Signal-Noise Ratio and Zen

The Zen master and his student were climbing up Mount Fuji. It was cold and foggy and they could not see the top of the mountain. The student was miserable and the master was stoic. Suddenly, the sun came out and the fog disappeared and there, in the distance, they could see the brilliant, snow-covered roof of Japan - Fujiyamas peak! The student was amazed at the beauty of the mountain and could not hold back. "Master, see how beautiful Fujiyama looks!" he exclaimed. The master kept quiet and continued walking. The student felt a little disappointed at the master's lack of reaction. "Master, do you see Fujiyama? Don't you think it looks beautiful? I think it looks serene and majestic - truly a blessing to our nation. Dont you agree, master? Doesn't it look great". The master sighed, looked at the student, and said, "Yes it does, but did you have to say it?"

Signal-Noise Ratio

First there is the thought - the purest creation of the conscious mind. SNR: 10:0

Then we articulate the thought into the language we are internally most comfortable with, and this is the first point at which noise creeps in - we try to retrofit the thought into the slots that our mother tongue provides for us. SNR: 9:1

We then translate the thought into the language that is spoken around us: SNR: 7:3

We then translate the thought into words that can be spoken without shame in our peer groups. SNR: 6:4

Sometimes we write down these words and thus retrofit the thought again into the zeitgeist's style. SNR: 5:5

Half our writing is noise!

Forget the numbers; get the principle.

How do you understand "mu" if you are a Cockney or a redneck? The Zen Buddhists know what mu means. How do you understand "love" if you are a Confucian Chinese? The rednecks know what love means.
Yes, the rednecks still have no word for "mu" and the Chinese still have no word for love.

Short Posts vs. Long Writeups

Short posts are like eating bits of chocolate - they give immediate, momentary pleasure. Long posts are like making a nine-course meal - you slave and slog over them and then hope everything has come out right and hope that the consumers like it. But usually, something goes wrong there and you don't win half the praise you desire, so you soon give up.
Some people keep working on it though, they sacrifice the pleasures of chocolate for the more refined enjoyment of a full meal; in time they iron out the kinks and gain praise and fame.
But right now, I'm having chocolate :)