atw: Re: The New World Order, take 2.5
- From: "Chris lofting" <lofting@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:21:03 +1100
> -----Original Message-----
> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Geoffrey Marnell
> Sent: Wednesday, 18 November 2009 8:00 PM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: The New World Order, take 2
>
<snip>
>
> I'm sorry Christine, but amongst the gems you do offer this
> list, occasionally you put forward some claim or other that
> is arrant nonsense. Your claim that everything that is to be
> learnt can be learnt from YouTube is your most recent example
> (and your response to Howard Silcock's neutral, uncritical
> question is an example of you refusing to follow the very
> ethic you want us to follow). Those who challenged you have
> as much right to challenge your claims as the claims of
> flat-earthers and scientologists. (You did, I notice, have
> the grace to republish your posting with the claim that
> caused the fuss struck out, a move that deserves respect.)
>
Christine appears to be demonstrating 'symmetric' thinking - it lacks
precision (when compared to asymmetric thinking), has limited logic in that
it is grounded in the bi-conditional and as such instinctively converts the
conditional into the bi-conditional! It is a mindset grounded in
post-modernism and covers the development of social networks where we can
get 700 friends rather than 3! How do you service 700 friends? you don't, or
more so must live a superficial life.
Symmetric thinking is the foundation of the everyday activities of members
of the species; its logic is shared with the logic of dream states and
another category of thinking style is that of 'mythic' thinking - thinking
in images etc rather than 'directed' thinking where we think in words.
Symmetric thinking focuses on a process of gaining identity from/through the
local context rather than asserting one's own context.
In the realm of post modernism, the symmetry involved means all points of
view are, basically, the same and so 'any metaphor will do' in interpreting
reality. The problem of course is that symmetric thinking lacks direction
and is more tied to metaphor and so romanticism/surrealism -
anti-symmetry/asymmetry being more into realism and the use of metonymy (and
so possible paradox). Thus we can see the holistic/organic/parallel nature
of symmetric thinking, as compared to the mechanistic/partials/serial nature
of asymmetric thinking BUT we also note that, with symmetric thinking, the
bias to immediacy in responses covers a grounding in instincts/habits and so
in generals, as compared to the recognition of unique differences of
particulars in asymmetric thinking (and the associated delay of such).
The development of symmetry comes as a reaction to asymmetry where intense
expressions of precision etc lead to a need to conserve energy and so we see
the emergence of symmetric perspectives since symmetry is the 'best fit'
response to complexity (it also covers 'dumbing-down' of information to make
it easier to understand by the masses - personally I prefer the focus on
smartening-up than dumbing-down!)
The demands of technical writing cover the dynamics of
anti-symmetry/symmetry (part/whole dynamics covering the focus on difference
vs sameness). The asymmetric covers the emergence of mediation and so
creation of languages through use of consciousness. Since the technical
nature is associated with high precision and so anti-symmetry/asymmetry, so
documenting such for the 'masses' requires the translation into more
symmetry-focused prose, HOWEVER, getting too symmetric means that rather
than re-phrasing/simplifying we end-up dumbing-down. The issues then are in
the dumbed-down material then being taken AS IF the equivalent in precision
of the original material and being used to build models etc that are in fact
'false'; this a common behaviour in modern times.
The overall dynamics of our species covers (a) determinism in the form of
genetics with degrees of freedom available for bottom-up development and
social rules operating top-down to regulate degrees of freedom, and (b) the
refinement of determinism into the emergence of high level mediation in the
form of consciousness. As such we move from the mindless asymmetry of a
thermodynamic universe, through the symmetry of a genetically determined
species, into the mindful asymmetry of individual consciousness.
The path from symmetry to asymmetry is a path of fragmentation and the
increasingly competitive. This then leads to unique beings asserting their
own context and attracting followers to then form a social group and so a
'new' symmetry - overall we see a dynamic symmetry trying to re-configure
itself to the change and direction of an asymmetric universe. Thus the
emergence of social networks etc etc is a natural product of such activity
and the whole dynamic can span generations - the differences now compared to
the past is in the SPEED in which all of this activity can take place due to
the technology.
What is noteworthy is the speed aspect of the fragmentation process as a
whole (collective) breaks up into individuals. There is a boom/bust
socioeconomic dynamic present that allows for some to 'branch-off' the main
path and it is there we see social stratification; different people moving
at different rates to avoid boom/bust dynamics. This includes attempts to
rigidly enforce symmetry (closed systems) as it does to bring out
antisymmetry in the form of individuals moving into being politically
grounded in Anarchy (as compared to anarchy - the local context, open
system, interactions of anti-symmetry/asymmetry allow for emergence of 'new'
perspectives and so symmetry breaking as well as re-making).
The attraction of SAMENESS across symmetry includes dumbing-down of material
where the quantity of such can come across AS IF full, in-depth,
understandings are possible when in fact, they are not. Thus one must be
wary of symmetry-biased perspectives, especially from a technical writing
position.
That said, an analysis of symmetry and the creation of categories of
languages can lead us into uncovering faster methods in refining our
intuition/wisdom through the use of reason; this includes understanding the
dynamics of emotions and their assessments of situations and from that
learning to ask the 'right questions' of users in preparing technical
documentation.
Chris
http://www.emotionaliching.com
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