ThisIsNotThat

For some reason, we the people cannot seem to remember the importance of context in evaluating words, language, symbols, pictures, expressions, signs, etc. So about every 28 years or so, comedians like the late George Carlin (George Carlin - Doin' It Again) and Chris Rock (Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger) have a made-to-order topic for practicing their comedic wares.

Jon Stewart and the writers on "The Daily Show" also have a finely-tuned sensibility for detecting the hilarious, hypocritical, and more egregious violations of both out-of-context defensive claims and out-of-context offensive manipulations. This example addresses how Laura Schlessinger and Sarah Palin handled issues related to the words nigger and retarded.

And about every 40 years or so, people like the Beatles (as seen in The Beatles Anthology and The U.S. vs. John Lennon) and the Dixie Chicks learn that part of "the American Way" is for a certain segment of the population to be manipulated over an ill-chosen word. More from the Dixie Chicks and Shut Up & Sing related to Perspective here.

View and read more about The F-Word and The N-Word.

Here's Something About General Semantics:
A Primer for Making Sense of Your World
ISBN 978-0-9824645-0-2; 290 pages. FREE!
Available in eBook format (PDF) for immediate purchase and download.

Here’s Something About GS provides a thorough yet accessible overview of this misunderstood and under-appreciated discipline, reflecting work I’ve done in learning, teaching, and writing about general semantics for more than 13 years. It explains and demonstrates principles that promote an ongoing awareness of differences that make a difference. Learn how language and other symbols influence how you perceive your world, how you respond to your perceptions, and how you think-and-talk about your responses.

As a former student wrote: "This class was so much different from any class I've taken in college thus far. In my opinion, it was a class teaching us how to think, rather than what to think."

For example, some of the topics commented on include:

The book is filled with examples, quotes, and has over 50 illustrations. It includes 13 pages of Notes and Sources and an Index of Names with over 250 entries. It has links to additional online material to augment the content, including links to more than 150 video clips. It’s written for a general audience, but could be especially useful for teachers who want to introduce GS principles to supplement a secondary school curriculum, or even as a module in a college-level humanities or social sciences course. I’ve included some introductory materials for those who know nothing about GS; some more in-depth explanations and descriptions including published articles, newspaper columns, and presentations I've made; and some history about the people and organizations that have been involved with GS over the years. Click here to read an excerpt, review the Contents, order, and download now!

Interested in an excerpted video? Check out the Bib-Vid-liography listings here.