Multiple schools of thought often mix freely in metaphorical
discourse. I'm a little sad that the USA has decided to lump
together Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
TOGETHER into one 'thing'.
People are already confused about the important distinctions
between each of them. It's nice they play nice together a lot of
the time, but they're still different and for good reason:
they're different.
Best I can do to assist clear thinking is help my 10 yr old
nephew out. He knows the difference between all four of them.
He's also a pro at hyperbole and knowing when he's exaggerating
for dramatic effect or being in earnest. I just hope he doesn't
take over the world; the kids already a sharper thinker than me
and understand social systems, including the land of Gossip and
how to manipulate it, far better than I.
Still, at the risk of developing a sociopath hell bent on taking
over the planet, at least I've helped develop a clear thinker
who knows what's bullshit and what's reliable and what's
malleable. Most things are malleable, especially people. Just
add hyperbole.
