Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
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Here’s a trivia question: what causes the seasons to change? If you said it’s from the Earth getting closer or further from the sun as it orbits, then your answer was the same that many Harvard grads gave in a survey. And like those Harvard grads, you would be wrong.
More fun facts: even though your veins are blue, the blood that flow inside of them are still red. Napoleon was not a short man - he was slightly above average height for French men in those days. These are common misconceptions, and it might be somewhat humorous to find out about them, but what if misperceptions lead us into making the wrong decisions? If you are faced with an important choice, will you be able to figure out what you know from what you don’t know?
The Woman in the Wheelchair
I thought about this question after I read one of Glenda’s blog post recently. Glenda was at an outdoor event and she saw a frail elderly woman slumped in a wheelchair, seemingly empty of much life in her. The elderly woman in the wheelchair seemed dependent on others in order to feed her and to adjust her position in her wheelchair. Glenda felt sorry for the woman because it appeared that life had ceased to flow in her, that she was down to her last trickle. When a family member tended to her however, the elderly woman responded with a purely joyous and loving smile, taking Glenda by surprise. There was much more life in the elderly woman than Glenda originally assumed.
Glenda felt terrible for passing judgement. She saw a frail-looking woman who was in a wheelchair, and she made assumptions that the woman was living a miserable life. What added to Glenda’s sense of guilt is that she made a mistake that she wished others wouldn’t do to her. Glenda has cerebral palsy and is also in a wheelchair.
The Impact of Misperceptions
Glenda posed the question to her readers: is it possible for people to not pass judgement? I took the bait and chimed my two cents worth. There’s something about us that instinctively fill any gaps of knowledge that our minds may have, and typically it happens without realizing it.
We know that the Earth has an elliptical orbit around the sun, but that’s not what causes the changing seasons (it’s the tilt of Earth’s axis). We know at least that the Earth orbits around the sun and not the other way around, but even that fact was once not well known. The Spanish Inquisitors did not know this, and this misperception led to their sentencing of Galileo to house arrest for the rest of his life.
Veins are blue not because low-oxygen blood is blue, but rather because of Rayleigh’s effect. The myth that Napoleon was short was likely due to a British propaganda rather than on facts. Misperceptions are trivial until we rely on them to make important judgements, particularly if they are life-affecting judgements. So to answer Glenda’s original question, I believe that it’s human nature to make assumptions, but we bear the responsibilities as individuals on how we act on these assumptions. We need to know what we don’t know before we make important decisions.
Another assumption people may make at times, including myself is that elderly people are somehow different.
Truth is, they are exactly like you and me - except their bodies are older since they have been on this planet for longer.
Assumptions are dangerous, and can lead to conclusions that are negative for others, and thus for ourselves.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post: 11 Requirements to be a Mad Scientist
Hi Bamboo,
I used to think that older people couldn’t relate to my experiences. I don’t think that way anymore, but there were so many good advice I should have listened to but didn’t, specifically because of my misperception.
Thanks for the reminder, Bamboo!
Is it possible for people not to pass judgment? I’d like to think that we’re capable of such a thing but the fact remains, (as you said) it’s human nature to do so.
And since we’re blogging here…let’s look at how we look at other blogs. We base immediate judgments on someones sight at first glance without giving time to read what they have to say…without giving the time to get to know the person…
We should try and remain conscious of the fact that making assumptions isn’t constructive and is often hurtful to those we’re basing judgment on…
Hi Al,
I think a lot of people make assumptions all the time. Can we stop ourselves? Sure, for the most part. But the question is, do we?
I try not to pass judgment on people. I try to always find their good side.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post: FEFF - Feeling The Joy
Hi there Al
I think most of us make judgments, but the trick is to learn to recognise we are doing it - even giving a compliment is passing a judgment (which may be why sometimes compliments can feel condescending). I really think we can educate ourselves to not make judgments - or at least to ignore them when we do.
Robin’s last blog post: Is Living Like Today Might Be Your Last A Good Idea?
@Ricardo: that’s a good point. I know I look at the layout of new blogs to see whether the blogger is taking blogging serious or not. Some of the best blogs I know have very pedestrian looking layouts.
@Barbara: I like your approach. Recognizing that we innately do it and compensating by giving the person the benefit of the doubt is an excellent way to address it.
@Robin: That is a point I think is worth repeating - the trick is to know when we are doing it, and then deal with it accordingly. I also know it’s easier said than done, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re responsible for our own misperceptions.
Al -
This is a brilliant post. I often wonder that when some one drives carelessly often without regards to other drivers, our obvious reaction is to curse him or her and sometimes even to spit some venomous words to vent our frustration. We assume that this is how the person is but what if we were to know that his wife was in an emergency room? All of sudden our reaction and perception changes. Isn’t that amazing that most decisions we are making are based on a great deal of assumption and conditioning that we have developed over the years without caring to do fact checking ever.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post: Forrest Gump: How to Build Your Self-Confidence
I recently read the book ‘Blink’. While I found the book, as a whole, lacking because he never seemed to make a point, the case studies were eye opening. In a ‘blink of an eye’ we all make snap judgments. I still make snap judgements that absolutely horrify me, because they can be quite prejudice. The thought whizzes in and out of my brain in an instant. Just long enough for me to then think “What was I thinking?!” I am with Robin. I believe it is human nature to react to something that is diffferent from what we are used to. It is a primal survival response. But as Robin says, we need to learn to recognise the judgement for what it is, and immediately kick in with rational, loving thoughts.
Urban Panther’s last blog post: So, you want to online date
Along the same lines, we have a bad habit of constantly thinking that we know what’s going to happen in our future. We think we know, based on what happened before — the past! Think about how absurd that is. You’re predicting future based on past.
I’m not saying we can’t make educated guesses. But it’s best to know that future is a wide open book — anything can happen!
ari
Ari Koinuma’s last blog post: 5 Roles of Process-Oriented Goals: Setting up Infallible Success
I completely agree that we need to keep asking ourselves: “what assumptions am I making here?” We tend to bring the past into the present, like Ari Koinuma said above. (I knew that about the earth’s axis, but I always thought Napoleon was really short). I think people tend to make judgments more readily when they’re on autopilot, while people who live in the present moment are more likely to truly look at the person or the situation as something/someone unique.
Marelisa’s last blog post: 100 Tips to Simplify Your Life
Back in the days where we still needed to hunt for our food, quick decision making was a life and death issue. Nowadays this may not apply anymore except for certain trades like soldiers, police officers, firemen and doctors. One thing for sure, the quality of our decision making is very dependant of our knowledge of the situation at hand. This applies to all the little things in life too.
Urbane Lion’s last blog post: Fabulous mushroom crostinis
The assumptions get even worse when you’re dealing with two languages. The number of misunderstandings that happen because my English-wired brain has assumed something that the Spanish-wired brain of my boyfriend would never in a thousand years assume.
Good thing we both have a good sense of humour!
Alex Fayle’s last blog post: Looking for a Lab-Rat
@Shilpan: I’m nodding in agreement because driving is sometimes a good microcosm of the real world. We all gotta share the same road, and sometimes we encounter people who become discourteous drivers. They might be preoccupied because some major career or family issues. Driving is a good area to “pay it forward” and show courtesy to such drivers.
@Urban Panther: I didn’t read Blink, but from his book, “The Tipping Point,” I found it to be similar in that he was presenting a lot of good points, but the book was a mashup of good points rather than driving in one continuous direction to a point. From what I understand, both books were actually a collection of his magazine articles. At any rate, I’m in agreement with you and Robin. Snap judgements are human nature, but it’s our responsibility to manage it.
@Ari: the optimist in me wholeheartedly agrees. One of the phrases that annoy me the most is, “It’s always been that way.” That’s such a narrow minded approach to things. Thanks for the feedback Ari!
@Mare: yeah, the autopilot thinking is indeed a bad tendency I think a lot of people have, including myself. It’s very easy to slide from being an active and engaged thinker these days since there tends to be information overflow. The people who fully live in the present moment are the ones tho get the most out of life.
@Urbane Lion: that’s a very good point about people who’s livelihood depends on making reflex judgements and responding quickly. I think reflex can eventually be trained and honed in for improvement. I know that doctors have continuing medical education (CME) to keep their skills sharp.
@Alex: Ahh, language and cultural assumptions. Aren’t they the best?
I could only imagine the fun ways you and your boyfriend learn about the quirks in each other’s languages and culture. Kudos to your sense of humor, and thanks for the comment!
I think we all pass judgment because we don’t have all the facts so we make them up and come to a conclusion that satisfies our curiosity.
funny you should mention napoleon, i always thought he was short too until i looked up some information on him and realized he was not short at all, well not as short as i thought.
Natural’s last blog post: Bye-Bye Birdie
Al,
When I saw the title to your post on Cath’s website, I KNEW I had to come over and take a look! As a history teacher - who also teaches an “Ethics” course, you are SO on the money. I spend more than have of my year explaining where “stereotypes” come from (a-soon-to-be-blog) that I’ve realized that it is VERY difficult for people to “unlearn” things that they thought were facts!
My biggest concern on this issue: how much do we know as “facts” today will be “disproven” as time marches on? Sometimes, even what we KNOW as truth is turned on its head by a curious - or lucky - person.
We should not only question our “judgements,” we should very frequently question our “facts.”
Outstanding post!
Rita
Rita’s last blog post: Second “Reader’s Choice” Blog – My 10 Favorite Books
@Natural: Agreed, I think for some reason we instinctively need to come to some sort of a conclusion, and if we don’t have enough facts, we can easily get by that inconvenience by making stuff up. It can be dangerous though when our minds do this without us realizing it.
@Rita (aka, Bloggrrl): Thanks for the feedback, it really got me thinking about it. Sometimes it’s hard to unlearn incorrect facts, or unlearn ideologies and ways of thinking. I remember in a history class learning about the theory that old ideologies could only be replaced when the generation that owned them died away. These days information is created at a much faster pace so I can’t see that theory being valid anymore. I know for myself, I’m excited to see what “facts” will be disproved in the future. Oh, and it’s awesome how you are educating students about stereotypes. We need more people like you!
Al,
What a kind and generous thing to say. If you don’t mind, however, I’d like to take a minute to address Ari’s comment, above.
It’s wonderful to think of the future as a wide open book, and I wholeheartedly agree that it should be. We should always strive for things, and not live in the past.
HOWEVER, as the saying goes, “the past is prologue.” If we don’t learn from our mistakes, then we doom ourselves to repeating them - and that DOES require reflection into the past.
If you are unfamiliar with the phrase that “history repeats itself,” then you are living in a world of rose-colored glasses - which I DO NOT criticize at all, but I believe to be self-limiting, rather than self-liberating.
Probably the easiest - and quickest example I can give you: we should have seen that WWII was coming the minute we saw the events that happened just after the signing of The Treaty of Versailles, which ended WWI. Though Al’s blog is not the place for a history lesson, all it takes is a little reading to understand why many people now are starting to believe that WWII was not, in fact, a war of its own - it was a continuation of WWI!
Had we paid attention to the past, we could have easily foreseen the future. And imagine what this world would look like today had there NEVER been a WWII.
Just one example of some “food for thought.”
Rita
Rita’s last blog post: Second “Reader’s Choice” Blog – My 10 Favorite Books
Hi Al.
Yes, I find it is difficult not to pass judgement. It seems necessary in order to know how to respond/react. I’ve also experienced passing judgement because I “didn’t know what I didn’t know”.
I’ve since been reminding myself to be more curious and to not assume that I know the answer. It is a challenge to always be present (in the now); the only way you can catch yourself doing this is when you are in the now.
Davina’s last blog post: Look Ma, I Can Fly!
@Rita: Indeed, past experiences should give us guidance with future decisions. That’s how I like to look at failures - they’re not really failures if they can be used as a learning experience for future success (but for some reason war is something that people never seem to learn from). I think the point Ari was also trying to make was to dismiss the notion of inevitability based on the past. That’s what I read from his comment when he also mentioned his point about educated guesses.
@Davina: that’s a great approach to it… being more curious and to not assume the answer. It is impossible to know everything, but at least we should make the effort to confirm assumptions on things that affect our decisions. Great point also about being in the “now” in order to catch yourself doing it. Thanks for the feedback!
Assumption is the mother of all misunderstandings
we believe what we see and never bother to check the truth behind it
Sunil Pathak’s last blog post: 4 Link Baiting Ideas That Works Like A Charm
Misperceptions - ahhh, who hasn’t made a few of those. It’s so easy to make judgements based upon what we see or think, without really “knowing what we don’t know”.
This is a great reminder that we should be a little more careful about what we assume.
Lance’s last blog post: Life’s A Beach
@Rita and @Al,
Good points! I don’t disagree with you at all. I was simply coming from the point of view of someone who has a self-limiting view of future based on prediction. “I’ll never get a job — all my past applications and interviews failed! Why would I think it’ll be different this time?” Well, to go back to Al’s original point, you ought to know what you don’t know.
Perhaps a good way to summarize our discussion is to say: past is a valuable asset to learn and draw lessons from. But not exactly a tool for PREDICTING a future.
Hey, but there is a fascinating thread here. To Rita’s point about WWII — history repeats itself precisely because we haven’t learned a lesson. Can we venture to say, bad events in the past have a strong tendency to repeat itself when we don’t learn the lessons? I think so, because if we had, then we would take measures to prevent it. You’re on to a new territory, an unknown future. In the other words, when you ignore history’s lessons, then your future becomes more predictable, as you are likely to make same mistakes. When you learn and grow each moment, your future contains more unknown and greater possibilities, as you won’t let the history repeat itself — at least in terms of mistakes and errors.
Am I drawing conclusions that are too far-fetched? Maybe. But it’s fun to think about, nevertheless.
Thanks for the great discussion.
ari
Ari Koinuma’s last blog post: How to Apply Process-Oriented Principles in Real Life
I agree. It’s human nature to make assumptions, but it is our responsibility not to judge others based on those assumptions. I do make a conscious effort to never judge a person before I get to know them better. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes not really. But it’s certainly a goal of mine. Thank you for a thought-provoking post!
Vered’s last blog post: Oops. Outed.
If my eyes are open, I’m probably making assumptions. I’ve gotta hand it to my Mrs. for making sure my assumptions don’t lead to judgments.
Writer Dad’s last blog post: One World, One Dream
@Sunil: Agreed, assumption causes so much problems and misunderstanding. It’s human nature and we gotta make sure we keep it in check.
@Lance: Thanks for the comment. What I’m hoping is that we stop beating ourselves up for doing something that comes instinctively to us. If we’re mindful that it happens and we make efforts to not let us make bad choices, that’s the best we can try to achieve.
@Ari: Your points are not too far fetched at all. I see things the same way you do. I tend to be one of those “the future is limitless” kind of guys, but we need to temper it with reality. I’m a big fan of history because there are so many lessons to learn. Armed with knowledge of historical outcomes, full awareness of the current situation, and having the vision for extraordinary dreams and goals are the ingredients of making great things happen. Thanks Ari for expanding the conversation!
@Vered: Being aware that we inherently make judgements - indeed that’s the major part of the battle. The fact that you’re making the conscious effort to not judge is the biggest hurdle, one I try to work on everday as well. Thanks for sharing!
@WriterDad: Sounds like you have an awesome better half there!
Just one more: Thanks for your elaboration, Ari - and Al. You both sound so much more “realistic” in your outlooks! And we can’t move forward without a good dose of reality!
Best,
Rita
Rita’s last blog post: Stereotypical Stereotypes – PART I
Hi Rita - thank you also for engaging the conversation and raising it to another level.
Cheers,
Al
Yay! Interesting.