News Flash: You're human. Your ability to perceive and evaluate a situation is rather limited. That should come as no surprise to anyone without a god-complex.
But maybe you're still a little angry about that?
Our opinions are informed by all kinds of subconscious beliefs, past experiences, and hidden motives. While it is perfectly normal for a child to adopt the worldview held by their parents without a lot of critical analysis, what happens when that kid grows up? Many of us continue to belief certain things without ever stopping to ask why we believe that. Is it justified, reasonable, and consistent with your other beliefs. Your worldview is an investment. Just like any investment, it is important to periodically take a mental inventory and decide if your beliefs are worth hodling. That is hard to do. It is almost impossible to do in isolation.
Your perspective is not only limited in cases of your worldview. Our perspectives direct our behaviors and if our perspective is flawed, then our behavior will be less than ideal. What can be said about your reaction when someone cuts in front of you on the expressway? For me, nine times out of ten I will assume the ABSOLUTE WORST about that person even though I have almost none of the relevant data points. Or consider a more serious example.
In each of these examples, you need a tribe to help you see beyond yourself. I should clarify here that I am not using tribe as a reference to the divisive “tribalism” and identity politics that we have seen in full force lately. Your tribe is your community. But it is not everyone in your circle of contact. It is not everyone following you on Steemit or all of your Facebook friends. Your tribe members are the ones who get you. You share something with them and you make an effort to support each other. There is a mutual investment. Your tribe helps you see what you cannot.
Each member of your tribe can offer a level of perspective that you do not have. Yes, they have data points that don’t have that can help fill in the picture, but this is more than just seeing facts that you miss. Your tribe will help you see the parts of yourself that you are blind to. When you respond to a basic or moderate annoyance with extreme or heightened action, it is safe to assume that you are not attuned to your whole internal picture. In those moments, you need to turn to your tribe, ask them to tell you what they see, and humbly accept the answer. Their input is not perfect. I am not advocating blind acceptance. I am saying that you should incorporate that date point into your worldview, or your evaluation of a situation. At the end of the day you and only you are responsible for your actions. But you are better off not running out into the world alone.
And until next time, be blessed.
Sam
Image Source: Angry, Escape, Tribe
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