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Everyone’s Reality Is Different, and Here’s Why That’s Important
The Golden Rule needs a rewrite.
What Is Reality?
It’s one of the great philosophical debates.
Is it fixed, or is it determined primarily by our own perception?
Think back to an argument you had with someone where your interpretation of events was different from theirs. Perhaps one of you read a tone of voice as angry, and the other heard one of concern. Or, one remembered some details and forgot others in a common episode of selective recall.
When two people can’t agree on what really happened, it makes for some interesting and lengthy conflicts — or courtroom dramas.
To a great extent, one’s personal reality is malleable, and marketers have been using this knowledge for decades. An example of this is putting a price next to a much larger one, so it seems like a bargain when in fact, it’s a whopping 150% over cost! The “marked down” price of $199 looks good next to the “retail” price of $319.
Time is another example. How often has the time gone by fast or slow depending on the activity, or you argued with someone over how long a project should take?
While one could argue that there is one central Reality, our own perception greatly shapes how we see, hear, and experience the world. We often see ourselves differently from how other people perceive us, and in some cases, the disparity can be pathological.
When I feel like I’m greatly out of touch with Reality, meaning that what I’m experiencing externally is grossly misaligned with what I’m experiencing internally, I check in with trusted people. Getting direct and honest feedback from others is one of my main ways of getting back into alignment.
I call this reality vs. Reality, where reality is my own perception, and Reality is synonymous with truth.
The Golden Rule
“Treat others how you would like to be treated.”
We’ve heard it since kindergarten…maybe even preschool; it doesn’t matter. It’s the rule we’ve always tried to live by, but here’s why it needs a rewrite.
