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  %LANGUAGE WORD ARTICULATE PRIVATE REFLECT PERCEPT 900508

     The language of objective relationships is easier  to
confirm  than is a language adequate for clear description
of reflexive relationships.

     Consider  the  common usage of the words:   intimate,
private,  honest, affectionate, sexual, forbidden,  taboo,
collusive.   They may all be used to point to aspects of a
personal/reflexive  relationship.   In some societies  all
those aspects  of life are so consistently associated with
each  other  that the common associations are  transferred
over to the  words and it is nearly impossible to use  the
words  to  point    to   important    differences  between
various  personal/reflexive  relationships;   because  the
meanings  of  the  words are  confused,   fused  together,
indistinct.

     Aspects of personal/reflexive relationships which are
commonly  associated with each other in one culture,   are
not   necessarily  associated  with  each  other  in   all
cultures.  It is  helpful to have the use of a language in
which  there are  words with which to point clearly to the
differences  between  cultures,  and to what  associations
are   common  within  each  culture's   personal/reflexive
relationships.   We  need to  have the use of  words  with
reasonably distinct meanings,  else we are confused by the
confusion (con-fusion)  of meanings of words as used.

     It  is exceedingly difficult to develop an  effective
language   to  point  to  differences  between   reflexive
relationships  when living in  a  community  dominated  by
collusions    regarding   the   values   of   objectivity,
subjectivity and reflexivity. Collusions defend themselves
by dishonesty and confusion.  Authentic people who seek to
develop    a  language  by  which  to  clearly  point   to
differences   between   integrative   and   disintegrative
personal/reflexive relationships are people who inevitably
violate    the   taboos of those people imprisoned in  the
compulsively objective paradigm.

     It is reasonable to expect that people whose research
lives  revolve  around  the objective  paradigm  might  be
involved   in   collusions  which  would   undermine   the
development of clear understandings regarding the meanings
of  words which would be   useful in  making  distinctions
between  and among personal/reflexive  relationships.   By
extension  science teachers might naturally be involved in
such collusions.

     It is  not so obvious that it is likely  for   people
involved in teaching the humanities to be involved in such
collusions,   for  it  would  seem  that  they  should  be
involved   in  helping  to  clarify  differences   between
integrative  and  disintegrative  personal  relationships.
However,   participants in collusions do not respect   the
need  for honesty and integrity;    they  are willing   to
sacrifice   all   in  the  name   of   maintaining    good
appearances.

     In a technocratic society the respect for   technical
manipulations  extends  into  all aspects of  life.    The
successes  of  scientists  are so  highly  respected  that
people dealing with human relationships seek to copy  many
features of scientists' paradigm, and try to be thoroughly
objective  and  quantitative.  Many  People  thoughtlessly
think that all truth is objective/quantitative truth, even
as    regards   personal   relationships.  Many people  do
not  recognize  that there are  many  relationships  which
cannot   be   characterized  with   objective/quantitative
language.   So it happens that many people who are trained
as humanists are  trapped   in  the  thought  patterns  of
people  imprisoned in the objective/quantitative paradigm;
and even  humanities teachers contribute to the  confusing
of the meanings of words which point to personal/reflexive
relationships.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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