It gives us immense delight to be correct. And the sweetness of being able to say to someone, “I told you so,” is quite unparalleled.
But this satisfaction of being correct can only come from “seeing things as it is.”
To see things as it is – means to unearth our hidden assumptions about ourselves and others, verify them with the external reality, and then allow this reality to either confirm or refute our assumptions.
But as flawed individuals, we find that the external reality often contradicts our internal assumptions, particularly regarding people we don’t know well.
So then why would each of us examine our assumptions and biases at the risk of being wrong? What’s in it for us?
The sanity that comes from no longer having false certainties.
When we challenge our baseless assumptions about ourselves based on their gender, ethnicity, age, and personality, we become saner. Likewise, when we challenge our irrational assumptions about people based on their gender, ethnicity, age, and personality, we become saner.
Even if the world is prettier through pink sunglasses, I would rather the sanity of still seeing the world as it is than how these tainted lenses would have me.
