Week 9: My E-Prime Day
My E-Prime Day:
What would it look like if we all started speaking in E-Prime? Instead of making many statements using "is," we would use words like "behaves," "appears," or "seems." We probably would have a lot less arguments with people, a lot less people affended by what others say to them or about them. It's really much less assuming to use English prime as opposed to standard English. It's reasonable to consider using E-Prime when we stop to think about things. I mean really, what do we really know to be true? We are going around making many statements that are propsed as TRUTH. But what is truth? What do we KNOW to be true? We presume to see things because of perception, expereince, and expectation, but presuming or expecting something to be true doesn't make it so. Is it really reasonable though to expect people to begin to speak differently? We can try, but it's not likely that people are going to shift into a new mode of speaking.
Can I synthesize East and West?
It is difficult to synthesize East and West. There are so many differences in our way of looking and perceiving the world around us. But it's important to try to. It would be powerful to take elements of each, combine the beauty of the two. What balance. I hope that we are moving in the direction of integration but i still feel so much resistance. I suppose whenever there is a push for change there are those who resist. What bothers me is how many people tout themselves as being open to integration of East and West methods of treating illness and disease when in actuallity they are quite condescending in their thought of Eastern medicine. For true integration to occur there needs to be an appreication of both philosophies, both approaches to healing. We are in the process of moving toward synthesis. If we, as Eastern health care practitioners, can survive the backlash we surely will come out the other side stronger and more powerful than we knew ourselves to be.
posted by Monkey Fish @ 11:19 AM
3 Comments:
I think we would certainly hear fewer arguments between people if everyone incorporated e-prime into their daily lives. I find the task a bit taxing at times, when I just want to get my point across, but I notice that when I answer with care and caution, there is a fluidity to the conversation and my response is actually heard! It does take patience, but it is approachable and something I hope becomes second nature, for myself personally, and with/for strangers. The more I use it, hear it, and advocate for it, an example is further set and perhaps that makes an impression for others... who will then use it. Pay if forward, with vocabulary!
Having just spent way too much time trying to communicate in E-prime, I am grateful that we aren't adding that to our overly crammed brains. I agree that we go around naming things as truth which we have no idea about, as you well point out. But I find it exhausting. Still, it was instructive. Thanks!
Janet
Truth, what a concept. I don't know that one is any closer to it or further from it in fact i am not entirely convinced it can exist. The constant filltering we do in an effort to be heard, in my opinion, supports subject object discrimination gives our egos a good stroking because the idea, original or not, has been transmitted. Perception is reality and if you perceive it to be so it is so. What are we hiding from and what are protecting by avoiding argument. Argument is nothing more than: ar·gu·ment
Audio pronunciation of "argument" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ärgy-mnt)
n.
1.
1. A discussion in which disagreement is expressed; a debate.
2. A quarrel; a dispute.
3. Archaic. A reason or matter for dispute or contention: “sheath'd their swords for lack of argument” (Shakespeare).
2.
1. A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood: presented a careful argument for extraterrestrial life.
2. A fact or statement put forth as proof or evidence; a reason: The current low mortgage rates are an argument for buying a house now.
3. A set of statements in which one follows logically as a conclusion from the others.
3.
1. A summary or short statement of the plot or subject of a literary work.
2. A topic; a subject: “You and love are still my argument” (Shakespeare).
4. Logic. The minor premise in a syllogism.
5. Mathematics.
1. The independent variable of a function.
2. The angle of a complex number measured from the positive horizontal axis.
6. Computer Science. A value used to evaluate a procedure or subroutine.
7. Linguistics. In generative grammar, any of various positions occupied by a noun phrase in a sentence.
We must not take our selves so seriously, with nothing promised in this life and eternity our sorce and destination what is all the fuss about anyway?
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