The word "nonlinear"

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Does anyone else here find it really, well, weird in what sense popular writers use the word "nonlinear"? As in, "being successful at relationships requires nonlinear skills".

I mean, I understand the literal, scientific or engineering sense, i.e. that the response of the system to several inputs is more complex than just the sum of its responses to the individual inputs. But the math describing nonlinear systems is still "linear" according to the popular usage---because it's math.

I could also envision "nonlinear" referring to something that involves parallel rather than serial processing. But this would make visual-spatial skills like rotating shapes in your head, and pretty much any kind of creativity, nonlinear, as the processing is done in a holistic fashion, even if it is according to physical rules. This is also not what those writers mean to say.

The best I can interpret the popular usage of the word is roughly as "open to unpredictability" or "flexible". So it seems it is more that the pursuit of a goal is nonlinear, rather than the actual thought. I have certainly noticed that people in social situations are much less direct in their pursuit of a goal that I would be, taking cues from others and not being afraid to take things as they come rather than insisting on it going a certain way.

I would never have thought of this when hearing "nonlinear", yet the general population seems to be in such agreement as to what kinds of skills are appropriate for this label.

There are two main meanings to the term "non linear".

1. It means not straight forwardly logical.
2. It also means the output is not proportional to the input.

A linear function f, of one variable x, is a function such that f(k*x) = k*f(x).

ruveyn

Perhaps "complex" would be synonymous with your contextual conquest

Multifaceted may also apply, or even "mainstream."

Just a guess.

Could "nonlinear" also mean "scattered"?
in a non mathematical nor physical view of course.

Well that would certainly explain my nonlinear brain,
however "being successful at relationships requires nonlinear skills",
references to that which has an abundance of mandatory recognition accomplishments.
The former, is far more likely to have any personal relevance as per a linear verbal accuracy.

I'm not sure I understand your idea, the two last lines.

Personally, I think the entire thing about "taking cues from others and not being afraid to take things as they come" is a bunch of hooey being imposed upon the rest of us who think far more sanely. But, maybe I am the one with no perspective or whatever.

The colloquial (rather than mathematical) use of "non-linear" just means "not in a straight line". Trying to use the mathematical definition to understand a colloquial use just gets you confused.

When a pop writer writes, "being succesful at relationships requires non-linear skills" they mean that you have to be able to move off whatever trajectory you have in your head about how the relationship will go and react to the actual person you are with. Linear thinking (in the colloquial, not mathematical sense) is thinking that "if I do A, she will do B and then I will do C and then she will do D" and so on in a straight and predictable line. Real relationships don't work like that. Linear thinking about relationships only works for fantasies. You meet your dream woman/man and everything unfolds in a linear fashion according to whatever your personal fantasy trajectory is. But in the world outside your head, things won't unfold just the way you have predicted/expected and you have to be able to roll with that or the relationship is doomed.

So yes, "open to unpredictability", "flexibility" is what the writers mean.

Last edited by Janissy on 04 Oct 2009, 8:50 am, edited 2 times in total.

[quote=
Personally, I think the entire thing about "taking cues from others and not being afraid to take things as they come" is a bunch of hooey being imposed upon the rest of us who think far more sanely. But, maybe I am the one with no perspective or whatever.[/quote]

"Me Tarzan you Jane" Is that blunt enough?

Yes there are and always have been intricate social games that people play.

Do you want a game player or do you want an honest person who can love you for who you are?

Forget games. If you are looking for a partner then tell them outright that you are interested in them. If they don't like you then they will tell you so.
If they don't like you then don't take that to heart. Don't take that as a rejection.

It just means that they are not your sort of person.

What exactly is not sane about taking cues from others and not being afraid to take things as they come?

Ah, please forgive me. I was thinking more along the line of people aimlessly just "going with the flow" and mindlessly accepting whatever might eventually come or happen. For myself, a "cue" from someone else has to be a verbal command, and I am not about to follow it unless at least *somebody* seems to have some kind of clue about where any one or more of us might end up.

Ok, I see what you mean. But how about mindfully (rather than mindlessly) accepting whatever might eventually come or happen? Like a Buddhist.

It seems to be another word they are using for lateral thinking, creativity, and intuition.

You are right to find it odd, because they are using the incorrect term. What they mean is lateral skills, not nonlinear skills.

Nonlinear writing would mean you don't write from beginning to end. That is fairly straight forward to understand. It is my approach to writing in general. I am a nonlinear thinker. This is mostly due to executive dysfunction.

I know nothing of Buddhism, and neither do I "mindfully (rather than mindlessly) [just accept] whatever might eventually come or happen." Rather, and even though sometimes in a free-form or "discovery" kind of way (when it might seem relatively safe to do so), I think and move with precision and purpose while having specific expectations or projections or at least possible outcomes in mind ... and when something turns out quite differently, and that certainly does happen, I next time bring into the mix any knowledge gained. Order can at times be lost *to* chaos, but order cannot be expected *from* chaos.