3 obstacles to truth
1. Arrogance. We often believe we already possess the truth.
2. Narcissism. We’re often more concerned with being heard than hearing.
3. Fear. Intellectual comfort—not truth—is too often our goal.
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6 comments:
1. If believing we possess truth about something is arrogant, then we are all guilty.
2. Is a blog such as this more about being heard or about hearing?
3. Sometimes the result of truth is fear, sometimes it's comfort. At other times the truth causes happiness or sadness. Negative and positive emotions result from a knowledge of the truth. Truth doesn't change based on human emotions. Can you imagine how chaotic the universe would be if truth and it's ability to be known were contingent upon my emotions? Talk about arrogance! Fear can actually lead us to the truth.
1. Of course we all believe certain things and that does not necessarily make us arrogant. It is when we believe we already possess the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth that does indeed make us less likely to hear and consider a different point of view.
2. I would love this goofy blog to be about both hearing and being heard. A real conversation. And so I am thankful you are here!
3. I agree with all your points in number 3.
I agree with both of you that it is more important, often, to listen than to be heard. Homesick, this was a good reminder for me :) It's true that when we think we are right, we can come on rather strong! But I think openness to changing one's mind is the keystone here, rather than having our minds made up ahead of time.
I get warm fuzzy feelings when we all agree!
Darrell, It seems your comment below was posted to the incorrect thought of the day so I copied and pasted it here:
John, It's Darrell.
I have been bouncing around this blog and becoming more and more convinced that nothing really ever connects between people of different views in the various discussions and there are so many of them it is hard for my simple brain to keep up with it all.
But as I said on FB, I really liked this thought of the day and related comments and perhaps by posting independently of all, I can also avoid the length of others response and in the end, perhaps focus to just you and I talking.
On top, I generally agree with these 3 points as being semi universal, still i have a couple thoughts:
First, to define:
needless = unnecessary, unwanted
suffering = feel pain or distress
kind = good or benevolent nature or disposition; helpful
question = dispute or uncertainty
These are all nice definitions from dictionary.com, I would tend to think you would generally agree. But I have still a hard time understanding them without context and certainly in situation where there are no absolutes (#138 - which oddly to me is the only place in all your blog you deal with this word and it is not even your own choice).
So where there are no absolutes, how do i comprehend what is "unnecessary" and is it possible that a Hitler type thought it was indeed necessary and needful for the Jews to suffer. Cant it be said that this indeed was his premise?
In fact, isnt suffering even now uncertain if we do not have an absolute standard? regarding this needless suffering, I often think of my mom. She was born in 1941 in Germany amidst the Allied attack. Her younger brother died because the hospital had been bombed. whose suffering was less needed, theirs or the Americans who could have died, or more Jews, if Germany was not forced to surrender. And her mindset continues... she would have it that my two kids would never experience any pain (really, none). That scared me to a point that in my will I did not let them be the guardians if Cindy and I were to die. This I think is what you intended by qualifying it as needless since some suffering is good, still who gets to define?
Moving on to kindness is another well intentioned trait we would like to see in one another. It borders on but does not quite make it to love, but is good for now. I recall once my daughter at 5, had been badly misbehaving, willfully disobedient. You may not like it, but I believe in spankings (discipline out of love, not punishment). I had to spank her, but following all spankings was a time to be close, to hug and assure love for her. this one time in particular, she would not hug, she clearly thought I was not being of a benevolent nature. Some other events occur which I may tell you about some time, and she did eventually come bounding into my arms to apologize. very tearful moment, still hits me when I think of it. Just to let you know these spankings so did not scar her for life that she would hold my hand across parking lots until 13!
So whose definition of kindness? Not sure your opinion of Pres GW Bush, dont really care, but to whom should he have been kind? The Iraqi people or the Iraqi rulers? Maybe this gets into needful suffering. I know JFK in his inauguration spoke of it as our responsibility to work to free other peoples. He had Vietnam in mind i think.
I love asking questions and learning, and even gauge intelligence or interest of others by the questions they raise. Again, being able to think there are absolutes helps guide me... there are so many corollary thoughts jumping to mind: science, evolution, abortion, wow abortion, dont answer this but wouldnt that be an interesting topic in the needless suffering vs kindness dichotomy!?
So I want to conclude as while I cannot see what all I have written, it feels pretty long.
You appear to have your own Bible (what version and do you mark it up? I sure do!). I would like to lead this conversation back there, but first I want to get your brain engaged on what I have written to see if you think any of it makes sense. I like the way your brain works. You want to be logical. I am an accountant by trade, but I have a distinctly logical thinking process and benefit my clients by the possibilities I can think of to various situations. it appears we both enjoy thinking.
John, I have such good memories of you in back in Richardson. I hope and look forward to moving those forward now and by no means want to become argumentative. thanks for the opportunity to share.
Darrell,
Thanks for taking the time to define what we are talking about. And I do agree with the definitions. Off to a good start! Though I think defining “absolute” would be very good before we get into this as that seems to be the central topic. Please provide your understanding of what an absolute is, and providing examples would be very helpful.
Thanks and look forward to the conversation as this is something that I am trying to understand myself.
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