Monday, June 9, 2008

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose...or is it?

Occasionally as I write here, or in sending an e-mail, my computer thinks I've misspelled a word. It underlines it in red to signal me. Actually, I haven't misspelled the word, it just doesn't recognize the word. My computer has kind of limited thinking. Here is a list of words it does not recognize:

homebirth
La Leche League (it recognizes the "La" and the "League" but not the "Leche")
unschooling
deschooling
kefir
kombucha
probiotics

It does however, recognize these words:

homeschooling (it used to think this word is wrong too)
meditate
co-sleep (I think only because it recognizes the co and the sleep)
yogurt
cultured food
attachment parenting (again, I think it recognizes the separate words--it wouldn't know attachment parenting if it tripped over a slinging, nursing toddler on their way to the family bed)

Who are these people who are writing the software for computers? Do they not know these words? I guess that they don't--lots of people still don't know them, and yet an awful lot of people have found health and happiness in unschooling and drinking down some kefir. There have been millions of amazing homebirths and the mothers have gotten great support for their breastfeeding through La Leche Leaque.

If language is knowledge, what does it mean that these terms are not recognized? I guess you could call these things other terms, maybe a rose is a rose, but if you don't know the rose exists, an alternate term doesn't matter.

Here are the words again with links to find out more. Maybe they're new to you too. Here's some information and you can take away anything that you find interesting or helpful.

homebirth
La Leche League
unschooling
deschooling
kefir
kombucha
probiotics

The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.
Philip K. Dick, How To Build A Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later (1978)
US science fiction author (1928 - 1982)

Words ought to be a little wild for they are the assaults of thought on the unthinking.
John Maynard Keynes
English economist (1883 - 1946)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your blog, especially about home education. I also live in an IL suburb, and I'm researching deschooling. I have a 1-yr-old I plan to keep at home, for non-religious reasons. Thanks for sharing all the helpful websites and ideas.

Laura said...

You're welcome, kristin. Thanks for visiting.

You'll find lots of literature available that supports the kind of learning that your babe is already doing now--if you continue to support it and allow for a rich environment, your child will get a great education, regardless of academic approach. IMHO.

We are born learners...

Anonymous said...

We do all those things except the kombucha (maybe someday). I've had similar thoughts as my everyday life activities are underlined in red as I type. Here's another one I use a lot: mommymilk. :)

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