There
are three ways to look at things. Perspective is ever present, never
fully appreciated. Basic example, I'll take a member of the NRA.
1st
perspective: Ignorant "outsider" would say something like
"Those gun toting redneck only want violence and need to make up
for a small cock."
2nd
perspective: a personal stance or what an NRA member might say "I
carry this gun because I believe in protecting my family"
because they do in fact love their family very much and no matter how
much of a jolt it gives them that idea was central in their decision
to join.
3rd
perspective: Unbiased observer "That guy has a gun, if he
doesn't want to shoot me I'm fine, if it protects his family ok, if
he talks in a southern accent and hunts turkey who really cares?"
All
three of these views hit me at once when I encounter new people or
situations. I know what someone would say about said person if they
never took the time to learn about them. I know what that person
would say about themselves if they never took them time to reflect on
themselves. I know how and what to say to be cool with both people
despite the different things they would have to say about each other.
I
just got done watching an old presidential debate and it prompted me
to start thinking about how these people were thinking. Some of
the candidates did come off as too personal and uniformed about the
outside situation. How many of you are doing that? How many times do
I come off that way?
Like
most my stuff I can tie this into the religion debate but I'm only
gonna take a few sentences. How many people of faith have really
taken the time out to investigate what that such and such called
atheists are trying to show them? How many atheists are just as quick
to yell bible thumper before they care about what a good nature that
person of faith may have. These lines between our explicit and
implicit meanings are making for dramatic action that is often
unwarranted and misguided no matter how much each side believes it
will help them relate.
This
is why I come across as impartial or cold to many people and their
situations. I don't really care not because I'm full of hate and
misunderstanding, I don't care because it's not my situation, I
haven't made it personal, I'm not going to practice making
myself feel as negatively. It is possible to see the holes, the
ways to fix, and repercussions before emotion shows up. So I want you
to rise up in a sense. Take yourself out of the bias. I find that I
can never take myself seriously if and when I choose to bitch about
something. How many people think there is anything short of the world
coming to an end when such an such issue arises from home or some
person turns out to have been more harm than good all along? I mean
are some people just that unlucky? Usually if there is trouble about
to happen I find that I've in some way or another asked for it and
knew it was totally preventable.
I
feel I'm emanating what I sense from other people. I don't want to
regard that feeling as some compelling force which I abuse to justify
my actions or lack thereof, but at the same time it's not something
so easily overcome. I've felt like I've been wasting my time
with things for longer than I can recall and then when I encounter
people who fall in line with half or no struggle at all, and it makes
my concerns seem all the more insignificant.
Perspective
right, that's what I was talking about. You change your perspective
you change your world. That sentiment is all well and good and I
"preach" it to people who've become engulfed in self
defeating and go-nowhere statements, but I can't seem to take it
anymore seriously. All the arguments about the nature of perception,
what's really "true," and the power of thought can be made
but that's not what I'm trying to discuss. I feel like I'm just
observing everything. Watching my decisions play out on some grand
chess board. I'm really struggling with the idea that my "reality"
is just engineered by subconscious motivations which, for all I know,
could be completely out of whack.
Every
time I interact with someone, I think about what I really
am saying or am really
planning for. I almost feel irresponsible if I don't. If I'm
literally just flying by the seat of my pants and never accounting
for anything, what choice
am contributing to my nature? What message can I personally
determine is the important one
to send to people I meet? And then, while I'm making these conscious
decisions to form what I hope is the correct message, what's making
anyone else fully appreciate or understand where I'm coming from in
the first place?
Who
needs to keep playing the victim? If time was taken to self reflect
we wouldn't have to worry about demonizing someone as that
circumstantial victim, we wouldn't face impossible situations, no
wasted stress and effort would be wasted to rationalize the dark
spots our minds take us to . I really
think that I won't be satisfied until I see evidence that people even
vaguely grasp how much a lack of understanding or care about their
situations can impact those around them.
You
can decide if you want to make a change, just SEE the situation for
what it really is first.
I
get along best with people who have learned to get along with
themselves, not just tolerate their situations.
