Widespread information and misinformation have created extreme thought and polarization throughout the world as people and nature race toward extremes.
THE UNIVERSE WITHIN
Perceptions of the world around us
We all share space on this planet, an infinitesimal speck in the vastness of the universe. Yet, we spend our lives within a much smaller, more restrictive world; our own concept of reality; the personal universe within our mind.
Our brain, the computer controlling body and mind, accumulates and processes data. Unlike machines we’ve created, egos and emotions affect how we view the greater universe in which we exist, often placing us in conflict with others as well as with reality.
Thus, despite living together and interacting with our environment, sharing so much in common, people tend to see things in different ways; personal realities differing widely; often to extremes. Based on accumulated data; true or false, biased by emotions; perspectives are created about the world in which we exist and motivate us in the ways we interact within it.
Beginning
Exiting the comfort of the womb, senses awaken accumulating input from the world around as the adventure of life begins. Taking root as people and environment invade our data base, a unique universe rapidly expands. Earliest memories, lost to consciousness, have lasting impacts.
Forming relationships with our peers, those of similar knowledge and beliefs create groups. As development progresses, groups to which each individual belongs become more specialized; family, social, occupational…
School
Acclimating to an educational environment at an early age improves ability to adapt. Education and socialization in pre-school tend to produce adults with greater learning abilities and social skills.
With school comes bullies, often leaving severe scars on one’s psyche. Abusive adults, sometimes teachers, can lead to fear and depression emanating in self-defeating behavior and warped perspectives.
In our teens, as sexuality and independence develop, awareness takes a giant leap. It’s an age of exploration; places to go, things to do and try; mistakes made in abundance; some grievous. Opinions are taking hold…whether or not in sync with reality. For most, a future direction is becoming real.
Higher education
Certainly, level of education will have an influence on perception. Exposure to different subjects and ideas enables a mind opening experience. Attending school in a different environment can be a real eye opener aside from the academic setting.
As a New Yorker, attending school in the rural Midwest was a revelation. Overall, I found people friendly and caring with open evidence of prejudices; not necessarily destructive but notable. Lack of exposure to a cosmopolitan lifestyle was apparent. Those who would visit a large city tended to be lost in an atmosphere of confusion; easy prey for those who might take advantage.
A lesser education tends to be a handicap to a better job while superior knowledge generally creates further understanding. Yet, there are well educated people who just don’t get it and those without much schooling having deep insights.
Urban vs. rural
A wide chasm in perspective is the divide between urban and rural communities. City life is fast paced and complex with much more to cope with on a daily basis. Dealing with cultural diversity and multiple layers of bureaucracy create awareness as well as greater urgency and stress. With its benefits, life in a big city can be a chore in itself.
Rural life is slower and casual. People tend to be culturally similar and know most within their community. Exposed to fewer cultures and institutions, it’s a simpler lifestyle with fewer diversions; fewer decisions.
Small town Americans often look at city dwellers with suspicion; elitists not to be trusted; while urbanites are inclined to view rural folk as naïve and backward. Personal universes are diverse with conflicting interpretations.
Mutual distrust, along with today’s spread of misinformation, has created extremely different perspectives. A person in Wyoming and one from New York City might as well be from different planets despite similar core beliefs.
Culture
Place of upbringing is highly impactful. Those arriving in America from places with disciplined urban cultures are generally assimilated in a generation, rapidly embracing the American dream in achieving a middle class lifestyle or better. Those from rural societies can take generations, if ever.
Where one is educated has much to do with perception.
A friend, originally from Russia, had noted, “I can’t stand that Obama. He talks about redistribution of wealth. That’s Stalin!” Really?
Another quotes the Soviet Union’s version of history, notably more distorted than ours.
Many Afro-Americans tend to be distrustful of institutions and policy. Abominable treatment endured from mainstream society provides good reason. Abuse occurs to this day and is policy in some states as enlightened views are regarded with distrust.
There have been recent attempts to catch up with reality and admit sins of the past. In some parts of the nation however, the mindset is dominated by those with narrow outlooks and greater emphasis on emotion and ego. Mechanical resistance results in books banned and history distorted.
Religion
Religion predates civilizations and remains an important part of our culture. In America as in most of the industrial world however, we live in an increasingly secular society defined [theoretically] by equal rights and separation of church and state. It has been a long and difficult road as society transitions from a world dominated by superstition and religion to one where scientific proof governs realistic decisions. We’re still having difficulty on that bumpy, twisting path as personal realities differ extensively.
There is one concept where science and religion converge. Although the exact words may differ, just about every religion accentuates the concept of what we call the Golden Rule, “do unto others…” It is fact that we succeed when we cooperate. Divisive dogma however, often takes precedence, disregarding the prime directive of both science and religion.
Occupation
Occupation, whether a dedicated career or simply a means of income, has a major role in forming one’s universe. Peers, organizational pressure, income and skill sets create biases on worldview.
Every career has its own agenda and prejudices, often blinded to different concepts.
Shortly after January 6, 2021, a distinguished economist, in his column in the NY Times, described speaking to top academics of various political persuasions in the fields of economics and political science. He noted that none were able to trace the path leading to the social polarization and political dysfunction today.
…no connection with specialized disciplines. (The Legitimization of Ignorance)
Perspectives of power
The greatest factor in determining global perspective is wealth which, throughout the history of civilization, has translated to power. Money is the conclusive decision maker, too often overriding scientific reality.
Relative wealth tends to define people as much as anything. The wealthiest; today’s global royalty; dominate, defending their power at all costs.
Those within the corporate universe hold sway over policy, controlling resources necessary to maintain societies. We are reliant on services and goods but obsession with money and power without restraint has caused planetary chaos.
While working on a project for the proposed Brooklyn Bridge Park, with the Atlantic Yards development nearby, I observed the absolute dominance of money. Billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg brought in developers and steamrolled over those in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the borough.
Everything is relative as even those with elite educations, living in multimillion dollar townhouses, couldn’t deter the juggernaut of the uber rich.
In the universe of the 1% science works for their enrichment, whether or not for people and planet.
Increases in population are considered necessary for economic growth. Yet, we’re eating up resources and driving other species into extinction as humanity’s numbers and needs outpace the needs of nature to maintain its balance.
Climate change is increasingly generating devastation planet-wide as most meaningful controls are compromised or rejected.
Mass murders occur repeatedly in America as realistic solutions are blocked.
When problems become predictively destructive, threatening lives and eco-systems, solutions are slow to come and, when they do, are gradual and poorly implemented.
Media
Print, radio, television, and primarily the internet, have a huge part in forming and reinforcing opinion. These are our windows into the world. But, which world? Today, with such a wide variety of sources and opinions, it’s difficult for the largely uninformed to know the truth. The unaware tend to believe what comforts them, often buying into concepts alien to reality.
The internet, that great purveyor of truth and lies, is guilty of creating false beliefs that wreak havoc throughout society.
Media giant Fox News models facts for ratings, recently involved in scandals knowingly spreading falsehoods. Condoning the antisocial agenda of their loyal viewers, they reinforce the lies that abound on the internet.
Among the best of media however, we are not always approached directly and honestly. How many issues are trivialized or omitted?
Uniqueness of the individual
Interpretation of input is largely influenced by ego and emotions. With accumulation of data, our emotions develop as well…with numerous variables and considerable confusion.
Positive emotions; love, happiness; are wonderful feelings, cherished and embraced. Scars originating in childhood however, can have effects on psyches, creating negative behavior patterns.
Fear can be crippling, creating suspicion of things and people unknown, often motivating irrational behavior. Individual comfort zones vary; some at ease exploring while others avoid or attack.
Lack of knowledge and understanding can lead to frustration and anger, often boiling over into violence. Those with limited outlooks are open to fantastic lies so common today, with many acting on them as people inflict severe cruelty in the name of morality.
Vital for compatibility is empathy; the ability to feel for others. Mutual empathy creates trust and compassion. Most empathize with those emotionally closest; family, close friends. Others might extend it to others they know and there are those who feel for other species (Animals are People Too).
People also empathize with images: celebrities, those in the news; we cry at movies.
Ability to empathize varies by individual. Some cannot relate at all. Self absorbed, they might appear to have a warm persona but actual feelings for others are vacant.
Most importantly, empathy can control ego, directing it constructively.
In a perfect world empathy is universally nurtured by loving parents in a comfortable environment. With such a multitude of beliefs, emotions and living conditions, there’s a long way to go toward conquering the evils within necessary for a universal comfort zone.
Universes collide
We live today in a universe of frustration, fear, anger and violence. Traveling blindly through reality, personal perspectives are in constant conflict as anger dominates within and throughout societies. Battles rage with stalwarts of past prejudices standing fast against realistic solutions, opposing those dealing with new concepts and positive directions. The divisiveness serves those controlling our resources, preventing agreement on viable resolutions that might diminish their wealth.
Absorbed in daily lives, people don’t look very deeply beyond, virtually dead ending their conceptual growth. Remaining within one’s comfort zone decisions are emotionally based on ingrown beliefs. Following the lead of a dominant personality or public figure relieves the need to deal with people and issues unknown. Many simply shrug and ignore matters altogether while others fight for causes well beyond their understanding.
As nature fights back against human abuse, universes collide from the streets to the highest levels of government (Humanity at War with Itself). The economic elite dominate, abusing people and resources, ignoring consequences. Lust for power motivates accumulation of wealth beyond reason; ignorance incites actions against restraints (The Legitimization of Ignorance).
Governments vary to extremes, from virtual anarchy to enlightened democracy. Dictators murder and deny their countrymen; theocracies inflict brutality in the name of religion. Even the most enlightened governments are under threat as principles are being attacked and compromised.
Where are we going?
Culture wars rage in America as one mindset entrenched in government, rather than govern, focuses mindlessly on attacking individuals and issues of the opposition; no compromise, no viable alternatives. World wide, governments and economies are in disarray as climate change wreaks havoc and conflicts increase among nations and people.
With a global society dependent on technology and such a wide variation in social and economic conditions, many independent universes in conflict, problems seem insurmountable. Yet, there is progress being made in many fields as science continues moving forward; a universe with wonders of technology and science capable of rising to dire situations.
With a global economy, all out war is virtually a thing of the past, relegated to underdeveloped nations and proxy wars. Economic competition dominates as obtaining and building profitable markets is priority.
In this atmosphere, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and others whose egos transcend national and international reality are anomalies yet still capable of drastic harm to populations and economies.
The war is within as nations fight among and within themselves and individuals battle with reality.
Will humanity ever grow up?
Global society today is in a period of transition. Economies are interdependent as societies, previously alien to each other, have grave problems adjusting. Within societies, exclusiveness of the past battles growing diversity as extreme wealth tightens its grip on power. Ensuing chaos stifles viable solutions to mounting global problems.
This is the first time that humanity has had the ability to interact globally. Economies are entwined but societies are not. Governments are divided and people even more so. In human terms, our global civilization is analogous to teenagers adjusting to adulthood. Mistakes are the rule, often catastrophic; so many national and individual universes in conflict, frequently existing on the brink of disaster.
The most difficult problem facing society today is the reconciliation of the abundance of universes within that have brought us to this point in time.
Are we to be controlled by anger? Will our prejudices and divisiveness push us over the brink to another dark age or will we be able to overcome the sins of our past? For peace and progress we need unity of thought; a universal comfort zone based on scientific reality that serves the needs of people and planet.
The solution lies only with a global perspective that works for all; a realistic marriage of religion and science; the compatibility of empathy and ego. Impossible today but…
Links: