. . . I'd like to point out that there's been a great deal of discussion, some in my view well thought out and well written, about the idea of "connecting the dots." There were similar ideas on this thread (and a lot of other places) - but I was impressed with the phrase "connect the dots" used by Erica Goode. MD324 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_0100s/md322n.htm contains this:

Facts and ideas, combined together in space and time so that people can "connect the dots" , as Erica Goode says in Finding Answers In Secret Plots http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/10/weekinreview/10GOOD.html form the ideas that people and groups have. -- These ideas are patterns, which work well enough to sustain action and belief in some ways, though they may be totally invalid otherwise. These ideas, constructed by "connecting the dots" may produce grossly pathological results -- fueling hatred, wars, and cycles of poverty. Or they may be correct.

To judge that, one checks the "facts" "connected together" and one sees if the pattern conjured up fits more facts - - including many more facts. The process of judging this, like the process of putting the "explanation" together - happens in people's minds - and can't be forced. But the matching process -- the "connecting of the dots" -- is what effective thinking and persuasion is all about. . . . Since then, the idea has been worked through, to some degree from different angles, on this thread. This thread has also cited the use of the phrase, and the associated ideas, by others.

http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1055.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1055.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1055.htm

1113-1117 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1113.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1120.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1127b.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1164.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1191.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1231.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1236.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1317.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1332.htm

http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1662.htm 1711-2 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1711.htm 1741 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_1000s/1737ccc.htm

2156 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2156.htm 2346 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2346.htm

2408 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2405.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2450.htm 2461 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2461.htm 2462-3 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2462.htm

b 2789-90 http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2789d.htm http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_2000s/2986.htm

http://www.mrshowalter.net/a_new_3000s/ 3067_8toSafire.htm

During this time there has been something of an explosion of usage of the idea of "connecting the dots" - - and it may be in the process of becoming the most important kind of idea a culture has -- an idea used so often -- connected with so much -- that everybody knows it, and associates a lot with it. Such ideas are called "cliche's" -- and they have a status that is both "low" and "high" -- depending on how you want to think about it.

More links to "connecting the dots"

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