It brings order to their world and peace to their mind, shows them how wise they are… They are not alone in this… we do it ourselves. We see things in 1 dimension. It is easy for us to see the bad … but are constantly surprised that strangers can be kind.

I will quote a singer I don’t much like … but it fits:
“People are strange… when you’re a stranger… faces look ugly… when you’re alone.”

Thankfully… we’re not alone.
Taji

My favorite example of selective hearing and selective vision is the blesses state of being in love. We idolize the object of our affection and refuse to see or hear anything that could pull our beloved from the pedestal.

Some colleagues are so in love with their own voice, that they have a hard time receiving feedback. But that’s for another time and another blog.

American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based the following poem on a fable which was told in India many years ago. It’s a great example of how easy it is for us to close our minds and fill in the blanks with sweeping generalizations. Also, it is a good warning about how out sensory perceptions can lead to misinterpretations.

Moral:

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

THE BLIND MEN & THE ELEPHANT

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said:”E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!