen.

  The sound of me having nothing to say and the sound of me choosing to not say something are very similar.  I find that people often confuse the two.

  It is so cold outside.  It is basically negative absolute zero.  But there is a snowball fight at our school campus tomorrow!!  Okay, ciao tutti!

  • 2:17 pm
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