Referring to a galaxy far, far away is literary allusion to the famous movie, Star Wars, produced by George Lucas. The average person reading this remark, or hearing it in conversation would understand that that is where it came from and most likely make an immediate connection without any of this particular explanation. But average is only average. It is quite possible that some people might not make the connection and think it simply meant “in a galaxy far, far away.” It would all depend on the shared point of reference between the communicators. It may depend to what extent the fame of the film really went, or on whom had the technology to view it, or the ability to read it in a book,, for in novel form is where the story began... with the exception of maybe in the mind of Mr. Lucas who knew in his mind what he intended to be understood.
Sometimes people will talk about a familiar word or concept, one they know and are familiar with, but to their listeners the words have completely different meaning. Some are in the know, (because they read the book) while others simply are not (because they haven;t) and take the words to mean something of a completely different intent. Generally people relate to that which they are more used to or familiar, and this regardless of how the word was intended by the one who used it. It is generally helpful when people build concepts together from a foundational point they share in both their minds which is why we write things down in history books and dictionaries.... to have a common understanding of what took place, and how words are defined.
Without writing as a reference point, history and historical facts would be forgotten, without dictionaries defining what a substance is and isn't words would be often misconstrued and without regard for understanding the true meaning or the context, our own interpretation is all we will see or understand. without agreement to definitions, and the proper intended use, it is possible that a conversation can take place between two parties referring to completely different things and each assumes the other is standing on the same reference point, when in fact they are not.
It happens every day that words deviate from the meaning and appear to be something they are not. Words are hijacked.
Some examples of hijacked words are:
Christ, (could mean Jesus, could mean your won personal god-like consciousness,)
scriptures, (could mean Koran, or Quran, could mean Bible or the writings of any religion,)
gay, (could mean happy, could mean homosexual.)
reproductive rights (the right to bear children, pre- and post-natal care, hijacked to mean a presumed right to end the life of an unborn child )
gender (literally and traditionally means and refers to the masculine or feminine, if taken to new heights could mean radical feminism or LGBT or ???"
It all depends on your reference point. After all, as progressives like George Lakoff like to say, "How can a person fairly argue against such nomenclature as "pro-life," "tax relief," and "family values," since to argue against such inherently positive terminology necessarily casts the arguer in a negative light? "
Yes, a little inspiration, a little bit of spirit, and the next thing you know, words are running off and into a life all their own, sometimes completely different than what they were intended. They way to know the source, of course, is to seek understanding and wisdom and to test the spirits,
And some people never test anything. They never even stop to think, or really listen, they think they know what is being talked about, think it is the same reference point they have, and really they have no idea that they are not engaged in understanding, sometimes because they do not really care, or maybe because they are uneducated as to what the words say from the other perspective, where the words came from or reference ourside of their own experience, or minds. They never read the book or saw the Star Wars movie, for example, sand as such, perhaps they missed the actual point of what was being said.
People seldom ask questions. They take things for granted, or they think some things everyone should automatically know, just like them. Unless of course they are inquisitive, or if they want to become smarer than they were before they asked. People should ask questions. Questions and answers are the stuff that scientific study is made of. Questions are hard, but sometimes finding the answers is the problem,that takes some work and time and effort.
People seldom look up words they do not know, unless someone tells them to, or if perhaps they have a need or maybe some sort of inkling they could be wrong. They don't check sources, because sometime they really do not care... that email simply "sounds good" to thier itching ears... and so they pass the information on as if it were the gospel truth, and then find out it's not. lThey don't like to be told what to do, or read the manual, let alone the bible and hear what God says is wrong or what is right. Simply happy with themselves and what they know and what they like, when it comes to words and understanding thing about their own life, they are often quite happy to simply go along and make things up for themselves, decide things like right and wrong, all on their own.
For what it is worth, the point here is that there is value in good instruction and that even in such simple things, there are colloquialisms and such that can make some problems with communicating effectively, especially when it comes to words and what they mean. True wisdom, communicates effectively because of their inspiration. True wisdom as well as good communication happen best when a person takes the time to listen, makes and effort know the meaning behind the words, and are able to identify the same source of understanding as the person you are commuicating with.
The love of wisdom?
It was Socrates who said, "I know that I know nothing."
Ah... Socrates, who according to Wikipedia, "often said that his wisdom was limited to an awareness of his own ignorance." and that " Socrates believed wrongdoing was a consequence of ignorance and those who did wrong knew no better." and "The one thing Socrates consistently claimed to have knowledge of was "the art of love" which he connected with the concept of "the love of wisdom", i.e., philosophy." and " He never actually claimed to be wise, only to understand the path a lover of wisdom must take in pursuing it."
But what is wisdom, really?
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