UP AND DOWN THE LADDER OF ABSTRACTION --- Not exactly Korzybski or Hayakawa, but wottehell, boss...

Rationalizations and Excuses

UP THE LADDER

Adam says:

"Eve shouldn't have been allowed to show me the fruit."

Eve says:

"The serpent shouldn't have been allowed to tell me what the fruit actually does."

The serpent says:

"Didn't someone say something about TRUTH around here? Something about CHOICE? Doesn't the public have a right to know?"

God says:

"Some things affect garden security too much to discuss and need to be classified."

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DOWN THE LADDER

God says:

"I've got a universe to run here and it doesn't help to have you people running off at the mouth and whining: 'I don't like ticks... I don't like plague... I don't like mucus and crib death and hemorrhoids...'

"You people can't do my career any good anyway. You can only hurt me by questioning my perfection and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. We've got a war going on here, between heaven and hell, and we need solidarity. Now is not the time to criticize. Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

The serpent says:

"This war between heaven and hell has been going on since the beginning of time and we've been getting the same story all along, 'Trust me, I work in mysterious ways. I'm the good guy.' We've heard it. It sucks. The information is only classified to cover up payoffs and theft and blunders. The enemy knows all that stuff. We're the only ones who aren't supposed to find out.

Eve says:

"Everyone's getting hurt by this war. Win or lose, nothing's going to be left. It's not about heaven or hell -- it's about who's got the big one... That's all you care about.

Adam says:

We don't need a heaven or a hell. The price is waay too high. I think it's a racket, so take my name off your sucker list and don't call me again.

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Korzybski -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Korzybski

Korzybski and others -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-7gZkPoeMY

S. I. Hayakawa -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._I._Hayakawa

Ladder of Abstraction -- http://www.vhstigers.org/ourpages/auto/2006/6/20/1150832524918/0%20Hayakawa_s%20Ladder%20of%20Abstractions.pdf