November writing challenge

November is AcWriMo - academic writing month. I’m not formally signed up to it. However I’ve seen people talking about producing daily ‘atomic notes’. These are 250-300 word pieces with one idea. I thought I might give that a go. But I find 250-300 words is both too much and too little for many ideas. 

I’ve decided to try a daily ‘drabble’. This is a 100 word short story. I learned about these from the author Hannah Retallick. 

So, belatedly, here is yesterday’s drabble.

Knowing

By habit, I equate ‘know’ with ‘can articulate in words’. I think thoughts in words. I communicate knowledge in words. In other words, I am ‘logo-centric’. 

This is profoundly ableist. When I assume knowing requires words, I diminish people as knowers if they have no words. I falsely equate word skills with value and skill at knowing. I deny their knowledge. 

Equating words with knowing removes my ability to ever claim to ‘know’ anything. Words are fluid. Meanings shape-shift in time, culture and transfer among people. 

This drabble has fixed and shared 100 words. Its meaning is not fixed. 

Discuss!