I was metaloguing with myself as I drove around doing errands earlier today about Wow-Fields. And it occurred to me that metalogues are such an important “mental tool” that I thought I should introduce and discuss it a bit.
First a little history.
The person who coined this word was Gregory Bateson, a renaissance man of some renown. He created several that were published in his book, Steps to an Ecology of Mind
In his metalogues, Bateson had quasi-fictitious dialogues with his very young and precocious daughter, Kathy. He really did have a daughter by that name, but I believe the dialogues as written never really took place between the two.
What’s a metalogue?
A metalogue is a conversation that you simulate for yourself as a means for *you* to work out a problem. Problems can be personal, philosophical, political… it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have two or more “characters” who “converse” to work out the problem for you. One is typically a “questioner.” The other the “authority” who supposedly has all the answers and just needs to have them asked.
My guess is many people have metalogues going through their beings everyday, but don’t call them that. Bateson’s genius was to recognize these “daydreams” as problem solving tools, give them a name, and then publish polished examples.
In this blog-journal, I’ll be metaloguing. I have to warn anyone familiar with metalogues already that I don’t stop at the boundaries that Bateson did. Which, I think, is how he would have wanted it. I’m not sure, in fact, where his boundaries were and where I go past them. I can say that when I push an envelope it is still rather tame compared to some of the hideous c**p that’s out there, which makes it to the movie theaters to satisfy the violence-lust in some people (which I’ll never understand as long as I live). So the boundaries I’m talking about are of a literary and philosophical type, yes…
OK – so let me introduce you to two of my main characters, who date back to 1986: Stede and Dede. Say hi, guys.
Stede: Hi guys… :)
Dede: He didn’t mean for you to say “Hi, guys.” – Just Hi.
Stede: But he said to say Hi guys.
Dede: No, he said to say…
Guys – that’s enough… I just wanted to introduce you. Now go back to whatever it was you were doing.
Stede and Dede: What were we doing?
Never mind – just go and do it… The things I have to put up with…
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These metalogues have a strong similarity to another, much better recognized form of vaudevillian entertainment. I’ll let you think about that for awhile.
And think about metaloguing … Perhaps, as I said, you use them, and maybe unconsciously, all the time for your own purposes. Maybe it would be useful to write them down and see where they take you. You never know. One of these characters just might save your life!
Stede: Characters?
Yes characters… Now go away for awhile…
Stede: Awwww….
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