I had the following conversation recently.
“Do you think Zelensky started the war in the Ukraine like Trump has alleged?”
“I don’t know.”
“How can you not know? Don’t you watch the news?”
“The news people are biased pro and con.”
“Are you uninformed? It’s plain when you get the facts.”
“I don’t have enough information to know what the truth is.”
“You are a nincompoop.” (This last line may have been more inferred rather than stated😉)
Friends and neighbors, can we agree that our perceptions of the truth and what the truth is are not always the same? Have you ever had the experience of feeling like you knew something only to change your mind after you get more information?
Here’s another example:
“He’s a selfish person.” (perception of the truth)
“That may be so, but he takes food to several widows.” (fact)
“Maybe he’s not as bad as I thought.” (adjusted perception)
History books change their narrative depending upon who is writing the story and when they are viewing it. History textbooks in most countries have been tools to foster nationalism and patriotism and to promote the most favorable version of national history. Undoubtedly, there will be many versions of who started the Ukrainian War, depending upon the writer’s perception.
As we make our personal decisions about how to view current world events — not just the Ukraine War — I suggest we:
1) Don’t jump too quickly to conclusions.
2) Be open-minded to adjusting our perception when further information comes.
– by Karen Munson
Read more from Karen in Pillar of Society: Civil Discourse.
Karen M. Munson – Escalante
Karen is an associate editor at The Byway. She is fascinated and fulfilled by all things involved with writing. After graduating from BYU, she taught English at Escalante High School for three years. She pursues opportunities to write and support others in their writing. Karen has published three books with four more scheduled to be released in 2024. She and Reed are the parents of ten children and the grandparents of 35 grandchildren.
Karen is the author of the New Twist on Mental Health column in The Byway.