What is WBW?

Words create worlds. Even a simple word can become a prison.
- Author

Don't write novels in your head. Read good literature and see how the writer constructs his novel.
- Co-Author

As humans, we get stuck in our own perspectives. We try to solve problems using the same vocabulary that created them.

This is where I would use WBW. WBW is a mental framework. By taking a single 'anchor word' and passing or filtering our problem through it, we can generate new thoughts—new insights. To learn from it on a different angle.

WBW is not a replacement for academic learning nor apprenticeship, nor is it a universal truth about human cognition. It's a mental model, a practical tool to enhance lateral thinking and empathy.

Foundations

WBW relies on two foundations:

• Words create worlds: Language(signs, symbols, letters) influences thought and helps speakers perceive and categorize reality.
• Insights are everywhere: Learning is derivation of connections between concepts/words. That we can understand a concept through a connection to another.

This allows one to do top-down learning by using a selected word to filter reality.
You can say that WBW is an upgrade to the metaphor "put themselves in another's shoes" except using a word's shoes.

Goals

WBW is built to:

• Help create a structured way of passing/learning wisdom.
• Help create new perceptions of reality and enjoyment.
• Facilitate critical thinking for readers

Examples

Perception

• the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
• the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through the senses.
• a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression.
• intuitive understanding and insight.

Perception is a master key, a foundational concept in understanding WBW but for now, we will use the word for exploring reality.

Using the word perception, we find ourselves sitting on a bus looking afar. Your body slumped, tired from today's work alongside the few previous weeks where you and your partner have gone through some sour moments. Suddenly, your phone rang. It was your partner messaging you. The message says:

Anna: Do you remember Disc Land? It was so awesome.

Anna's message went from one to two to three in a few seconds. You sit there smiling at the thought of Anna smiling while in front of her phone, giggling even.

While your next reply may be obvious to you, let's first break down the situation using the word perception.

Perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the sense.

So, what do you see? What do you feel?
 
You don't see any action from Anna, but you see the text messages go from one line to three lines. Ask yourself this: would Anna be happy or sad when she types three text messages in succession?
For me, I believe she was happy when she was recalling her time in Disc Land. And with that, I may be able to make her happy again through one method.
 
Next, let's look at ourselves. What happened to you(reader) when you saw her messages?
 
You sat there smiling at the thought of her smiling in front of her phone, didn't you? Were you happy or sad when you imagined her doing that kind of action?
For me, the thought of Anna giggling like a kid behind her phone makes me giggle as well. She makes me happy. And with that, I may be able to create a date where both of us are having a good time once more.

I believe this is the power of Perception and the WBW method; to gather new information by using dictionary-based meaning of words to figure out what needs to be done, and what could be done.

More at Perception

Comfort

• a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.
• the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress.
• ease the grief or distress of; console.
• improve the mood of or restore a sense of well-being to.

Using the word comfort. (TBD)

Caveats

• WBW is an experimental method to create mental models. Please use with caution.
• Academic learning and apprenticeship are great ways to learn concrete and actionable knowledge. WBW does not replace these kind of method, but plan to enhance it.