There has been a lot going on in our world lately, much of it with the capacity to induce fear and angst, much of it bringing world views, personal opinions and challenging concepts right up into our faces no matter where we are living and what our story holds. I'm going out on a limb touching on some contentious topics that have divided people into particular camps of thought, my thoughts in this blog are about the bigger picture scenario, I'd just like to share my perspective on having 'different views'.
The main point I want to make is that there are many ways to look at one thing, so many in fact that there becomes a myriad of truths and perspectives which applies to that one thing (this is so with absolutely everything - everything can be argued for or against in many ways). The best way to make this point is to share a couple of examples from these huge events that are currently shaping our world. These are examples from my experience as information and topics were thrust at me through mainstream and social media. And trust me I will only touch on some of the views that I have seen in each example.
I will start with the complex simplicity of numbers - Covid 19 statistics, as the pandemic began to work its way around our world and into all forms of media I was transfixed by numbers, I watched them closely and I watched the questions being formed and answers being derived from these numbers. I am no mathematician by any stretch but I am a nurse who has worked with statistics and research for years and did pretty well at maths at school... and I began to see issues, I began to read about issues, I began to questions some things. To start with numbers are only as good as those reporting or collecting them, with Covid there is gross over reporting and gross under reporting (will they balance out???) and it's different in each country. Different even in each hospital or health department and there are so many reasons why it's different I won't list them here. The numbers are also difficult to ascertain because of lack of testing, to get a true picture all must be tested, will the testing used be accurate?, will the tester do it correctly, will the country be able to afford testing etc. So of course there were big issues in gaining the numbers. Then came the questions which of course determine the answers from these numbers, my experience with research and numbers is the answer will differ (slightly or grossly) depending on the question asked of those numbers. I think I could see these and more issues because of experience but also because I wasn't coming from a place of fear, fear does not serve me well so I chose not to partake in the swirling fear that has accompanied Covid 19. It's amazing what you can see when fear is not present.
At some point I chose to stop following the numbers so avidly, I could see there were also other questions to be asked, there were different ways to see the answers, in fact there were many ways to see the numbers, it all comes down to the personal perspective of the person asking and the agenda they may be asking with. For me it was a case of put the numbers down and step away from the table, I couldn't change it or control it and it started to frustrate me so I stepped away. Same numbers - many different perspectives.
Another example for me of different views is related to the pulling down of statues in response to the death of George Floyd. Statues that represent such things as slavery, rape, violence and destruction by white people. As these stories began to unfold on all forms of media of course I began to form viewpoints but I very quickly stepped back as there were too many ways that I personally could look at this, I had too many views. And to make this clear all these viewpoints arose from these aspects of my thinking, I oppose racism, I oppose celebrating those that have done significant harm, I believe in a human race and in a heart spaced earth.
As the comments and information flowed in I realised I could see many angles in my view, yet I watched as people around me transfixed on singular viewpoints. So here is an overview to share in the order that information flowed to me...
1. Take down the statues/memorials etc of the white people who caused such oppression and violence (my thoughts, yes take them down, lets not lose them lets make a museum so we learn from them)
2. So the next topic popping up was take down the statues/memorials etc of any people who caused such oppression and violence, an eg. our local revered figure who was not targeted as he is not white yet he has a very poor history. (my thoughts, well yes this is about all people, any form of this behaviour is not acceptable)
3. The next articles pointed out not all statues are correctly represented in history - some stories were not what is generally thought. (my thoughts - wtf I never considered that, we must take care to avoid hype and fact check)
4. Then came do we destroy remembrance sites such as the Auschwitz Memorial because of the atrocities it represents. (my thoughts - oooh no it serves as a reminder to never ever do that again, uh oh should we keep statues up and re write the plaques)
5. And the final piece for me was an article on how currently as we speak there is slavery in our world, there is human trafficking and other atrocities and with or without realising it pretty much most people in the world are supporting it in one way or another by what they buy, what they watch and who they follow and it is not only 1 race of people that is perpetrating these crimes against humanity. (my thoughts were, oh shit thats so true I am so likely to be buying stuff made by people in forms of slavery because I shop at certain shops and I don't even know where they get their supplies from - wtf and many other swear words cos this really sucks, its the here and now, there's no excuse for this behaviour ever - its almost like I cant see it so it must not be happening - yet it is, right now).
With my hands thrown in the air I am exclaiming "OMG I have added to my viewpoint with each article" how can I chat to people and they understand that I can see truth in all points. Yes all these points have arguments for and against, but once entrenched in making a point you begin to lose sight of all the other perspectives, and each perspective has the merit of truth.
What this has taught me is to be aware of my bigger picture, how do I treat people, who do I align with and spend time with? How can I educate myself more? What ways can I work on my thinking and what ways can I add to the positive shifts and change for humanity and world. And I see clearly there is no singular way to view or define any one thing. But the biggest point to me in the end was 'if you align with an energy you add to that energy', to align as such is not the problem but to become fixed in that energy just might be - is that the energy you want to carry into the future, is that the way you want things to be tomorrow.
I personally think we must have opinions, world views, personal views etc, this is what shapes the world, this is what expands conversations and stimulates thinking. I think it all goes terribly wrong when we stick to those opinions, world views and personal views, when we entrench ourselves into justifying and pushing our views onto others, when we close our minds to other possibilities and when we get stuck in a time and a space with that view. Beliefs are imperative they can be empowering, joyous or clarifying but they can be polarising and destructive if they are not allowed to expand and shift with learnings and time.
So from me to you-
Are you stuck in a thought pattern or a perspective, if you're digging your toes in you are closing down possibility's.
Always be open to more information or another viewpoint, there are many rights as there are many wrongs.
It's best we don't ignore what's been before, instead learn from it, bank it in the layers of all that's been before, it's all learning, it's how we have got here right now.
By submersing yourself in an energy you are carrying it forwards with you. Are you learning, knowing and then leaving that energy in the timeline it belongs, or are you taking the brunt of it with you wherever you go.
Choose what energy you would like to align with, does angst or anger work for you, what about fear does that make you feel good, if not then search for that inner peace, search for that knowledge that can show you another way to see. Heart based - Heart spaced.
Never stop learning and improving, yes we can change our world when we unite and we can also change it from within too, however you improve yourself all those around you will benefit by osmosis.
We shouldn't live in the future as its not here yet but we can choose steps to make it so much better, we can choose what energy we would like to take with us as we move forward and we can always change as we go for our own greater good and the greater good of all.
Thanks for reading
Jenny xx