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About this quote

What does it mean?
Using incorrect symbols makes building a human civilization impossible.
In plain terms
Wrong symbols will ruin our attempts to build a good civilization.
What can you take from it?
Prioritize accurate communication and symbolism.

Where it applies

  • policy making
  • education

Putting it to work

  • audit your vocabulary

Questions to consider

  • What symbols do we rely on?
  • How do wrong symbols cause harm?

Another view

Civilization has survived with imperfect symbols.

More from Alfred Korzybski

  1. In the rough, a symbol is a sign that stands for something... Before a noise, etc., may become a symbol, something must exist for the symbol to symbolize.

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  2. ...the main achievement of Einstein was precisely in the fact that he refused to divide verbally time and space, which experimentally cannot be so divided.

    Permalink to quote #21
  3. ...a few philosophers really do important work. This applies to the so called 'critical philosophy' and to the theory of knowledge or epistemology. This class …

    Permalink to quote #18

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