"This Just In..." 36

Things are not always as they seem to be.

When people use the phrase “It seems”, they’re stating a perception and/or awaiting an explanation. But how many of us realize that “seeming” is simply a function of our own minds? No one else needs to participate.

Any response more complex than “Okay…” is overkill. You have told me how you understand a situation to be, and that’s fine. I could give you my interpretation and start a discussion or perhaps even an argument. But what would be the point? You’ve said only that your brain has come to a conclusion, and who am I to dispute that?

We must keep in mind that events can be made to “seem” a certain way by those who wish to sway opinion. But fact is not malleable. Something is either true or it is not. Separating wheat from the chaff, so to speak, requires some effort. There are forces aligned against us with no greater goal than creating impressions.

Accepting those impressions without question can lead us to viewing life as it “seems” rather than how it really is. Advertising, political spin, various religions, and others have become experts at leading people to make decisions based upon the mental pictures they’re so skilled at creating.

If you ever say “It seems”, ask yourself why. Are you telling the world that you’re accepting the image that’s been presented? Or, are you saying that you’re confused and hoping someone will give you clarity?

In either case, the solution lies in doing your own research.