Somewhere in the Middle

We see what we think we see…

by Paula Canup

When you turn off Hwy 64 onto the road that leads to my house, you see an old sign that is falling apart, piece by piece. The signpost once had several small plaques hanging from it with the names of the families that live down our road. Only one name is left now, and I’ve always thought the name was Fletcher. For two years, I’ve passed by that sign almost daily, and every time I saw “Fletcher.” Well, for some reason, I really looked at that sign yesterday and was surprised to see that the name is Pletcher. So why did I consistently read it incorrectly for two years? I’m sure it’s because I am familiar with the name Fletcher, even having folks by that name in my family tree. I’ve never heard the name Pletcher before in my life.

It is amazing how our minds see what we already know, or think we know. We often see political and economic matters in light of our preconceived notions. I think our brains are programmed that way so we don’t have to do the hard work of actually thinking about everything. Whether you are a conservative or a liberal, you have a certain worldview through which all your perceptions and opinions are filtered. Due to our upbringing, education, and life experiences, it is probably impossible for any of us to be completely without bias. The best we can do is be aware of our own bias and guard against it whenever we read or hear something in the news.

Another tendency many of us have is to form an opinion based on very little knowledge of an issue, and to hold to that opinion fiercely even when new information indicates we may be wrong. We are too quick to jump on the bandwagon of our preferred political party without examining the evidence and coming to our own conclusions. Perhaps we take everything our favorite commentator says at face value, or are too easily swayed by a charismatic leader who makes pretty speeches. Most likely, we have simply adopted the political ideals of the people who raised us, or the friends we hang out with. It’s so much easier to follow the crowd than it is to study issues from all sides and form an honest opinion. Until we’ve done our homework, however, we really shouldn’t be dogmatic about things. It is much easier to admit we were wrong when we haven’t been too outspoken on an issue!