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Charre's avatar

I feel like this is more of a description of human failing than a description of reality. It is definitely true that naming a thing makes it feel more real, and makes people feel like they understand more than before the thing is named. I think that is a perception gap though, a cognitive flaw in human minds. We ought to be aware that naming a thing changes how we think about it, and ponder how the power of language lends itself to magical thinking.

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Katherine Dee's avatar

I think you're right-- names are powerful--something that's been on my mind a lot lately

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Mancuso's avatar

When I moved to a semi-rural area, the forest looked like a featureless green wall to me. As I started learning the names of different trees and plants, I began to actually see them individually. Something similar happens with people: they go from being e.g. "the classroom" to actual individuals when you learn their names.

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