We live in a one-eyed world. A planet where the simplistic self-centred view often takes hold. Where party politics polarise and news services divide us.
I remember how I used to think about the world when I was growing up, and I shudder. I had a set of experiences that gave me a very narrow view, without even the understanding that my sight was blinkered and I couldn’t see everything. The classic product of an all-boys’ private school, with the arrogance of youth, I thought I knew a lot about most things, but as I get older and wiser I realise that I actually know very little about anything.
It is not the world that it is the problem. The problem is the lens through which we see the world. We get taught to ‘know’ things. The words ‘I don’t know’ are met with scorn. Not knowing is seen as a weakness, rather than a strength.
Even to the most enquiring minds, the science we know today is probably a tiny fraction of what we don’t know. I would love us to be taught how little we know. To be aware that any single one of us knows only a grain of sand’s worth of knowledge in the infinite ocean of what could be known.
There is so much judgement in the world and argument about what is right and wrong. If we don’t know most of the facts and knowledge that exists, how can we ultimately judge others? How can we state, uncategorically, that we know what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’? No doubt there is some kernel of truth in everything, but nothing is fully known. We are all taught to talk with such certainty – yet, how can we ever be completely certain of anything?
Only when we open our eyes to how little we know about ourselves, each other and our world can we really start to live with tolerance and compassion. Only then will we have what is required to solve the many issues there are in the world. Most problems can be solved – but only by working together and accepting all points of view can we develop solutions for global, local and personal issues.
The only way to truly open your eyes is to surrender to the fact that you may never truly see the whole picture.
How much did you think you knew in the past? And how little did you really know?
What do you think your future self will say about your present knowledge?
How much does what ‘you know’ influence how you behave in the world?
What if we didn’t actually know anything?
How would that change the way you see?
To seeing what you can’t see.
Marc
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Interesting points as always Marc.
Just spotted you have a love and hate button, is that in itself polarising people?
I have no time to hate.
But I guess having a button saying “I positively dislike” is a bit too long?