We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.
The Talmud
MEANING OF THIS QUOTE
We all see, feel, and experience things differently. Our perception of our surroundings is a fine blend of our upbringing, experiences, and values. In fact, this is the very basis of philosophy, which is more about how we see things rather than how they actually are. As such, reality – or the real world, as most of us like to call it – is nothing more than one’s understanding of the world.
HOW DOES THIS MATTER?
Considering we all go through highs and lows in our lives, it all boils down to what one makes of them. There are broadly three ways in which people react to the events in their lives. The first set of people are the ones with a defeatist mindset – they choose to bury their heads in the sand as soon as things begin to go downhill. For them, it is almost as if overlooking a problem will make it go away. People in the second category perceive things negatively, so much so that their mind magnifies the least bit of discomfort or setback. This is a pretty vicious cycle in that every hurdle along the way keeps diminishing their tolerance, making them more pessimistic in their outlook.
It is, however, the third type of people that make all the difference to the world we live in. No matter how bleak the circumstances get, they remain upbeat and keep plugging away. Their perseverance eventually bears fruit and helps them actually make their situation as optimistic as they made it out to be when it was anything but.
CONCLUSION
It is very easy to let a few bad experiences negatively impact the way we discern things. However, the difficult but desirable approach is to remain buoyant while focusing on the things that are well within our control. Ultimately, the few people that actually do this are the ones that shape our world, making it a better place to live in.
The Talmud is the primary text of Rabbinic Judaism. There is a famous quote in the Talmud that goes as follows: “We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.”
It is noteworthy that variations of this quote are also attributed to the French-born American novelist and essayist, Anaïs Nin, and the American author and businessman, Stephen Covey.