Static

If you’ve never tried it yourself, you’ve probably seen it in a movie – the frustrating, almost impossible task of trying to communicate with someone via radio when at the very fringe of the reception range.  The signal breaks up, goes in and out, and is interrupted by static.

This could serve as a metaphor for all human communication. 

Any transfer of ideas requires assumptions about commonality of thought, some or all of which are incorrect or at best only partially true.

For example, I must assume -

• that we speak a common language.
• share the same definitions of words.
• share the same logic system.
• share the same opinions regarding basic “truths.”
• share life experiences that lead us to the same conclusions.

With the odds so heavily stacked against us, it is truly a miracle that anything is ever taught or learned.