The light and the dark

Day, night. Light, dark. Good, evil. Life, death. Possible, impossible? Sometimes I set things up as a dichotomous situation to illustrate a point, even if it is a false dichotomy and other options exist. It is easier to manage understanding when the examples limit complexity but, there always is complexity.

Many of the right and wrong judgements we make on the world. Who am I to decide what is right and wrong? Well, who else can? We all make these judgements for ourselves and we all live with the consequences of our choices. Many of us outsource our decision to others, a peer group, a culture or an authority but, that too is a choice.

When we hear words that judge us as wrong, when we feel that we are unfairly aligned, we get defensive or feel oppressed. We say, "it isn't fair, you have no right to judge me.." Fair doesn't come into it, nor do rights, judgement is part of our animal and even if represses, never voiced, judgements are made.

The interesting thing is that no one says, "it isn't fair, you have no right to judge me.." when they receive a compliment, words or actions of support, positive critique. When the pats on the back come, there isn't the same evaluative effort placed on the words, even when the praise is undeserved.

It also makes less of an impression doesn't it? A negative holds twice the weight of a positive, A compliment half the good of the bad in disapproval. Our judgements are not consistent. Even when it comes to the energy spent in response, those that are favorable we barely touch upon, those that we perceive as damaging, we attack veraciously.

This gets used against us often, we get played. Situations that set us up as polarized means that we put a great deal of energy into fighting against and resisting each other rather than finding the common ground. Polarization is a tool of authority that is effective in keeping us sectioned, compartmentalized, manageable. The false dichotomies they present make us feel community on one side aimed at a common enemy. And they play both sides against each other shamelessly.

I think in the world we have created we have disconnected from each other, reduced diversity and willingness to involve ourselves in it through specialization and then, reconnected to narrow interest groups that support our opinions and, fight together against those that differ.

Finding and building places to help us mix, interact, diversify and recognize the strengths and weaknesses we each hold will be of increasing importance going forward. There are changes coming to this world and those who are able to prosper aren't likely to be the individuals, but the communities who work together, despite their apparent differences.

There is a lot of range on the human scale when it comes to many quantifiable numbers but, for the things that really matter to each of us, there is little of difference at the core. At least, not of the sort that warrants polarization.

The funny thing I find at the moment is that we are so easily led into the dark and told what is there to see.

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]