Your map is not reality

Ever heard the expression "Don't believe everything you think?" There is a lot of wisdom in that statement. Your internal map is different from every other person's map. There are over seven billion different internal maps of reality existing on this planet right now.

Many of us think our personal map is the most accurate. That we have figured out how this place works better than ALL the other seven billion of us. For a moment, I'd like you to consider perhaps all of our internal maps of reality are equally right, or perhaps equally wrong.

I like to think of the map like a computer hard drive. There are lots of files, tons of information. We have programs we've learned to run to help us achieve the life we want. There are also viruses which eat away at our processing power and corrupt our behavior, leading us to create negative situations in our lives.

If we are going to save the world, it is important to work together and to respect each other. I challenge you to start seeing each person you come in contact with as having an equally amazing map as your own. Not better, not worse. Equal. Even people with views you don't agree with. Instead of insisting your understanding of your map is better, try to better understand their map of reality, without judgment. It isn't easy. We've been taught to argue and prove ourselves 'right.' Being right gives us that nice dopamine rush. But listening to and understanding another leads to something much more rewarding: connection.

Ego Time

One of the hardest things about explaining these ideas is finding the right words. People tend to nitpick over words. They forget or aren't taught that the goal of communication is to convey information in a way another person will understand. What we are really trying to do is transfer the internal understanding, an internal symbol, of one person to another. Language is the only tool we currently have to achieve this end.

To further explain reality construction, I am going to use a term that is frequently misunderstood: the ego. It is important to understand, the 'ego' is only a concept. It is a term used to describe certain processes in animal behavior. It isn't a physical part of your brain. The concept of 'the ego' involves multiple mental processes working together. The 'judger' is one of the elements that makes up the ego. Role identification is another.

When I speak about the 'ego' I want you to think of it like a complex meal, say a bowl of ramen. (Good ramen, not that Maruchan instant stuff). In case you don't know, ramen is a noodle soup with a bunch of great stuff in it. Each ingredient and spice alone tastes okay, but when you combine all the individual ingredients together, you create something with a much more complex and interesting flavor.

You probably have an idea of what the 'ego' is and what ramen should taste like. My ramen and understanding of the ego may be a little different than the normal interpretation. Try not to get caught up on the word and enjoy the dish for what it is.

When we talk about the 'ego,' we are talking about a concept. A complex set of behaviors. It is no one thing, but rather, many aspects of one's psyche working in conjunction with other. We can talk about it as a whole by using the term 'ego,' but we can also look at in parts. Understanding the parts individually help us wrap our minds around how the whole works. At first, the concept of the ego may seem kind of vague, but stick with it, begin working with it, and you'll develop a deep understanding of it quickly.