1 Learning to Think Like an Adult Core Concepts of Transformation Theory

defining condition of being human is our urgent need to un-A d erstand and order the meaning of our experience, to inte-grate it with what we know to avoid the threat of chaos. If we are unable to understand, we often turn to tradition, thoughtlessly seize acplanations by authority figures, or resort to various psychological mechanisms, such as projection and rationalization, to create imag-inary meanings. Making Meaning as a Learning Process As there are no fixed truths or totally definitive knowledge, and because circumstances change, the human condition may be best understood as a continuous effort to negotiate contested meanings. Milan Kundera, in The Book of Laughter und Forgetting, wisely sug-~ t s that if there were too much incontestable meaning in the world we would succumb under its weight. That is why it is so important that adult leaming emphasize con