We're not so different, you and I

I think one big mistake that people tend to make is thinking that people are so different than them. I don't honestly remember where exactly I intended to go with this subject, as I have been meaning to write about it for awhile. But we will see how things go.

One situation I constantly find myself in, and I am sure many of you do too, is when you cross paths with a person you have just recently met. As they get nearer and nearer you see them and think, "I sort of met them at that party" You debate whether to wave, say hi, nod, or even start a conversation. Usually I, shamefully, end up pretending I don't see them to avoid the entire conflict. What if they don't remember meeting you? What if the entire situation will seem awkward and you seem like a creeper?

Afterwards I always regret not saying hi. I mean, if I remember them, and they weren't that exciting of a person, why wouldn't they remember me? It's not as if everyone else but me has random blackouts where they don't remember their past. Why wouldn't I say hi? They probably saw me pass and wondered why the hell I was such a jerk, not acknowledging them.

Probably not though. This is a classic situation in thinking that other people are so different than me. The other person probably went through the exact same thought process that I went to, and decided to do the same thing as me.

AHH, now I remember where I was going with this. People always seem to demonize the opposition. Democrats think that Republicans are all out there trying to maliciously destroy their plans. Republicans probably think that all Democrats are out there trying to bring the U.S. into communism to destroy the values of former America. When in reality, it's probably more that Republicans think they know what is right, just as Democrats do, and both are simply fighting for what they believe in, which just happens to differ with the opposition greatly. Because both sides are so sure that they are right, the other side claiming that they are right seems offensively idiotic.

Really think though. Think about yourself. Are you capable of being directly malicious? Honestly wanting harm to come to another? Have you really known that many people, or anybody, who honestly wanted harm to come to another person? I mean in such a way that it wasn't just a misunderstanding, but in an intrinsically evil way? I know that I have never met a person who themselves were really what you would call evil. I know that I have sometimes done malicious things, but never because I was out to hurt anyone, it was always because I wasn't thinking straight, or because of a large misunderstanding.

If you yourself aren't capable of evil things, and you've never really met anyone "evil" (maybe you have) then why is it so easy to write opposing organizations and people off as demons?

This is something we are often taught at a very young age, but sometimes I need reminding. This realization applies to just about any situation in which people interact. It's all a matter of putting yourself in the other person's shoes, and imagining them in yours.

Let's take Hitler, because he's the most extreme example I can think of. Rather than demonize him, let's try to understand him. Here we have a guy who has grown to think that his country, and his people are truly the best things to inhabit the planet, he also honestly believes, just as you do that milk builds strong bones, that "undesirable races" were truly hurting the existence of the human race. He was brought up in some messed up ways, and he himself was not what you'd call mentally stable.

So was Hitler out there to be a tyrant, a force of evil, destroying goodness in the world? I'd dare say not, he was just an extremely misled person with extreme beliefs and a lot of political talent to act on those beliefs. Now I'm not saying we should have just given Hitler hugs, but I'm saying he is a person who himself was misunderstood, and had a lot of misunderstandings about the world, that he let take control of him.

I want to rid the world of this idea of evil. I don't know that you will ever come across someone who claims openly to be a force of evil, who is, actually evil. In that case, the person is probably just being controlled by their misunderstandings as well.

I can name tons upon tons of things that I have thought negatively about, then learned more about, and then thought positively about. I can name so many misconceptions and misunderstandings I have had over the years that I formerly believed so whole-heartedly in. Why is now any different? I don't think it is. I am excited for ten years from now when I can add thousands more misconceptions that I have now that have been corrected in those ten years.

What I'm saying in all this is there really is no such thing as "evil" evil is just another word for misunderstanding, or ignorance. The only way we can defeat "evil" is through understanding, and the understanding that things I may think I understand now, could one day prove to be completely misled. Maybe it's just the optimist in me, but I think people are good. They are capable of great bad, but I think if sought, understanding of those bad acts can either be understood, or discovered to not actually be bad.

This is one thing that bugs me about people who are so set in a particular belief system, because it so quickly rules out allllll the other possibilities. It doesn't give so much of the rest of the world a chance. It limits their scope.

Try to apply this in life people.

My biggest problem with this is thinking that other people's minds cannot operate in the same fashion mine does. They don't have the thoughts I do. Their life is different.

As I grow older, and share more experiences I realize this isn't true. It's arrogant to think that others minds can't experience the same things mine does.

You're about to get into a fight. That person's mind works the same way yours does. What's really going on here?

A person has completely opposing beliefs, they must be an idiot. That person's mind works the same way yours does. What's really going on here?

You are passing a casual acquaintance on the street. They probably don't remember you. That person's mind works the same way yours does. What's really going on here.

I guess it all comes down to what a pretty smart prophet said back in the day. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" Not saying those words are divine, but they sure hold a lot of truth.