I am indebted to Michael Richardson and to Fernando Flores who
inspired this conversation.
The essential difference between physical acts and
mental acts and linguistic acts is I don't
have to
be present
when performing physical acts or mental acts. I maybe present
when performing physical acts or mental acts, and most often I am. But
my presence
isn't required, given both physical acts and mental acts may be
performed
mechanically,
in other words
autonomically
ie
automatically,
and often they are.
Linguistic acts on the other hand call on me to
be present.
Without
being present
I can't perform linguistic acts. When I can't perform linguistic acts,
the best there is for my speaking is inconsequential chit-chat, story
telling (aka "talking story"),
gossip,
and opining also known as "Monday morning quarterbacking".
Physical acts.
I perform physical acts with my body - like tying my shoelaces.
I may or may notbe present
when performing a physical act. In the case of tying my shoelaces,
while I'm doing it I can be thinking about something else, I can be
having a conversation with someone else, I can even be reading or
watching television. I can be miles away (figuratively speaking)
and yet the intricate, dexterous, co-ordinated act of
tying my shoelaces gets done anyway.
Mental acts.
I perform mental acts with my mind - like remembering to keep my
hands off the hot stove.
I may or may notbe present
when performing a mental act. In the case of remembering to keep my
hands off the hot stove, I'm almost totally absent when
I perform this act. But it's an essential, critical, effective act
which
works
very well, supports me being safe yet is completely
on automatic.
Linguistic acts.
I perform linguistic acts with my language - like
speaking "I assert ...", "I choose ...", "I promise ..." etc.
I can not perform a linguistic act if I'm not
present.
If I'm not
fully present
when I assert, if I'm not
fully present
when I choose, if I'm not
fully present
when I promise, that is say if I'm not
fully present
when I speak "I assert ...", if I'm not
fully present
when I speak "I choose ...", if I'm not
fully present
when I speak "I promise ..." then there is no asserting, then
there is no choosing, then there is no promising.
I assert the purest forms of
Self
expression are linguistic acts. Without linguistic acts there is
no authentic
Self
expression.
Werner
Erhard,
it could be said, is a power bringing forth
transformation
in the world simply because over and above everything else, he acts
linguistically. It's in my listening for true
Self
as it generates authentic
Self
expression evidenced by linguistic acts, which is where
transformationshows up.