If you’re like me, you might have taken language for granted. Sure, I was aware that there were other languages than English, but only superficially aware of the true grammatical differences. What this highlights on further inspection is that the construction of any language is quite arbitrary. Not to say random, but just that it was an evolved set of adaptive symbols and relations not rooted in any deep natural structure. Linguistic relativity suggests that language can influence our attention and engagement with the world.
Julie Holland and Douglas Rushkoff’s conversation on Team Human had a passing remark on object oriented languages and relationship based languages. Where, in English, we mostly focus on an object in our perception, rather than the set of relationships that brought said perception to awareness. Instead of just seeing a cup on the table in front of you, there’s a ceramic container, sitting a few centimeters from the edge of a flat surface, sometimes containing liquid, previously in a cupboard. Sometimes it can be unwieldy to expound about the infinitude of relationships in our perception. Thus, thinking in terms of objects acts as a cognitive shortcut which can be very necessary at times. I really like shortcuts, but I’m slowly realizing that I need to expand my repertoire of approaches to the world.
I am frustrated by my inability to generate relationship first and my impatience to dive into content prior to establishing connection. I have countless examples where I attempt to correct before connecting, which can ruin any growth even between my supposed allies and friends. I desperately want people to feel heard by me, but not as much I seem to want to show them a new way (my way?) to consider their concerns. Now my practice will to be keep the relevant relationships forefront.
All of our actions externalize and effect the world as a whole, thus it is imperative to consider all those relationships. I would like to think we can generate a critical mass of aligned individuals that are committed to the intergeneration transmission of information. I will try and get that ball rolling by listening more, by thinking about and perceiving the relationships rather than the object.