Many people walk around with “blinders” on; “blinders” are meant to be on horses, to keep their focus on the view that is directly in front of them, they block peripheral & rear vision; which is precisely why they were made for horses and …not humans. When wearing blinders one cannot see what’s going on around them or behind them, it limits the view to strictly what is in front of them (the obvious, the surface) and no more.
Ever hear a word you swear you’ve never heard or seen before? You look up the meaning and make a note of it. Recently, ergo was one such word for me. Then after you learn and are aware of it you start hearing and seeing it everywhere.
Ever drive down a street you have driven down a thousand times before and see something you’ve never seen before? You are convinced it just popped up out of nowhere. Then you learn it is a business or building that has been there for years and you scratch your head bewildered at your lack of awareness.
I work with a woman for whom English is her second language. She is very intelligent and has done a wonderful job of mastering English to the point she has no problem carrying on a high-level conversation. Yet she still makes blatant grammatical errors that hurt the native speaker’s ears but go unnoticed by her.
These examples shed light on a phenomenon each of us has going on inside our heads. We all go along in life wearing what I call our perception blinders. These are the lenses we use to see, process, make sense of and judge the world around us. They filter out things that don’t fit into our general belief system and they let in ideas that do.
These blinders are part of our discrimination mechanism allowing us to determine who we like, what we like, how we like to spend our time, what actions are good and what actions we consider abhorrent. These blinders started forming almost immediately after our birth (some contend the process even starts before a person is born) and they continue to define themselves as we go through life. As we age our blinders tend to solidify and are subject to less change. We basically become more “set in our ways”.
There are several sources forming our perception blinders in each of our lives. Where you were brought up is a major contributor. The society in which you live and the government that you live under play a huge role. How your parents raised you is another. The schools you attended and the teachers you had all influenced your perceptions of the world and the blinders you formed. Of course your friends and associates all played a significant role too.
One of the largest contributors shaping and forming your life blinders comes from your religious beliefs. It dictates for you what is good and evil; what are the rules of life’s engagement. It defines the path you should follow to lead the “good life”. Your religion helps you determine where you fit into the big picture of existence. It helps you figure out what your role is in the grand scheme of things.
Religion also allows you to classify people. You have the “good” people and the “bad people; the chosen people and the heathens; the saved people and the condemned people.
Blinders tend to fight against open mindedness. They tend to restrict the possible. They fight against exposure and acceptance of the new. They tend to diminish empathy and compassion for the “other way”. They foster the “my way or the highway” mindset.
Perception blinders can keep us from learning. They can keep us from being able to make accurate assessments and decisions of discernment with regard to others and the world around us.
It is impossible to function in this world without blinders. But we must realize the root of the word is “blind”. We must fight against the potential for the damaging blinding impact they can have on our thinking.
As Holy Shitters we strive to jump out of the blinder box in our thinking. We attempt to accomplish this through our commitment to the ass-forward waste-end first way of thinking. Through our awareness of the Eat/Shit Shitloop Cycle and our practice of the Sacrament of Holy Shitting we strive to pry open ever wider the blinders we can’t live without!
Beware of patriotic blinders.
The Church of the Holy Shitters will post articles on our holy S.H.I.T. day ( So Happy It's Thursday)
Last week: 2/20/14 - Having Wisdom
Next week: 3/6/14 - Is Stupidity Winning the Climate Change Argument?
Hoping to add some humor, provoke thought, spark debate, deepen understanding, and shed some light on the fecal side.
Remember: "If we really want to straighten out all this crap we really need to think about shit." ( Shitbit by Poop John the First of the Church of the Holy Shitters)
Church of the Holy Shitters
A secular environmental religion, scientifically based, with a focus on the psychology of it all. Our ego is the culprit when it comes to dealing with climate change. We cannot save the planet. We can only save ourselves. Our current egotistical self-perception makes that prospect a dubious one at best. Meekness, humility and a realization that our shit does stink, guides us on our path to true sustainable living and climate equilibrium.
Cross posted at http://holyshitters.com/