CONNECTEDNESS AND HAVINGNESS
by Frank Gordon USA

In the previous Another Look at Basics-#15 in IVy 34, "On Havingness," we saw that at mass on the Reality Scale(1), there was another scale: the Havingness Scale, or doingness with regard to mass - and its importance.(2)

Connectedness was then found as basic to havingness

Hubbard then went on to dig deeper, and found an even more basic factor he called Connectedness, which he defined as: "the basic process on association of theta with mest. All forms and kinds of association, including being caught in traps, prone to become identifications as in Dianetics. Connectedness puts the thetan at cause in making the mest (or people when run outside) connect with him." (Tech Dict 1979, p.90)

Connectedness would also be included on the Reality Scale. He stated: "The basic form of any Havingness process is Connectedness." (Tech Vol III 318). And: "There may be some factors kicking around in Havingness which are not entirely understood and which are not entirely connected with Connectedness. However, it has been found that Connectedness will put a preclear in a condition where he can eventually run Havingness. Therefore, Connectedness undercuts and possibly even overpasses Havingness in general." (Tech Vol III 191).

A grammatical note

Because Hubbard explored many new and very abstract concepts, he needed to form new words to express them. Because he used -ing and -ness frequently, it's worthwhile to examine the resulting grammatical forms.(3) The suffix -ing forms a gerund or verbal noun(4). Having(5) is an example of such a gerund. Other words like connected(6) were formed from the past particicple(7) and used as verbal adjectives.

The addition of -ness(8) to the gerund having, and to the verbal adjective connected emphasizes their abstract noun character as substantives (concepts).

The importance of connectedness:

"It doesn't make sense." "What is this all about?" "What's going on?" "I don't see the connection." "What has this got to do with anything?" These complaints are about not grasping a connection that would make a situation more understandable and real.

These connections occur in many different forms: In logic: If this, then that; cause and effect. In mathematics: an unchanging relation (an equation) between changing quantities. The variables change, but the relation (the connection expressed by the equation) remains the same. In ethics: character determines conduct.

Science is based on finding valid and useful connections.(9) This is not always easy. A classic example in epidemiology (the study of epidemics) was the decrease in typhoid fever as more telephones were installed. The temptation was to assume a cause-effect relation, but actually the key factor was a parallel advance; the installation of pure water supplies.

Connectedness and havingness

A recognition of connectedness is also an increase in havingness. I can "have" a piece of equipment like a computer, but not know its connectedness, or how to operate it. Then it's no better than a doorstop.

So to really have something, one must recognize how it can most effectively connect with and contribute to one's life.

Improving one's ability to connect with and disconnect from MEST

Hubbard looked for effective ways to improve one's self-determinism and causativeness. This is seen in his definition of "Clearing: a gradient process of finding places where attention is fixed and restoring the ability of the pc to place and remove attention under his own determinism." (Tech Dict p.76).

So he selected an approach to connectedness (a vast generalization) that he felt would do this. He concluded that: "Connectedness is the basic process on ASSOCIATION with MEST," and "Havingness is a complicated Connectedness. Also a permissive one." (Tech Vol III 163) ". He then formulated a command to increase the ability to control unwanted automatic connections(10) by: "Get the idea of making (indicated object) connect with you."(11)

He then cautions, "..Connectedness in any form is a very excellent process to run. But note carefully that we have him get the idea of making the object connect with him. We never command the preclear to get the other idea of connecting with the object. This is a no-games condition. This is what is wrong with the preclear.

                           -----

1 The Reality Scale: Postulate, Consideration (continuing postulate),  Agreement (shared consideration), solids or masses (proof of the consideration), Lines, then "No terminal, no line." He related this Scale to the CCHs. Tech Vol III, p.139.

2 The Havingness Scale, IVy 34, p.--

3 I used a book which Ron recommended, English Made Simple, pp.40-42, by Waldhorn & Zeiger, Doubledy 1981. Pbk $4.95.

4 gerund, n. (gerundium, from gerere, to bear, carry). In modern English grammar, the verbal noun in -ing has certain uses in which it performs the function of a substantive or abstract noun, while retaining verbal features of tense and voice. Thus, it is a verbal noun and can be viewed as either a verb or noun. For example; building as construction (verbal, dynamic) or building as a structure (noun, static). Gerunds are fascinating in that they subtly combine these dynamic and static elements.

5 having. holding in posession or control, owning. being under obligation (having to). controlling as ones own. tolerating. Hubbard's definition of Havingness ranges from "that which permits the experience of mass or pressure" to "the concept of being able to reach."

6 connected. joined or fastened together as by something intervening. Associated in thought.

7 participle. an adjective form of the verb, modifying a noun and at the same time taking objects and qualifiers like a verb (hastily writing it down, he left). The English verb has two participles: (1) the present, ending in -ing, as in writing; (2) the past or perfect, ending for the most part in -ed.

8 -ness. a suffix used primarily to form abstract nouns denoting state, condition, quality, or degree; as in goodness, quality or state of being good.

9 "..why may be called the mother of all sciences." - Schopenhauer, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason, p.6., Open Court Pub, 1974. An example is Dianetics, in which the why of aberration was established as the engram.

10 restimulations and engrammic key-ins are examples of a connection being forced upon you. An engram only becomes a problem when it compells you to connect with it. Running it (where run = operate) reverses this. You can regain control by deliberately making it connect with or disconnect from you. "Get the idea of making that object connect with you," is an objective process aimed at regaining this ability.

11 Another example of the principle that whatever someone is doing unconsciously or automatically, can be brought under control if done consciously.