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The word ‘vista’ means view. How we view things affects our perception of the world in which we live. This perspective also helps to shape our understanding of reality itself.
Someone who has spent his entire life in a remote jungle environment surrounded by dense vegetation and tall trees is unaccustomed to large open spaces. His spatial awareness is limited to the area in which he lives, so his view of the world is confined to that of a thicket.
If by chance he is removed from such a habitat and taken to a clearing consisting of large open spaces his brain would require time to adjust to this new setting and learn how to judge distance and understand perspective. In fact everyone has to LEARN perspective as it’s not the natural state of the human mind.
This principle is true not only with regard to physical eyesight but also applies to that of human understanding. A vista can also be taken to mean a mental vision.
So then, our mental view is the way in which we reason about the world, life and living, death and dying. In short it is our worldview. It is possible and even common for us to give this matter so little thought, if at all, that we become like the tribesman in the jungle; unable to see the wood for the trees, without a true perspective and unable to reach a vantage point from which to view reality.
All of us operate from some framework or another, however simple or ill-thought out it may be.
The assumptions we have about the makeup of our world, constitutes our worldview.
Whenever humanity gathers in numbers it has a tendency to follow the crowd, even in stupidity, and not think for themselves. It is possible to be committed to a system of thought rather than committed to discovering the truth. So if we accept that the truth is out there we must commit to finding it, as truth matters and is in fact foundational. What we believe to be true invests our lives with meaning of some sort, even if we believe life is purposeless and has no ultimate meaning.
As a truth claim must be meaningful, this philosophy is a contradiction; the meaning of life is that it has no meaning. This is unsound reasoning.
The 21st century world is in a deeply confusing and trying state, sending out mixed messages via the language of double speak, that is deliberately disguising, distorting, or reversing the meaning of words. Some people conclude “just don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Few people have firm convictions about anything- even politics. In spite of existing in a culture so technologically advanced as this one, people are hopelessly adrift and more confused- life seems more uncertain now than at any time in human history according to some.
It takes a lot to shock a 21st century individual. Our familiarity with unspeakable evil means that much of it leaves people numb. Surely than it’s our ‘duty’ to ask ‘What’s wrong with world?’
‘In what direction are we heading?’ and ‘how do we respond to this?’
As Socrates said ‘The unexamined life is one not worth living’. To delay or cancel this examination consigns us to the nursery of our ignorance.
Just to relay an observation at this point; - I have always regarded as peculiar those who refuse to acknowledge the potential for evil in humanity – sometimes predisposed- yet adhere to the mantra of ‘the survival of the fittest’ and cling to an almost childlike naivety in respect of the possible predatory inclinations of other members of the human race, as well as the establishment in all its forms. Why is this? Is it just a case of self-denial to suit THEIR worldview?
Anyway, let’s continue. Too many have delegated their thinking to faceless experts in all areas and withdrawn from the fray. Our sources of information have become partisan media in all its forms and the web. We have become shallower; the education systems around the world have successively declined every decade, and it shows. High self- esteems and opinionated individuals are valued over facts and the ability to reason. Language skills are poorer; reading is viewed as an antiquated pastime along with history, heading for extinction. Integrated thinking has been replaced by a scientific compartmentalized one, there are more ‘experts’ than ever, but fewer thinkers to question their credentials and arguments. An expert used to be someone with a good grasp and understanding across all disciplines- i.e. an integrated one, and consequently there were fewer of those.
Most people never consider ‘the bigger picture’ of life or reality. As children we repeatedly asked the question ‘Why?’ This enables maturity. As we enter adulthood this question is posed less and less, if at all, never mind seeking to answer the questions. Perhaps the fear is what the answer will be and where it may lead.
Blaise Pascal said ”humanity is only a reed, the weakest reed in nature, but humanity is a thinking reed. Humanity alone possesses the power of thought. All our dignity consists in this power. Our survival depends on it. Our understanding of behaviour depends on it. So let’s strive to think well’.
One should position themselves as a juror or member of a jury summonsed to hear a critical case.
One that is involved with the proceedings, not merely observing the case as a spectator.
The media has published all sorts of things about the case that are inaccurate and misinformed- these very things may have biased your thinking. You have been requested by the court not to let this cloud your judgement as you hear evidence. Everything has to be carefully considered. Intuition has to be used as well as reasoning. Listen to the facts, follow the arguments, test the characters of the witnesses, be guided by your conscience and consider your verdict.
In closing, those familiar with gardening know that raking is easy, but digging is hard.
With a rake all you get is leaves, but with a spade you may find buried treasure.
