 Hey Marmalade
As usual, a very interesting and provocative post that promises to generate some stimulating discussion.
My personal read is that perception is, indeed, everything. How else to explain the wide divergence of meaning assigned to a particular event by those who have witnessed the exact same phenomenon?
Our beliefs are the sum total of our experiences as applied to the things we observe. It's consequently inevitable that our interpretations of an identical event will be vastly different. And that bugs me. Despite a personal commitment to maintaining an open mind in the interest of developing conclusions as close to the truth as possible, how can I be sure that my conclusions aren't erroneously perpetuated by filters I've put in place based on my own unique prior experiences?
I'm really not sure there's a ready solution to that dilemma. The best I can do is to put myself in a position to be exposed to as wide a range of ideas as possible, and to at least consider them seriously before discarding them in favor of those that fall more neatly into my comfort zone.
__________________
"I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of."
Clarence Darrow |