"When I Told Her She Was Sexy..." – A Poem by Kenneth G. Johnson

When I Told Her She Was Sexy...
by Kenneth G. Johnson*

"You're projecting," she said, 
Her face turning red, 
"The sexiness you see 
is all in your head." 

"You're right!" I agreed
With the lovely objector,
"But I like the way
You run my projector." 


*The late Kenneth G. Johnson—Professor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee—authored the popular General Semantics: An Outline Survey, among other works. Ken remains one of the most important of the scholar-teachers of korzybskian GS at the Institute of General Semantics after Korzybski's death. 

"Authoritarian" – A Poem by Kenneth G. Johnson

Authoritarian
by Kenneth G. Johnson*

A perfect world 
This would be
If everyone 
Would be like me. 

Or better than
The way I am, 
The way I like 
To think I am. 

*The late Kenneth G. Johnson—Professor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee—authored the popular General Semantics: An Outline Survey, among other works. Ken remains one of the most important of the scholar-teachers of korzybskian GS at the Institute of General Semantics after Korzybski's death. 

"Expectations Anticipated" – A Poem by Kenneth G. Johnson

Expectations Anticipated
by Kenneth G. Johnson*

I do what I do 
Because what I do 
Is what I believe
You expect me to do. 

You do what you do
Because what you do
Is what you believe 
I expect you to do.

How can I know you? 
How can you know me? 
When reflexpectations
Distort what we see?


*The late Kenneth G. Johnson—Professor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee—authored the popular General Semantics: An Outline Survey, among other works. Ken remains one of the most important of the scholar-teachers of korzybskian GS at the Institute of General Semantics after Korzybski's death. 

"To A Neurone" – A Poem by Kenneth G. Johnson

To A Neurone

by Kenneth G. Johnson*

Twitter, twitter little neurone

Though the impulse be not your own

For without your ceaseless twit

I would cease to be—a wit?

*The late Kenneth G. Johnson—Professor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee—authored the popular General Semantics: An Outline Survey, among other works. Ken remains one of the most important of the scholar-teachers of korzybskian GS at the Institute of General Semantics after Korzybski's death. 

"GS Seminar" - A Poem by Kenneth G. Johnson

GS Seminar
by Kenneth G. Johnson*

We learn we are creative stuff
And that five senses aren't enough
We learn to feel that which we sit on
And what to do when we are spit on. 
Delay your reactions — that's the trick,
Until the cortical neurones click. 
And then with every thought intact
Take careful aim and spit right back. 

*The late Kenneth G. Johnson—Professor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee—authored the popular General Semantics: An Outline Survey, among other works. Ken remains one of the most important of the scholar-teachers of korzybskian GS at the Institute of General Semantics after Korzybski's death. 

"I Am The Very Model Of A General Semanticist"

I've been going through the remains of the IGS archives in my possession and found some files from of my friend and mentor, the late Kenneth G. Johnson, a long-time and important korzybskian GS scholar. One of the things I found was this  song parody of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General". It looks like it may have been written by Ken. Or (because of the female voice, used) one of his students. His name wasn't on the typed page with the parody. However Ken definitely did write  humorous poetry, some of which I'll present here in a future blogpost. This parody very much has his signature humor. Enjoy!:

I Am The Very Model of A General Semanticist
"I am the very model of a general semanticist
My feet are firmly planted, I'm no longer a romanticist.
I'm very well informed about psychoses and neuroses, 
But I'm losing all my friends since I acquired halitosis. 
I'm very good at recognizing everyone's hostility
And I can point a finger at their lack of objectivity. 
At picking out projections I am certainly without a peer 
I think it's such a shame that all my friends won't stick around to hear. 

"I am the very model of a general semanticist.
I utilize its principles in bringing up my hordes of kids. 
I've thrown away my Doctor Spock and substituted Summerhill,
I gratify their every need instead of giving them a pill.
I haven't found a school around to use their creativity,
They won't admit a child who isn't toilet trained at puberty. 
They're well-adjusted, self-expressive, uninhibited and free,
I wish to hell that I could find a mother-substitute for me. 

"I am the very model of a general semanticist.
I'm well enough to do away with three of my psychiatrists. 
I know the very latest in extensional devices
And I've traded all my virtues for a gorgeous lot of vices.
My husband is much delighted with my growth in self-development
My intellectual progress is the cause of some resentment.
However, I have found a way to cope with his hostility, 
And find it has a very good effect on his virility.

"I am the very model of a general semanticist 
In every way at work and play I have become an optimist
In matters economical, political I'm vehement
I am the very model of a general semanticist."

Self-Reflexiveness Gone Wild

Dr. Kenneth G. Johnson, taught at Institute of General Semantics (IGS) summer seminar-workshops for many years. For various and sundry reasons, these courses are no longer given—a shame. But I attended many of them beginning in 1979, first as a participant, then as staff member. I cherish the memories of the time I spent with Ken in classes and just schmoozing.

Beside his masterful and entertaining lecture-presentations, he also 'led', or rather facilitated, the group process sessions (based on the National Training Laboratory T-Groups) that the IGS had made a part of its training process for developing an extensional (fact-directed), non-aristotelian orientation. The VERY open-ended group discussions encouraged self-reflexiveness (thinking about thinking, speaking about speaking, reacting to reactions, etc.) in participants with sometimes amusing, sometimes puzzlingresults. Ken observed what people said and said very little himself. Over the years he collected a number of priceless self-reflexive comments which he heard in the course of these sessions and elsewhere. (He may also have created a few himself, to represent some attitudes he had noted in observing what people say and do.) Now enjoy some of Ken Johnson's 'brain pretzels':

"I'll be happy to be the leader—as soon as I figure out where we're going."

"If I'm going to fail, at least I want to know what I'm failing at."

"Let's all spend our time observing what happens in this group."

(After a pause) "I love the silence. I just enjoy sitting her whether anyone is talking or not. Don't you?"

"I figure that if I don't do it I'll never know what would have happened if I had done it."

"You are being critical!"

"Now that I know myself better, I don't know who I am."

"All I have to say is I have nothing to say."

"I don't mind hurting. At least then I know I am alive."

"I don't know if I'm courageous or scared to chicken-out."

"If you look at it objectively, I'm certain you'll agree with me."

"This is all very exciting, but I'm bored"

"I don't want your attention and to prove it, I'm going to leave the room."

"I'm willing to reveal myself but I have nothing worth hiding."

"If you don't know, how do you know that I don't know?"

"I hate people with strong likes and dislikes."

"Of course I trust you. But you might tell someone I don't trust."

"Even wasting time isn't a waste of time."

"I'm not afraid to express my feelings. It just scares the hell out of me."

"As soon as I find myself I'll reveal who I am."

"One good thing about this D group: If we don't know where we're going we can't get lost."

"I feel much better now that I'm uncomfortable."

"I'd like to learn by doing without doing anything."

"I resent all the hostility in this group."

"I wouldn't be so paranoid if people weren't always talking about me."

"One thing I know for sure is that we can't be certain about anything."

(Hands folded tightly accross chest) "I have this outgoing feeling toward people."

"Have you noticed—we're more in the here-now today than we were yesterday?"

"Who gave you permission to give me permission?"

"I feel terrible when I feel something and I feel I shouldn't feel that way."

"I find this tension very relaxing."

"I don't know where we're going but we're making a lot of progress."

"I have nothing to hide but I don't want everyone to know my secrets."

"What am I feeling? I'll have to think about that."

"Try to be spontaneous."

"If Korzybski were alive today, he'd be turning over in his grave."

"I'm still searching for myself. Have you seen me?"

"I'm learning a lot about people—especially me."

"My major problem is that I am too critical of myself."

"I don't care what people think—but it bothers me when they don't agree with me."

"Let's take a vote to see if we want to take a vote."

"I'm not too sure about my facts but I have no doubts about my conclusions."

"I am not upset." (Tearing hair)

"Dammit. I am going to punch out the next bastard who calls me hostile!"

"Our whole purpose here may be to find a purpose."

"Stop yelling at me. Tell me how you feel."

"I don't know what the score is. I don't know what game we're playing."

"I feel depressed because I just can't express my feelings."

"We don't have to tell anyone that our sessions are confidential."

Johnson's Corollary of Murphy's Law

Kenneth G. Johnson was also the originator of what I call Johnson's Corollary of Murphy's Law:
"To communicate is to be misunderstood!"

"Never Ask a GSer About Maps"

I [Bruce Kodish] haven't had much time to blog. Since last Thursday I've been at Read House, the home of the Institute of General Semantics in Fort Worth, Texas. Read House is located in the Fairmount Historical District of town, full of historic residences and within walking distance an up-and-coming urban area that includes one of the best vegan restaurants I've ever eaten in.

Read House now houses the complete [as far as I know] Institute of General Semantics archives. Steve Stockdale, who just resigned as Director of the Institute, put together materials, digitized at least some of the most important ones including some of the old reel-to-reel tapes of interviews with people like M. Kendig, one of the leaders in the early days with Korzybski, and other interviews that Steve conducted himself. Various archival materials, like letters, manuscripts, library books were previously scattered in various places and relatively unorganized. Thanks to Steve's tremendous efforts, the history and legacy of Korzybski and General Semantics has never been in as good a shape or as accessible.

Looking through a box of materials labeled "Ken Johnson," I found this gem from a good friend and teacher of mine, now gone. Kenneth G. Johnson, PhD was for many years a professor of Mass Communications at the University of Wisconson-Milwaukee. Here is his poem, "Never Ask a GSer About Maps" which Ken wrote and presented at the IGS Seminar-Workshop in 1990. His poem was inspired by reading Shel Silverstein's Never Ask a Zebra About Stripes.

"Never Ask a GSer About Maps"
by Kenneth G. Johnson

I asked a GSer why he was so concerned about maps.
And the GSer asked me:
Does your 'enquiring mind' feast on the National Enquirer?
Or seek answers to "What do you mean?" and "How do you know?"
Do you claim to see things as they really are?
Or do you know that you abstract?
Do you lock in on first impressions?
Or do you use your process brain to process a process world?
Do you polarize your choices using simple either-ors?
Or recognize possibilities in degrees and probabilities?
Are your abstractions free-floating hot-air ballons?
Or firmly anchored in experience?
Do you trap yourself in word-made boxes?
Or prize your own uniqueness?
Do you climb mountains of seductive abstractions?
Or avoid the peak-a-boo-boo?
Are you looking for a white-robed guru?
Or a time-tested crap-detecting system?
Are you bound by the tyranny of agreement?
Or will you settle for the warmth of understanding?
Do you react categorically and dogmatically?
Or do you leave that to your pets?
Are you seeking Truth with a capital T?
Or prediction value with a small p?
And on and on and on and on
And on and on he went.
I'll never ask a GSer about maps
Again.