Conversations For Transformation: Essays Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

Conversations For Transformation

Essays By Laurence Platt

Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

And More

Speaking Tautologically

Somewhere At 37,000 Feet Over The Atlantic Ocean

January 11, 2013

"There are certain things you can only know by creating them for yourself."


...

transcribed to a post-it note by Dr Richard Phillips Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Friend of Werner Erhard

I am indebted to the Landmark Forum Leader Body who inspired this conversation.

Speaking tautologically (if you will) is almost always a no no. And yet when it comes to transformation, there's no other implement of language quite as fitting, quite as a much a match for the job as a tautology.

For example, creating creating - in other words: "Create creating!". Another example is intending intending - in other words: "Intend intending!". To best own the language of these examples, recreate them as if they're directives, really. By that I mean consider them to be what a course leader may ask a group to do when guiding them through a transformational process.

It's a tautological reference because "creating" is mentioned self‑referentially. It's a tautological reference because "intending" is mentioned self‑referentially. It's a hard semantical row to hoe. Yet it may only be possible to really distinguish what creating is, tautologically ie self‑referentially ... which is to say, when a reference to creating is used to construct a reference to creating. It may only be possible to really distinguish what intending is, tautologically ie self‑referentially ... which is to say, when a reference to intending is used to construct a reference to intending.

Here's why tautology is such a powerful language implement in the toolbox of Conversations For Transformation: following the directive "Create creating!" calls forth who you really are. Following the directive "Intend intending!" calls forth who you really are. It's one order of things to merely talk about creating and creation. But exactly what (actually who) is the source of creating? Exactly what or who is the source of creation? It's one order of things to merely talk about intending and intention. But exactly what or who is the source of intending? Exactly what or who is the source of intention?

To get the source of creating is an access to true creativity. To get the source of intending is an access to true intention.

<aside>

Wait! If you're correcting what I just said by making me say "To get to the source of creating is an access to true creativity; to get to the source of intending is an access to true intention" instead of "To get the source of creating is an access to true creativity; to get the source of intending is an access to true intention" which is what I said ... then you're missing the point.

<un-aside>

All other conversations aside about what or who is the source of creating and creativity, all other conversations aside about what or who is the source of intending and intention, try this on: who you are is the source of creating and creativity, who you are is the source of intending and intention. To bring this forth - not like a concept, not like an explanation, not like something to believe but rather like an experience ie an experience which speaks louder than words - "Create creating!" and "Intend intending!".

The enormous, rich value of this tautological process, if you're listening to your experience as you engage with it, is Self‑explanatory.

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