The Literalists

Many people pass through the various kinds of work-groups, but the number that stick always remains at a very small percentage in any generation. There are no real work-groups of 10's or 100's of thousands; but 50 or 100 at most, and of that, only 5 or so are at the same level of >>conversation<< as the leader.

The leader can't have a bunch of ill-informed deputies handling his affairs, but he can tolerate 50 or 100 or more who merely want to be deputies - unhallowed usurpers of the throne, who seek only to do the bidding of the deputies, with whom they can talk at varying degrees of tension and attention.

Conversation is what real work-groups are always about - both the unperceived and usually imperceptible inner self-talk, and the always seen and usually intolerable outer talk about self. The intolerable outer talk represents the clothes and bodies of the herd, being led at first - upon entry to the group - by no one, and later, by some one.

The Literalists are the mere and many bit players with few if any speaking parts in any given scene, talking about their feelings about being alive right now - they are the commentators, the running commentary, the background noise.

The Symbolists are the key players, the stars of the play, whose talk literally directs the entire life of the story. (Without the participation of talk, the story would disappear.)

Conversation between humans may be the highest form of humanity possible, yet it almost never occurs because all participants believe it's already occurring. That is, self-talk is taken as real-talk between two or more humans.

ps- this was a line thrown into the lake, baited with a worm, uh I mean a lure, wearing a coat of many colors.

pps- Conversation is a garment, not a thread.