Musings on Perceptions, Facts, Food Fights and Excuses

I am often accused of "not taking sides" in a lot of arguments, and by extension being wishy-washy and not standing up for my values.

Which, in turn, leads to accusations that taking (someone's perception of) "the Moral High Ground" is aloof and arrogant, and that in order to be a "real" person, I must join the fight.

Winter sunset

Strong Opinions, and Such

I am referring to the whole issues of people holding very "strong opinions" about things like the deeper meaning of life, and other beliefs they hold near and dear — be it whether it comes to politics, or economics, or religion, or something else.

The point is — that most of the time — I can understand what someone's perception of a situation is, without feeling compelled to either refute or embrace that opinion.

Oddly enough most people with a "strong opinion" don't actually feel comfortable looking at the actual underpinnings of that opinion; they just want to hold it.

There is a belief (often referred to as "fact" or "truth"), and it is used as the defense and rationale for almost everything.

Memories of summer...

Defending Irrelevant Perceptions

Think of it as "The Theory of Gravity."

I use it as an example — a metaphor — because we're pretty much all familiar with gravity, and its effects. You have to be pretty nutty to not believe in gravity. But so what?

Now, I do not for even a moment dispute the truth of the Theory of Gravity. Nor do I disagree that when "that new experimental airplane" crashed, the Theory of Gravity was directly responsible for the plane falling to the ground.

However — even if we're agreed on that point — does that mean that you showing up at an aircraft factory pronouncing the "irrefutable truth" of the Theory of Gravity should make us not want to build airplanes? Or try to build rockets, even, that might fly in places where the Theory of Gravity has little impact?

What's my point here?

When people go forth with these ideals they clasp so tightly, it sometimes ceases to make contextual sense. I end up looking at them and agreeing that they are absolutely right... but SO WHAT?

Thorny... or beautiful?

Poking Around in the Deeper Story

Getting back to the Theory of Gravity example, I end up at: "Are you sincerely saying, then, that because of the TRUTH of the Theory of Gravity we should just give up on flying, and be content to walk around on the ground, clubbing each other over the head with logs, like so many Neanderthals? Because it's inevitable?"

WHY are you saying that?

And, if that is truly your belief, WHY is that a GOOD thing?

At that point, I lose more people, because their "reasoning" starts to sound more like "an excuse." That excuse takes the shape of "I am protecting a status quo that I am not sharing with you, but I am VERY attached to it!"

In the case of the Theory of Gravity and airplanes, it might turn out that you were in a horrible airplane crash when you were six, and watched your parents burn to death, in front of your very eyes.

Horrible? Absolutely!

But not reason enough why we should not try to fly, safely.

Oak Creek

Back to Politics, Money and God

I'm "wishy-washy" because I am a curious person. I like to look at different perceptions and understandings of pretty much everything because doing so helps me understand the world around me.

My circle of friends include Neo-Cons, Libtards, Trumpanzees, Communists and Capitalists. I seem able to offend everyone equally by not questioning someone's perception, but instead asking them to look directly at what led them TO that perception.

And I often ask impertinent questions like "What would happen to your world and sense of self if the EXACT OPPOSITE of what you're telling me turned out to be the absolute truth?"

As I have said on many occasions, people don't like to look at what hides in the deep recesses of their minds. And maybe it just makes me a strange fish that I am more interested in WHY you believe what you believe, than WHAT you actually believe.

Thanks for reading!

As always, feedback and commentary are welcomed — interaction and engagement are a major part of the "engine" that drives a community! Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!

(As always, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Created at 181130 13:53 PDT