Thank you very much for visiting this collection of work, titled
"Semantic Satiation"
a series by Justin C.M. Brown
created 9.30.2023
From the Wikipedia article on Semantic Satiation:
Semantic satiation is a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener, who then perceives the speech as repeated meaningless sounds. Extended inspection or analysis (staring at the word or phrase for a long time) in place of repetition also produces the same effect.
“From the present point of view, it is argued that the phenomenon of verbal satiation is of major importance inasmuch as human thinking and communication are mediated by verbal symbols. In fact, the various evidence to be presented will be concerned with how the reduction in the meaningfulness of symbols through their repeated presentation affects thinking.” (Jakobovits, 1962, p. 19)
Jakobovits, L. A. (1962). Effects of repeated stimulation on cognitive aspects of behavior: Some experiments on the phenomenon of semantic satiation. McGill University.
There is much discussed about the power of words.
But to make words, you need letters.
These little arrangements of ink, or pixels, or color can inform us, scare us, or soothe us, often immediately upon recognition.
This series intends on temporarily severing the learned meanings of english symbols to draw attention to this idea:
Every single foundational idea of society is manifested in little squiggles and dots which were made up by humans to create an external and constant abstract representation of thought.
Not only is society socially created, the ideas used to create society are also made of and expressed through socially created ideas.
Language contains all potential societies.
-Justin C.M. Brown, 29.9.2023
The letters which spell
the names of everyone
and everything you love
are also the same
letters which spell
your darkest secrets
and greatest fears,
the only difference
being what pattern
they are arranged in.
You were not born
knowing how to
write the name
you were given.
PACINO SAYS HI (HI HI HI HI HI HI),
Vector and Photo, Justin C.M. Brown,
created 9.30.2023