Preception and reality

[BrokenQuill92]

Through my blindness I find that my idea of reality is changed. I don't have quite as many pre-conceived notions about the world. Instead of taking the world at a glance and making a swift judgment I must wait, listen, touch( if I can) and carefully evaluate my surroundings. For instance if I hear running water I cannot automatically assume there is actual water near me. I must wait. See if anyone else notices water. Check for the smell of water. Or notice water by touch. Otherwise the sound of water could just be a recording of running water. I never really noticed how the loss of one sense drastically alters whether I am neutral, passive, or active in my judgement calls.

[*Deidre*]

Through my blindness I find that my idea of reality is changed. I don't have quite as many pre-conceived notions about the world. Instead of taking the world at a glance and making a swift judgment I must wait, listen, touch( if I can) and carefully evaluate my surroundings. For instance if I hear running water I cannot automatically assume there is actual water near me. I must wait. See if anyone else notices water. Check for the smell of water. Or notice water by touch. Otherwise the sound of water could just be a recording of running water. I never really noticed how the loss of one sense drastically alters whether I am neutral, passive, or active in my judgement calls.

This is really an interesting insight into things.

I was thinking for the past few days, something along similar lines. When I was a Christian, how I used to believe people at face value, rather than letting their actions speak for themselves. Right away, I'd believe people, trust people (men mainly) too quickly. I allowed many toxic people into my life, because as a 'good Christian,' I was taught to always be forgiving. Always looking for the good in people, even when they didn't honestly deserve it. I dated a number of 'bad guys,' applying this thinking. I remember a few years back, reading that Pat Robertston had advised a caller who was being abused by her husband, to 'keep praying, that God wouldn't want her to divorce. To pray for her husband.' What a fucking idiot, to advise a woman to stay in harm's way, because ''God might be mad at her.''

In another thread here today, there is a discussion about comparing these two concepts...of reality vs perception. Can our perceptions of things become our reality? I'd say, in some cases, yes. There was a time, when I once perceived the Bible to be a true account of how Christianity came to be, but after researching for a few years, and self reflection, I realized it wasn't based in 'reality.' That my perceptions were leading me away from genuine reality. Objective reality.

Now, I use reality to well... judge reality. lol I look at how people treat me, not just the words they are saying, anymore. If I date a guy, and he says a lot of great things, but in his actions, doesn't respect me...he's out. My perceptions are matching more and more to what actual reality really is, day by day. It's a great feeling to no longer live in just my own perceptions of reality, but rather reality itself.

Like your water example, I now ''wait'' to see if reality matches my perception of a given situation.

Great thread topic. I hope more people chime in.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

Through my blindness I find that my idea of reality is changed. I don't have quite as many pre-conceived notions about the world. Instead of taking the world at a glance and making a swift judgment I must wait, listen, touch( if I can) and carefully evaluate my surroundings. For instance if I hear running water I cannot automatically assume there is actual water near me. I must wait. See if anyone else notices water. Check for the smell of water. Or notice water by touch. Otherwise the sound of water could just be a recording of running water. I never really noticed how the loss of one sense drastically alters whether I am neutral, passive, or active in my judgement calls.

If you're actually blind how do you read the comments? Or are you using a Biblical metaphor?

[BrokenQuill92]

Through my blindness I find that my idea of reality is changed. I don't have quite as many pre-conceived notions about the world. Instead of taking the world at a glance and making a swift judgment I must wait, listen, touch( if I can) and carefully evaluate my surroundings. For instance if I hear running water I cannot automatically assume there is actual water near me. I must wait. See if anyone else notices water. Check for the smell of water. Or notice water by touch. Otherwise the sound of water could just be a recording of running water. I never really noticed how the loss of one sense drastically alters whether I am neutral, passive, or active in my judgement calls.

If you're actually blind how do you read the comments? Or are you using a Biblical metaphor?

Actually blind here:

[Alex K]

If you're actually blind how do you read the comments? Or are you using a Biblical metaphor?

You come across as a bit of a prick here...

[max-greece]

Broken,

That's the coolest thing I ever saw. I had no idea an ipad could do that. The speed with which the thing talks to you is almost nonsense to me but I guess that is something you have gotten used to.

It just amazes me that you can navigate around the screen. How easy is it to switch tabs, load up another site and so on?

Also - have you tried dictating your responses to the ipad? I don't know how good it is with the spoken word - I guess it could be trained and optimized for your voice.

Serious impressed anyway. Thanks for sharing.

[BrokenQuill92]

Broken,

That's the coolest thing I ever saw. I had no idea an ipad could do that. The speed with which the thing talks to you is almost nonsense to me but I guess that is something you have gotten used to.

It just amazes me that you can navigate around the screen. How easy is it to switch tabs, load up another site and so on?

Also - have you tried dictating your responses to the ipad? I don't know how good it is with the spoken word - I guess it could be trained and optimized for your voice.

Serious impressed anyway. Thanks for sharing.

The newer versions of iPad have dictation, and I'm using my phone right now it has dictation, but I'm going first-generation iPad which sucks butt!

[*Deidre*]

I'm slow, I didn't catch on to the full meaning of your OP reading it the first time last night. :/ I was applying what you posted in a religious sense.

Reading it again, I think that's fascinating!

[Alex K]

Through my blindness I find that my idea of reality is changed. I don't have quite as many pre-conceived notions about the world. Instead of taking the world at a glance and making a swift judgment I must wait, listen, touch( if I can) and carefully evaluate my surroundings. For instance if I hear running water I cannot automatically assume there is actual water near me. I must wait. See if anyone else notices water. Check for the smell of water. Or notice water by touch. Otherwise the sound of water could just be a recording of running water. I never really noticed how the loss of one sense drastically alters whether I am neutral, passive, or active in my judgement calls.

I sometimes try to imagine what other senses we could have in addition to the ones we are used to - how would it change our perception of reality. In a way, our technology does this - the way I am interacting with you now is an odd extension of my sensory input.

[thesummerqueen]

I wouldn't be hard on yourself about it, Deidre. In a way, it still applies. I think both of you are forcing yourselves or being forced to look at the world more analytically. It's very Sherlockian.