Systemantics. The Systems Bible

The decision to become involved with a particular System should be made carefully, on the basis of a balanced judgment of one’s interests. One need not drift (or sail, or barge) into Systems uncritically: CHOOSE YOUR SYSTEMS WITH CARE Remember: DESTINY IS LARGELY A SET OF UNQUESTIONED ASSUMPTIONS

Systems don’t appreciate being fiddled and diddled with. They will react to protect themselves; and the unwary intervenor may well experience an unexpected shock.

SPECIALIZED SYSTEMS SELECT FOR SPECIALIZATION —or, in plain English: THE END RESULT OF EXTREME COMPETITION IS BIZARRENESS

Having thoroughly digested this introduction, we should have notrouble understanding that: IF A SYSTEM CAN BE EXPLOITED, IT WILL BE Nor will we cavil at its twin: ANY SYSTEM CAN BE EXPLOITED

We are indebted to Mr. George Orwell for bringing home to us the real functions of a Ministry of Truth or a Ministry of Peace or of Justice; but Orwell was only updating an insight first enunciated by Lao-tzu at the dawn of written history, when he wrote: People, through finding something ‘beautiful,’ think something else ‘unbeautiful’[xxxii] Hard

A special type of Bug is represented by the toaster that sometimes burns the toast or the air-conditioner that sometimes fails to cool, usually on the second day of a ten-day heat wave. In such cases, it is typical that the repair person can’t find anything wrong. And after the second or third call for help, you can no longer find the repair person

THE FUNCTION (OR PRODUCT) IS DEFINED BY THE SYSTEMS- OPERATIONS THAT OCCUR IN ITS PERFORMANCE OR MANUFACTURE The importance of Korzybski’s contribution to understanding Systems is now apparent. An Apple that has been processed through the supermarket System is not the same as an apple picked right off the tree, and we are in error to use the same w

THE MEANING OF A COMMUNICATION IS THE BEHAVIOR THAT RESULTS This Axiom, which flies in the face of vulgar Common Sense, is basic. It is a nettle that must be grasped, and the sooner the better. Simply put: Are we willing to subject our communications to the test of actual outcomes? Once we clear this hurdle, the rewards are great: the dispelling of

Knowledge is useful in the service of an appropriate Model of the Universe[b.] , and not otherwise. We are indebted to Robert S. Lynd for the definitive aphorism on the subject:[lxxxiv] KNOWLEDGE FOR WHAT? The pursuit of Information-as-such confuses means and ends. Best exemplified by those Government Agencies that carry the word Information or Int

Problem Avoidance is not a form of Passivity. The opposite of Passivity is Initiative, or Responsibility—not Energetic Futility. Problem Avoidance is in fact the most elegant form of Problem-solving, since it actively and responsibly avoids the entire Meta-problem of Dealing With the Problem. Furthermore, since many of the world’s biggest problems