Note: Two weeks ago I had a massive project to finish for my denomination’s annual meeting – because of this, I’ve lost time to read, much less write. I’m slowly getting back to a decent equilibrium, but it’s taking time. I must demand that people stagger their “start-up” events so that September ceases to be an annual nightmare!

What struck me in this chapter is John’s reminder that language is, in itself, a tool. By use of language we identify and categorize the world around us, but at the same time our identification process turns back, as all tools do, and shapes us. The instinctive recognition that language shapes reality is probably behind the frequent push to make English the official language of the United States – because, it is believed, the values and attitudes of citizens of the United States are tied into the way our dialect of English interprets the world. It’s an understandable instinct, which falls short in it’s lack of self-awareness – after all, perhaps there are destructive blind-spots in our interpretation of the world which are exposed by the way another language works!

I agree with John that language is an important tool which structures the world and transforms our own perceptions, nor is it limited to the words which we speak. The images, symbols, and rituals through which we communicate have are deeply influential in the way we perceive the world around us. We should probably keep that in mind the next time we’re tempted to say, “Oh, that’s just a symbol!”