“…recognition that you still have to live with these people.” This is wisdom I find more often in some of the more historically isolated rural areas that fall victim to the 2D thinking producing the “rural/urban divide.” Stewart Brand talked recently about what back-to-the-land hippies learned from their commune experiences. “Another thing that we discovered was that the countryside is actually kind of boring, especially if you don’t connect with your neighbors — which we did not, mostly.” In many ways that has flipped. The countryside has become inflammatory because those outside truly rural areas and those moving in still don’t connect with their neighbors mostly. They are under the delusion that they don’t have to live with their neighbors, don’t even have to try.
As usual a very good essay! I might quibble a bit with the 4D versus 3D, I’d be happy for the media and politicians to think in just one more dimension than 2D. Taking a deep breath and realizing our nation is not nearly as divided as media and some other pundits try to make us believe is useful. I think that by and large those of us who have and take the time to be informed may be better at thinking in more than 2D than our political leaders and some media are. So thank you for contributing your efforts to be more informed and not black and white in your views.
New guy here --- I am trying to understand, are there 4 specific dimensions you are referencing? I get the "not just binary" and I read through the pinned post on your home page, though it sometimes seemed to list 3, and other times 5, dimensions.
“…recognition that you still have to live with these people.” This is wisdom I find more often in some of the more historically isolated rural areas that fall victim to the 2D thinking producing the “rural/urban divide.” Stewart Brand talked recently about what back-to-the-land hippies learned from their commune experiences. “Another thing that we discovered was that the countryside is actually kind of boring, especially if you don’t connect with your neighbors — which we did not, mostly.” In many ways that has flipped. The countryside has become inflammatory because those outside truly rural areas and those moving in still don’t connect with their neighbors mostly. They are under the delusion that they don’t have to live with their neighbors, don’t even have to try.
As usual a very good essay! I might quibble a bit with the 4D versus 3D, I’d be happy for the media and politicians to think in just one more dimension than 2D. Taking a deep breath and realizing our nation is not nearly as divided as media and some other pundits try to make us believe is useful. I think that by and large those of us who have and take the time to be informed may be better at thinking in more than 2D than our political leaders and some media are. So thank you for contributing your efforts to be more informed and not black and white in your views.
New guy here --- I am trying to understand, are there 4 specific dimensions you are referencing? I get the "not just binary" and I read through the pinned post on your home page, though it sometimes seemed to list 3, and other times 5, dimensions.
Is there a specific definition of 4D?