'm in complete agreement with you. Physical bruises heal up, but
wrecking somebody's mapitory (can I say that?) is far too easily
done. I like using humor or at least meeting people part way on
their map and try to analogize my map with theirs and theirs
with mine to reach a sense of agreement between two people and
from there, we've in effect created a 3rd map between us that we
can explore together, without disturbing our own maps unless we
_choose_ to. [original post I'm responding to below]: I'm
completely fine with a person's map becoming their territory for
two reasons. First, that's exactly how real experience seems and
how it affects us. I don't experience photons exciting electrons
in my skin producing a sensation of heat. I feel warm sunlight.
Experience IS METAPHORICAL, for all of us. Second, treating his
map as his territory is his perogative -- it's HIS MAP. He can
do what he wants with it.
Only when people start generalizing their maps as territory to
others do we start having problems. I even accommodate a great
deal of this. After all, their maps might (and often are) more
useful, accurate, powerful, etc., than mine is. Trying theirs on
for size is *learning*. Accommodating each others' maps as
territory is much of what *friendship* consists of -- "entering
into another's world" and supporting them in it. None of that is
very problematic.
But when people IMPOSE their maps-cum-territories on other
people, they cross a line and violate mutual regard for each
other's dignity. They subordinate other persons by subordinating
their maps/territories to their own. Crossing that line is the
crux of interpersonal violation, the conception of all violence,
because degrading the treasure, the heart, the very apprehension
of reality of another is a seminally violent act.
