The power of our answers depends on the quality of our questions and the willingness to answer honestly.
In today’s polarized world, is it possible for two truths to exist on the same issue?
Take something simple: a carpet. Some see it as decor, others see it as a place to walk on, and some see it as a space to worship. Who’s wrong?
Or a box—big or small? It depends. Compared to what? The bathroom, the dining room, or the ballroom?
Perspective shapes everything.
So why does one perspective have to invalidate another?
Can’t your truth and mine both be valid, shaped by our lived experiences?
What if instead of fighting to be right, we focus on getting in a room to actually talk it out?
Isn’t that what’s missing?
The space where we both can be heard and work towards a solution without anyone feeling silenced or oppressed. Without the yelling, insults and accusations flying in both directions? These just serve to drive us farther apart and place stronger barriers between us.
Let’s aim for understanding, not division. It’s the only way to move forward as a cohesive people.
Dr. Gwen Patrone
#PerspectiveMatters #LetsTalk
2 Responses
Hi Dr. Patrone. Thank you for your thoughts.
May I share my own?
For some things discussion and agreement is an acceptable approach. But truth is absolute. What is decided by consensus is not truth, though that doesn’t inherently make that decision wrong.
Using your examples, the carpet – many uses, all valid, but the accepted concept of what carpet actually is comes from a consensus perhaps formed over a long time.
One does not say that a 4′ x 8′ piece of 5/8″ marine grade plywood is carpet. By detailing the plywood as above, absolutes (truth) are stated about it. And those absolutes are essential if indeed the material for the project must be that size, thickness and grade of plywood. No amount of discussion or consensus can turn that plywood into what we understand by general agreement over time and culture as carpet.
Box sizes can vary widely, but if the box’s geometric shape is included everyone discussing the size know they are discussing a square box or a rectangle box or a round box or a triangle box. We immediately know the shape because those geometric figures are truths that are absolute.
Truth is absolute. Decision & agreement from discussion and consensus is nice, but it is arbitrary and inevitably is limited by the
parameters of absolute truth.
Gwen,
To be totally truthful I don’t think my agony will end with the two versions of the truth , the big fly in the ointment is my ex-wife , she knows exactly how to blackmail me with my children and grandchildren . Am I a coward ? The truth in this case is some people thrive on insults and accusations , the problem is they are control freaks . In one heated telephone exchange I pointed out that my gender issues weren’t the problem , the fact is she had lost control of me ! With that she said , ” you’re ******* right and slammed the phone down .
Sometimes we need to stand back and consider the truth question is only part of the equation , jealousy , envy , loss of control , perhaps heartache can give distorted versions of the truth , we have to accept we may never resolve them. As humans we have to accept the damage has been done , the one truth we need to accept is we have to move on , sometimes mediation is a lost cause .