Week Six: Literature Review #3

 An important primary source
for my research is found in
Robert Williams' book titled
The Non-Designer's Design Book,
which gives an account of the author's
own experience with an increased
awareness of his surroundings.

    For week six, I decided to do a literature review on a short-and-sweet source. This piece of literature, found at the very beginning of Robin Williams’ The Non-Designer’s Design Book, gives a prime example of how awareness can directly increase the likeliness of an experiencer to recognize certain events. The introductory anecdote begins with a prelude to describe its importance to the first chapter of Williams’ book, which teaches readers four major principles of graphic design. To emphasize the importance of these foundational principles, the author states, “But first I want to tell you a little story that made me realize the importance of being able to name things, since naming these principles is the key to having power over them” (Williams 11). This statement may also be applied to those experiencing the deja vu phenomenon, since those who identify their own false-recollection events are more likely to recognize their encounters and thus are able to debunk their induced sense of familiarity. Just as the case study has done, the author becomes increasingly aware of the trees he initially thought to be foreign and in no way a part of his daily life--but, once Williams became aware of their existence, he immediately felt surrounded by the Joshua trees.

    After describing his past memory of receiving and studying his tree identification book, the author continues to describe an event that shows striking similarities of synchronicities. The author says that “Once I was conscious of the tree--once I could name it--I saw it everywhere” (Williams 11). His description of the increased likeliness of recognizing the Joshua tree directly parallels the Jungian theory’s explanation of the synchronicity phenomenon. Just as the author has, those who experience waves of synchronicities only become aware of the object/event once they consciously observe and make sense of its appearance. Such events may involve seeing specific numbers more often than others, or noticing a similar logo on many signs as you drive through your city. The only reason for an increased recognition of such things is your own mental awareness that they exist; once you know they are there, your mind begins to subconsciously look for and recognize the figments that cause feelings of synchronicity. After some time, an increased awareness seems as if it is meaningful to its experiencer, thus adding a spiritual aspect to a synchronous event. 

    The author may not include how increased perception and recognition can have spiritual impacts on experiencers of both deja vu and synchronicity, but Williams is careful to end his short story with a concrete analysis of his Joshua tree experience: “Once you can name something, you’re conscious of it. You have power over it. You’re in control. You own it” (Williams 11). The author’s conclusion suggests that those with recollection events may have the power to overcome the adversities created by the repetition of the phenomena, just as the case study was able to recognize and begin to troubleshoot his excessive deja vu experiences. Specifically, the most convincing parallel between the author’s own experience and the deja vu experience is found in his words “you’re in control.” By giving himself the power to recognize that his brain is increasingly aware of a certain object, the author allows for cross-analysis to the deja vu phenomenon by comparing his own awareness to the awareness of deja vu experiencers, whose frequencies of experience are directly proportional to their recognition and awareness that a false-recollection event is occurring.

    Robert Williams’ work is a credible source not only because it is rated 4.5 stars on Amazon (ha ha), but because his own experience is told in its raw form without any indications of trying to be explained by or trying to support theories about the deja vu phenomenon. Essentially, this author’s primary account of his own increased awareness of his surroundings serves as an unbiased story of how synchronicity events may take place in the daily lives of all people, whether they are the authors of design books or delivery drivers shipping Williams’ book to an excited reader’s home. By introducing an unconnected memory into the deja vu and synchronicity discussion, the real-life importance of explaining such phenomena is implemented in my research analysis.

    Here are some key terms that I found significant to the text:

1. Naming - the process the author dubs as most important to becoming aware of what is around you. Once you are able to name an occurrence/object, you become consciously aware of its presence in your daily life.

2. Control - the feeling that the author describes is paired with increased awareness of what is going on around you. The author suggests that once you are consciously aware of something, you have control over it. (connection to deja vu: are experiencers in control of the frequency of their deja vu occurrences based on how often they imagine such an event occurring?)

Citation:

Williams. Non-Designer’s Design Book, The. Pearson India, 2008.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151