Drive Yourself Sane

1. Embrace Uncommon Sense by Questioning Assumptions

You cannot fail to take a point of view, and the question becomes whether the point of view you’re taking is an anachronism.

Challenge assumptions. General Semantics (GS) encourages us to apply a scientific attitude to daily life, moving beyond outdated "common sense" to "uncommon sense." Just as doctors once operated without washing hands, many of our current assumptions may be anachronistic and lead to problems. We cannot avoid making assumptions, but we can become aware of them, question them, and revise them when necessary.

Logical fate. Our assumptions, whether conscious or unconscious, inevitably lead to particular consequences in our conclusions, attitudes, and behavior. If we desire different outcomes, we must first examine and revise our underlying assumptions. This process, akin to the scientific method, involves:

• Asking clear, answerable questions
• Making calm, unprejudiced observations
• Reporting observations accurately
• Revising beliefs in light of observations

Lateral thinking. To break free from old patterns and generate new assumptions, we can employ "lateral thinking" techniques. These methods, such as using random words or consciously reversing viewpoints, provoke shifts in perspective, helping us to escape habitual ways of perceiving and labeling. By embracing this ongoing process of questioning and revision, we can adapt more effectively to change and avoid self-defeating behaviors.

2. Recognize Yourself as an Organism-as-a-Whole-in-Environments

We are not equipped by our orthodox educational systems...to deal with the endless complexities of the organism-as-a-whole-in-environments, which include internal as well as external environments.

Holistic evaluation. Human behavior is a complex interplay of internal and external influences, forming what GS calls "evaluational (semantic) transactions." We do not have separate 'thoughts' or 'feelings'; rather, our entire organism—sensing, thinking, feeling, moving, doing—functions as an inseparable whole within its environments. This means that our expectations, beliefs, and even how we talk to ourselves can profoundly impact our physical states, such as feeling warmth from an unplugged blanket or salivating at the thought of a lemon.

Interconnected landscapes. Our internal landscape includes our nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, all communicating through chemical messengers like neurotransmitters and hormones. These systems coordinate to create our psycho-neuro-physiological states, influencing everything from mood to physical strength and pain perception. Simultaneously, our external landscape encompasses factors like weather, living situations, relationships, and cultural norms, all of which interact with and influence our internal states.

Neuro-evaluational environments. Crucially, our environments also include neuro-evaluational and neuro-linguistic factors—the 'meanings' we assign to words, symbols, and events. These 'meanings' are not external but are constructed by our nervous systems, forming a vital part of our overall landscape. Recognizing this interconnectedness allows us to understand that our evaluations are not isolated mental events but organism-as-a-whole responses, constantly shaping and being shaped by our complex internal and external worlds.

3. Understand the Abstracting Process: Your Brain Constructs Reality

Here I have a fan with four blades, when I spin it you will see a disc. But there is no disc. This is what our nervous system does... By this you see the solidity of an object where there is no object, only rotating electronic processes. We see each other as ‘discs’, when we are only ‘rotating blades’ of electricity...

Constructed reality. Our nervous systems do not passively reflect an objective reality; instead, they actively construct our experience from a submicroscopic "process world" of ceaseless change. What we perceive as solid 'objects' like a table or an apple are, at the event level, inferred configurations of tiny, ever-changing 'processes'. This fundamental "change thinging" means that our 'common sense' notion of static 'things' is a product of our biological filters.

Levels of abstracting. The "Structural Differential" model illustrates this process:

• Event (Process) Level: The submicroscopic whirl of activity, full of infinite details.
• Object Level: Our silent, non-verbal perceptions, where our nervous system selects and organizes details from the event level, creating a finite 'object' experience.
• Verbal Levels: Our descriptions, inferences, and generalizations about our object-level experiences, which can go on unendingly (et cetera).

Consciousness of abstracting. Developing awareness of this abstracting process is a core goal of GS. Our perceptions are "perceptual bets" or unconscious inferences, influenced by past experiences and expectations. The duck-rabbit illusion or mistaking a fire hydrant for a dog demonstrates how our brains actively interpret cues, sometimes leading to mis-evaluations. By understanding that our 'perceptions' are not 'it' (the event itself), we can introduce a crucial delay in our automatic reactions, allowing for more flexible and appropriate behavior.

4. Maps Are Not the Territory: Distinguish Representations from Reality

No matter how much similarity of structure exists between a map and some territory, as Korzybski pointed out, the MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY.

Knowledge as structure. Korzybski asserted that "structure is the only content of knowledge." This means that our understanding of the world comes from creating representations, or "maps," that have a similar structure of relations and order to the "territories" they represent. Just as a geographical map shows cities in their correct spatial relation, our mental and linguistic maps must structurally align with the non-verbal world to be useful and predictive.

Three core premises of mapping:

• Non-Identity: The map is not the territory. Our words, perceptions, and theories are representations, not the reality itself. Confusing them leads to identification and mis-evaluation.
• Non-Allness: A map covers not all the territory. Any representation necessarily leaves out details. We can never say or know "all" about anything, emphasizing the need for an "et cetera" attitude.
• Self-Reflexiveness: A map is self-reflexive. We can make maps of our maps, and our maps inherently reflect the functioning of the map-maker (our nervous system). This means our language can analyze language, and our evaluations reveal something about ourselves.

Functional functioning. To create more accurate maps, we should think in terms of "functions" and "variables," recognizing how 'things' are related and change in relation to each other. Most important relations are non-additive and complex, meaning that small changes can have large, unexpected effects. By consciously applying these mapping principles, we can build more reliable knowledge, expect the unexpected, and navigate the complexities of life with greater "uncommon sense."

5. Cultivate Non-Verbal Awareness for Deeper Understanding

Our actual lives are lived entirely on the [object] levels...the verbal levels being only auxiliary, and effective only if they are translated back into first-order unspeakable effects all on the silent and un-speakable [object] levels...

Primacy of silence. While language is uniquely human, our fundamental experiences occur on the silent, non-verbal level. This includes our sensations, emotions, and intuitions. Constant internal "self-talk" can prevent us from fully engaging with this primary level of existence. GS training emphasizes learning to "turn down the volume" of words in our heads to access deeper awareness.

Contemplation and creativity. Non-verbal contemplation is crucial for unbiased observation and creative work. When we "think" without words or in pictures, we can discover new aspects and relations on silent levels, leading to important insights that verbal thinking alone might obscure. This practice fosters aesthetic appreciation, a sense of well-being, and a deeper connection to our internal and external environments.

Sensory awareness and delayed evaluating. Practices like "semantic relaxation" and "sensory awareness" help us become more attuned to our organism-as-a-whole functioning. By focusing on present-moment sensations—noticing tensions, breathing, or the feel of clothing—we can develop greater flexibility in our behavior. This "delayed evaluating" allows us to pause our automatic reactions, challenge unconscious assumptions non-verbally, and respond more appropriately to situations, much like F. M. Alexander's focus on "the means whereby" we perform actions rather than just the end goal.

6. Differentiate Facts from Inferences for Clearer Evaluation

We often live, feel happy or unhappy, by what actually amounts to a definition, and not by the empirical, individual facts less coloured by semantic [evaluational] factors.

Beyond definitions. Many of our conclusions are based on incomplete information, and we often confuse inferences (what we conclude is happening) with 'facts'. The story of the train in the tunnel illustrates how different individuals can draw vastly different inferences from the same limited observations. Living by rigid definitions rather than empirical facts can lead to mis-evaluations, disappointment, and even tragic consequences.

Fact-inference continuum. Instead of sharp categories, GS views facts and inferences on a continuum of probability.

• Statements of fact (description): Based on publicly observable occurrences in the present or past, verifiable, and close to certainty (though never absolute).
• Statements of inference: Refer to present, past, or future, go beyond direct observation, and involve varying degrees of probability.

Converging inferences and "n+1". We can increase the probability of our inferences by accumulating multiple, converging sources of information, a core aspect of the scientific method. However, it's crucial to remember the "n+1" principle: any new situation is unique and not identical to past experiences, no matter how many "n" similar experiences we've had. By actively seeking evidence that might disprove our inferences, rather than just support them, we cultivate a more accurate and adaptable understanding of the world.

7. Adopt a Non-Aristotelian Language Structure for Accurate Thinking

It is not an exaggeration to say that it enslaves us through the mechanism of s.r [semantic (evaluational) reaction(s)] and the structure which a language exhibits, and impresses upon us unconsciously, is automatically projected upon the world around us.

Language shapes reality. The structure of our habitual language profoundly influences how we perceive, categorize, and evaluate the world. The Aristotelian orientation, deeply embedded in Indo-European languages like English, is based on "laws of thought" that assume:

• Identity (A is A): Things are what they are, static and unchanging.
• Excluded Middle (A or not-A): Everything fits neatly into one category or its opposite.
• Non-Contradiction (not both A and not-A): Something cannot be both a thing and not that thing.

False-to-fact implications. This Aristotelian structure encourages elementalism—dividing and isolating what is not separate in the non-verbal world (e.g., 'mind' and 'body', 'structure' and 'function'). It leads us to project static qualities onto dynamic processes ("The rose is red"), seek single causes for complex events, and evaluate in rigid either/or terms. This outdated "common sense" can blind us to the complexities of modern scientific understanding and human experience.

Non-Aristotelian orientation. Korzybski developed GS as a non-Aristotelian system, reflecting modern science's understanding of a process world of constant change. Its premises—non-identity, non-allness, and self-reflexiveness—challenge the static, all-or-nothing views of the Aristotelian system. By becoming aware of how language "enslaves" us and consciously adopting a non-elementalistic, multi-valued approach, we can align our language structure with a more accurate and dynamic understanding of reality, fostering more effective evaluation and behavior.

8. Master Self-Reflexive Mapping and Multiordinality for Nuanced Communication

This self-reflexiveness of languages introduces serious complexities which can only be solved by the theory of multiordinality...The disregard of these complexities is tragically disastrous in daily life and science.

Maps of maps. Self-reflexiveness means we can make maps of our maps, talk about our talking, and react to our reactions. Our language not only describes the world but also reflects our nervous system's functioning. This leads to the understanding that words don't inherently 'mean' anything; rather, people make 'meanings' with words, and these 'meanings' are unique to the user and context. Hence, the crucial question: "What do you 'mean' when you use that word?"

Multiordinality of terms. Many important words, such as 'love', 'hate', 'truth', or 'fact', are "multiordinal terms." Their 'meaning' depends entirely on the level of abstraction at which they are used. For example, "love" (initial feeling) is different from "love" (loving the feeling of love). Disregarding this multiordinality can lead to "paradoxes" and meaningless arguments, as seen in the "All Cretans are liars" example, where the term 'liar' is applied across different levels of abstraction without specification.

Reacting to reactions. Multiordinality is evident in how we react to our own reactions. Feeling anxious (first-order reaction) can lead to feeling anxious about being anxious (second-order reaction), creating a spiraling effect that intensifies the initial feeling. Conversely, becoming calm about feeling anxious can reduce the initial anxiety. By understanding and consciously managing these neuro-linguistic feedback loops, we can transform self-defeating patterns into positive ones, fostering open systems of evaluation rather than getting stuck in "knots" of miscommunication and self-fulfilling prophecies.

9. Develop an Extensional Orientation: Prioritize Facts Over Definitions

...if you can only learn how to ‘think’ in terms of ‘facts’ instead of definition, we will have achieved what we wanted to achieve. It’s one of the most difficult things to do. It will take you a long ‘time’ to do that.

Beyond verbalisms. An extensional orientation prioritizes "facts" and non-verbal happenings over rigid verbal definitions. While intensional definitions categorize words with other words (e.g., "horse" is a "large solid-hoofed herbivorous mammal"), extensional definitions point to specific, observable examples or describe the operations needed to experience them (e.g., showing you a horse at a farm). This shift helps us avoid being "over/under defined," where we believe definitions are facts, leading to a disconnect from reality, like buying a termite-ridden house based on its verbal description.

Fact-based living. Many people live by intensional definitions, such as diagnostic labels ("I am narcissistic," "I have arthritis") or idealized abstractions ("I want to be a success"). This can lead to "IFD disease" (Idealization leading to Frustration and Demoralization) and a sense of stuckness, as these labels often lack a strong extensional basis or ignore individual variations. For example, X-ray findings of "arthritis" may not correlate with actual pain, and assuming a "typical stomach" ignores vast anatomical differences.

Learning from experience. An extensional orientation encourages us to constantly check our "maps" (definitions, beliefs) against the "territory" (observable facts and experiences). Richard Feynman's father taught him that knowing a bird's name in many languages tells you nothing about the bird itself, only about humans. By focusing on what we can observe and do, rather than what we merely define, we learn to adapt to unique situations, make more accurate evaluations, and foster genuine learning and growth in ourselves and others.

10. Utilize Extensional Devices for Practical Sanity

...without changing the language itself, which is practically impossible, we can easily change the structure of language to one free from false-to-fact implications. This change is feasible.

Delaying automatic behavior. To move from "signal behavior" (immediate, unconditional reactions based on past assumptions) to "symbol behavior" (delayed, conditional actions based on current investigation), we need practical tools. The "extensional devices" are techniques to consciously modify our language and thinking, aligning them more closely with life-facts and fostering an extensional orientation.

Key extensional devices:

• Indexing: Reminds us of individual differences (e.g., 'back' is not 'back' , 'liberal' is not 'liberal' ). It also helps specify degrees (pain 0-10) and levels of abstraction (anxiety about anxiety ).
• Dating: Accounts for changes over time (e.g., 'you' today are not 'you' 10 years ago), preventing static evaluations.
• Et cetera (etc.): Signifies that we can never say "all" about anything, promoting an attitude of non-allness and openness to more information.
• Quotes: Flags terms with elementalistic or false-to-fact implications (e.g., 'mind', 'feelings'), encouraging critical evaluation.
• Hyphens: Connects terms that are inseparable in the non-verbal world (e.g., space-time, organism-as-a-whole-in-environments), countering elementalism.

Other techniques. Further extensional techniques include visualization, using plurals and "a" instead of "the" to avoid allness, qualifying phrases ("as far as I know," "to me"), and quantifying. The "feel for the calculus" encourages observing changes in "indefinitely small steps," allowing for continuous adjustment and learning. E-Prime (English without "ises") and English Minus Absolutisms (EMA) help eliminate identity and predication statements and absolutistic terms, fostering more probabilistic and nuanced communication.

11. Leverage Time-Binding for Human Progress and a Sane Future

We must begin to realize our potentialities as humans, then we may approach the future with some hope.

Human potential. Time-binding is the uniquely human capacity to build upon the knowledge and experiences of previous individuals and generations, enabling cumulative progress. This capacity, rooted in our advanced nervous systems and symbol-using abilities, is not ethically neutral; it implies a responsibility to foster human advancement and reduce preventable "un-sanity." Effective time-binding requires a long-term view, asking: "What kind of future do we want to project, and how can we behave to encourage that future?"

Responsibility and cooperation. Consciousness of abstracting is fundamental to taking responsibility. We must acknowledge our own unique, fallible abstracting processes and accept individual differences in evaluation. Our evaluations contribute to the ongoing neuro-evaluational environments, making us responsible for the "climate" we create. True "survival of the fittest" for humans means intellectual and spiritual competition within a framework of cooperation, striving for excellence that benefits all humanity and posterity.

Effective communication. Communicating well is vital for time-binding. This involves:

• Recognizing change: Avoiding absolutistic criticisms like "You always..."
• Accepting differences: Understanding that behaviors have multiple causes and effects, and that others' preferences may differ from our own.
• Non-verbal sensitivity: Cultivating silent-level awareness to pick up subtleties.
• Extensional questioning: Asking "Who?", "What?", "When?", "How did it happen?" instead of blaming "Why?" questions.
  By applying extensional devices and fostering a multi-valued, non-absolutistic orientation in our personal and collective interactions, we can create positive internal and external climates, enabling us to learn from experience, adapt to rapid change, and build a more sane and hopeful future for generations to come.

Last updated: August 23, 2025