Man, I have so much to learn.
Time and time again, I think I forget that simple but profound concept… I have so much to learn.
As I feel like I’ve said more frequently these days, let me not throw you under the bus along with me; I’ll stick with myself. I’ve just got so much to learn.
At first glance, I suppose, we amen, acknowledge solidarity, and wholeheartedly agree. But then one passionate issue or event comes along, and we throw all that humble recognition right out the nearest window…
Someone lies…
Someone offends us…
Someone sits for the National Anthem…
Someone is killed in police custody…
Someone is found guilty…
Someone is found innocent…
Or maybe someone runs for President that we can’t stand…
Yes, sometimes I throw my recognition of having so much more to learn right out the nearest window, forgetting that my perspective is limited… that I cannot — and am incapable — of seeing and knowing it all.
Let’s face it…
Even those of us with 20/20 vision and great peripheral sight, still have not eyes in the back of our heads. If something happens behind us that potentially alters our perspective, we are totally incapable of seeing it — even if we are the most brilliant person on Earth.
True, we have likeminded observers, who may stand behind us; supposedly, they can see for us. But their view, too, is also skewed.
Because their eyes are not our eyes, because their brain does not process identically to our brain, since we are each uniquely, wonderfully, and fearfully made, the crafting of perspective though the eyes of another still serves as a filter; it does not give us complete “omnivision.” In fact, we never have “omnivision.”
Too often — and again, let me speak for myself — I equate my perspective with “omnivision” — this idea that I can somehow see and comprehend all things in all ways or places. I allow either my intelligence, emotion, or experience to justify the existence of the facade. But friends, omnivision doesn’t exist.
We must continuously put ourselves in the shoes of another — not adopting another’s perspective as complete truth, but adding their perspective to our own. Note that even with that addition, our perspective remains incomplete.
I wonder how the national conversation would change, if everyone realized their perspective was incomplete…
I wonder how it would change if everyone realized that intelligence, emotion, and experience do not serve as justification for believing our perspective is actually, somehow complete…
My guess is that we’d be a little more humble, solution would be a little more frequent, and social media would be a far more pleasant place to be.
Oh, yes, we have so much to learn.
(Did I say “we”?)
Respectfully…
AR