Comments on: What I Thought and Did Earth Day, Part Three http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:15:15 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: A bunch of links: post-July 4th edition | A Motley Vision http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2045 A bunch of links: post-July 4th edition | A Motley Vision Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:47:30 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2045 [...] they’re not quite what you think they would be. But you still get the fantastic writing and insightful commentaries on how we use language and [...] [...] they’re not quite what you think they would be. But you still get the fantastic writing and insightful commentaries on how we use language and [...]

]]> By: Patricia http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2039 Patricia Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:30:22 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2039 Lora, can I just say how much I appreciate your plowing all the way through this series? I know it was no small gesture on your part. I think your "they use language about humans that is more appropriate to an assembly line factory than to organic systems or a feeling, thinking entity" an apt insight. In <i>I and Thou</i>, Martin Buber shows how such language marks the separation of the person who uses it from all around him, including other people. Such a person, he says, "does not know the solidarity of connexion, but only the feverish world outside and his feverish desire to use it." Hence the assembly-line/production control/arranging of other persons and the world in favorable positions, including in words. I've been thinking about the popular phrase "land use" that federal and other institutions employ to label aspects of wild spaces. That phrase marks both people who go into the land and the land at the same time with production-line purposeful language. I don't know how to counter such language, though this whole series is my effort to begin standing up to it. One thing that's happened as I've written my way through this encounter and make my case is that I've become more interested in watching my own words, trying to find ways in language to engage well with others, from people down to the snake my cat brings into the house and the cat, too. I like to think that being care-full in your own language gives rise to interesting effects that travel, often beyond your control and out of your sight. Oh, and thanks for mentioning the The Working Language of Good and Evil posts. It's nice to know somebody remembers those. Anyone interested can find them here (mouse over words--invisilinks embedded): <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/2005/criticism-the-working-language-of-good-and-evil-part-i/" rel="nofollow">Part I</a> <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/2005/criticism-the-working-language-of-good-and-evil-part-ii/" rel="nofollow">Part II</a> <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/2005/criticism-the-working-language-of-good-and-evil-part-iii/" rel="nofollow">Part III</a> <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/2005/criticism-the-working-language-of-good-and-evil-part-iv/" rel="nofollow">Part IV</a> <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/2005/criticism-the-working-language-of-good-and-evil-part-v/" rel="nofollow">Part V</a> Lora, can I just say how much I appreciate your plowing all the way through this series? I know it was no small gesture on your part.

I think your “they use language about humans that is more appropriate to an assembly line factory than to organic systems or a feeling, thinking entity” an apt insight. In I and Thou, Martin Buber shows how such language marks the separation of the person who uses it from all around him, including other people. Such a person, he says, “does not know the solidarity of connexion, but only the feverish world outside and his feverish desire to use it.” Hence the assembly-line/production control/arranging of other persons and the world in favorable positions, including in words.

I’ve been thinking about the popular phrase “land use” that federal and other institutions employ to label aspects of wild spaces. That phrase marks both people who go into the land and the land at the same time with production-line purposeful language.

I don’t know how to counter such language, though this whole series is my effort to begin standing up to it. One thing that’s happened as I’ve written my way through this encounter and make my case is that I’ve become more interested in watching my own words, trying to find ways in language to engage well with others, from people down to the snake my cat brings into the house and the cat, too. I like to think that being care-full in your own language gives rise to interesting effects that travel, often beyond your control and out of your sight.

Oh, and thanks for mentioning the The Working Language of Good and Evil posts. It’s nice to know somebody remembers those. Anyone interested can find them here (mouse over words–invisilinks embedded):

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V

]]> By: Lora http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2032 Lora Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:26:59 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2032 Oh, and like your essays on the Language of Good and Evil, this series really must not end up buried in the archives of a wonderful blog. Oops, that's the language of insistence. But maybe you get my intention. Oh, and like your essays on the Language of Good and Evil, this series really must not end up buried in the archives of a wonderful blog.
Oops, that’s the language of insistence. But maybe you get my intention.

]]> By: Lora http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2031 Lora Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:25:21 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2031 Excellent. This is something I've wondered about, in some ways. I find so many people see humans as separate from nature, and they use language about humans that is more appropriate to an assembly line factory than to organic systems or a feeling, thinking entity. And this is spreading, too, not by accident. I wouldn't mind some suggestions on how to counter it. Is it possible for a patient to train their doctor? I know it can be done, but takes great energy. I am at the point where I go in and try to stay on topic, and come out of an appointment with varying degrees of damage control. Not that doctors are the only ones who get on my nerves. Besides which, how much do I fall into these language traps? I can't help but wonder. In the meantime, sometimes i meet people who understand these things, and other times I meet people who react as tho I have two heads. Someone once said that these reactions can serve as a handy kind of filter, which gives me some comfort. Maybe amusement. Excellent. This is something I’ve wondered about, in some ways. I find so many people see humans as separate from nature, and they use language about humans that is more appropriate to an assembly line factory than to organic systems or a feeling, thinking entity.
And this is spreading, too, not by accident. I wouldn’t mind some suggestions on how to counter it. Is it possible for a patient to train their doctor? I know it can be done, but takes great energy. I am at the point where I go in and try to stay on topic, and come out of an appointment with varying degrees of damage control.
Not that doctors are the only ones who get on my nerves. Besides which, how much do I fall into these language traps? I can’t help but wonder.
In the meantime, sometimes i meet people who understand these things, and other times I meet people who react as tho I have two heads. Someone once said that these reactions can serve as a handy kind of filter, which gives me some comfort. Maybe amusement.

]]> By: Patricia http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2029 Patricia Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:15:10 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2029 Thnx, Wm, I'm glad you read. It's a bit of a haul. Thnx, Wm, I’m glad you read. It’s a bit of a haul.

]]> By: Wm Morris http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2028 Wm Morris Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:06:56 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2028 Lovely (and of good report). Lovely (and of good report).

]]> By: Patricia http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/2010/what-i-thought-and-did-earth-day-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-2027 Patricia Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:27:51 +0000 http://wilderness.motleyvision.org/?p=2536#comment-2027 Deepest thanks to those who stuck with this all the way through. Deepest thanks to those who stuck with this all the way through.

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