As much as I try, I can not block the news out.
I thought we could get a ‘break’ from all things politics as we traveled abroad.
But that’s not how the interconnectedness of the internet works.
The world is smaller.
We are a global community.
Most often reminded of this truth on our worst days.
We like being able to identify the ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys.’
It makes us feel safer.
For if we identify the bad guys, we can avoid them.
And most importantly – bad things can’t happen to us.
So we lean into our ‘sureness’ of the ‘bad guys’ and climb on our soapboxes to dole out the ‘truth.’
Yet soapboxes fail us. Especially when things are gray.
And things become gray quickly.
If ‘they’ would only see what I see, then ‘we’ would be safe.
What if I came up with ‘just the right phrase’ to make them understand?
Then they could see…
BUT they, and I, can not see.
I can not see in full.
Nor can They see in full.
WE see in part. We see ONLY in part.
Our experience, our nationality, our ‘tribe’ are the first lens limiting our view.
The media – who is reporting the global event is another lens.
Then our own particular biases add another lens.
Trauma adds another lens. So does education.
And so on, and so on…
We are also not viewing the global event from the same vantage point.
Some are below, some above, some up close and some far away.
Global does not mean we actually see the same event the SAME.
It means an event draws enough attention that builds a global audience with many varying perspectives.
We are the audience. Some have better seats. Some paid more while others got a deal.
Some only have a partial view. The ‘obstructed’ view seats.
While others are in the back row and can’t hear the words.
Some are too close in the front row and can’t see the whole picture.
And the seats change. Often.
Perspective does dictate experience.
There is so much hindering each of our views.
I realize when I put one foot on the soapbox, I am not seeing enough.
So sure in my perspective, so righteous in my point of view, I become painfully aware of my privilege.
I remember one of my favorite mantras, ‘Trade your certainty for, ‘I don’t know.’
What happens then?
I don’t know from so far away. I don’t know from the safety of my tribe. I don’t know who the bad guy is. I’m unsure who the good guy is.
I don’t know.
I don’t know a lot, but I do know the soapbox doesn’t work.
I don’t feel safer by not knowing, but I do feel I have a chance to understand more by ignoring those on soapboxes.