Foundational Thought (ver. 2)
The second chapter within "On Structure". Let's learn.
Discontent, blaming, complaining, self-pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make.
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**Quick note - This is a re-write of a portion of this book published Aug. 25, 2023
Now, let’s begin the core content of “Dad’s Guidebook”.**
Foundational Thought
Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.
We all see things in our own way. Each mind is a prism through which events are refracted, colored by our unique histories, hopes, and fears. This multiplicity of perspective is beautiful—revealing the vast spectrum of human experience. Yet, inevitably, it brings with it confusion, discord, and even anger, as one view clashes against another, each stubbornly asserting itself as the sole truth.
Imagine, then, a world where we might all pause to accept this simple truth: that the world cannot be captured from a single angle, that other perspectives might hold pieces we do not yet see. This acceptance does not mean that every view is correct or every interpretation valid.
Objectivity demands we recognize that some visions are distortions, warped by error, bias, or wishful thinking. But there is value even in those views, for they reveal something—not necessarily about the world itself, but about the person who perceives it that way.
The subjective lens is vital. It forms our personal interpretations and colors our individual realities. To ignore it is to miss layers of experience, insight, and sometimes, wisdom.
To engage with it is to gather fragments for a mosaic. One piece by itself may be meaningless; together, they render a fuller, richer picture of truth. No single subjective view is the complete picture; it is only part. And through it, we see how complex and variegated reality truly is.
Why do we see so differently? It comes down to our foundational beliefs, the assumptions that sit beneath our conscious awareness. These assumptions are the earth beneath the tree; they nourish and shape everything above.
If a person believes in a divine architect who crafted every atom, then they look at the world as an intricate design, woven with intent and meaning. In this view, nothing is arbitrary. Every rock, every fly, every cloud is purposeful, placed with deliberation and care.
For the person without that belief, things may appear less intentional. A rock is just a rock, a fly just a nuisance, a cloud merely a product of atmospheric mechanics. One is not necessarily "right" over the other, but each perspective brings with it an entire universe of meaning—or lack thereof.
And while we may be drawn to one view over another, it is foolish to discount an outlook solely because it does not mirror our own. Such rigidity breeds narrowness, and narrowness is a short and guaranteed path to ignorance.
We grow, then, by remaining open, by allowing space for thoughts that challenge and perhaps unsettle us. It is a humbling process, but humility is the soil in which wisdom grows.
If we dismiss perspectives that do not fit neatly with our own, we risk stagnation, refusing to let new insights shape us. Learning is a process of continual revision, a balance between holding to our beliefs and recognizing when they might be limited, incomplete.
Even beliefs we deem erroneous have value; they illuminate ways of thinking, show us angles we might otherwise ignore. Sometimes, in pairing another’s view with our own, we unlock truths neither could reveal alone. Whatever we hold as foundational, it serves us to keep our eyes and ears open, to understand perspectives that may lie beyond our comfort.
To claim certainty, to believe we know it all—this is the seduction of pride. And from pride, as history teaches, the fall is inevitable.
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