Real American Rant

One of the main downfalls with solving problems, politically as well as everyday, can be summed up with one word: assumptions. Everyone assumes a ridiculous number of things every day. I have an oak door on the front of my house with a window in the top half of it through which I can see who knocks on my door. When someone does knock on my door I like to walk up to it and stand there staring at them – without opening the door. They, of course, assumed I would walk up, open the door and greet them – they were wrong. The way in which one reacts to this speaks volumes about their mindset. It’s really quite humorous, you know, if you’re warped like me.

When someone makes assumptions about anything I believe they are already at a disadvantage of sorts. If I am firmly convinced, unwaveringly so, that a certain box is blue and you are of the same opinion that it is red, the damn thing will be purple for eternity. What must happen with the box argument  is a willingness to understand why the opposing argument is valid as well rather than simply assuming that I’m right and you are wrong.  The box may indeed be both red and blue. The box, in fact, is white. The glasses I’m wearing have a blue tint and yours have a red tint. The only way that both you and I will agree on the color of the box is if we both take off the glasses. We can then agree on the color of the box or at least concede that what we thought it was is not, in fact, the case. Only when we both take off the glasses can we solve the problem. If only I take off mine you would still see a red box. You will insist to the end of the earth that the box is red when I can clearly see it is not. If you are unwilling to take off your glasses, examine your assumptions, the argument will never be solved.

The mindset that I am right and that makes you wrong never solves anything. It only gives people something to argue without solving anything. We have a word for that in this country – Congress. While you still wear your glasses I will never convince you that I may be right.  I, however, can understand why you think the box is red. If you, at that point, are unwilling to try and understand why I now think the box is white we will never solve anything. We have too many politicians trying to prove the other guy wrong rather than attempting to prove their own views correct. No one argues or debates for their own position, they simply argue against the other guy.

Until people lose their “I’m right makes you wrong” mentality we will continue along a course that allows stagnation in politics. Only when people can debate why their opinion is correct rather than why someone else’s is wrong will anything significant happen in anything resembling a timely manner. Only when you are able to examine your own assumptions will you be able to understand someone else’s. Information, understanding is the key to problem solving. I could argue until I’m blue in the face about how wrong you are about the red box, or I could explain that I thought it was blue until I took off the blue glasses. I could explain that I can now see a white box and if you would be willing to take off your glasses you may see the same white box. I must be willing to take off my glasses and explain my position by understanding what is happening. If you are unwilling to do the same it leads nowhere. If you do not listen to why I believe my opinion is correct nothing will happen. You will simply argue that I’m an idiot and the box is clearly red. You assume I see things the same as you. Only by each of us reexamining our own assumptions can anything be accomplished. If you think about the box, we’re both right, from our own point of view. Until either of us concedes that the other may be correct as well, nothing happens. You know . . . Congress.