"Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you..." That always seemed like a good idea, even if you weren't a religious or otherwise "spiritual" person. I'd like to think I've followed that ethic in my life, though I know I haven't always.
I realize that I have moods and moments of intolerance where everything is on my nerves and nothing will keep me from "picking" on people and being "hyper-critical". I do believe they are shorter these days, as I've come to mature and understand that I don't want to be like that.
My rant has to do with the selfish idea that everyone (including me) has, that their perception is the "right" one...for everyone. It's a mild rant, in the sense that the idea I'm trying to get across is one so personal...right at the core of our being...that it should be delivered with finesse and delicacy. It's a simple idea, that many people have used with success without necessarily being aware of it. I am not a consistent user, but I try.
The idea, and I don't claim credit for it's discovery, is simply that each person has their own perception of the world and happenings around them...and that means that one can never be certain that their perception is as "true" as anyone else's.
This "realization" enables me to accept that others can be as "right" as I can, about the same things.
My rant is that it seems like fewer and fewer people allow for the points of view and opinions of others. They become set in their ways and very resistant to change of any kind. This does not bode well for any kind of future.
We are already at a time when change is a constant. 30 years ago, you got a job and stayed with it until you retired. That can't happen today...companies come and go in a matter of months sometimes. Companies that have been around a long time, frequently change their workforce numbers and focus...if they can't, they essentially die. We used to rely on our jobs, for a few years at least. Now, we have only ourselves to rely on. And if we can't change with the times, we will essentially die.
This isn't just jobs, either. This is a fundamental, human need. At this same time when change is so prevalent, we are also in the midst of "desegregating" the world. Especially with the popularity of the Internet, we are becoming more and more aware of people, humans, civilization on a global scale. With that, comes the realization that those other populations don't have the same perspective we do. Their perception is no less valid than ours, in the big scheme of things...though it would probably prevail, if we went to their country.
How might this concept affect us on a day-to-day basis? Well, I think it would greatly improve the communication of our thoughts and ideas to each other. It would help out with personal relationships; marriages and even kids. It may not work with bosses (nothing really seems to, does it?), but it may help ease a lot of stress with co-workers. If a person feels that other people think their ideas are at least worth hearing, that they have some value, they feel more valuable overall and are more likely to accept other people's ideas as well. At least, I hope so.
The "nuts and bolts" of it, basically, is that whenever you think that you're absolutely "right" about something...remember that the person you're around thinks the same thing about themselves. This is the core of tolerance, I think, and what needs to happen is a little "negotiation" and communication about each other's perceptions. Only then can you both arrive at a useful interpretation of what is "right" between you.
I think I'll leave it at that, for now...what do you think? I really do want to know, so e-mail or ICQ me!
