Perceived Importance

Everybody's different. That's what we're always told when we're growing up. It's the reason why not everyone prefers chocolate ice cream over vanilla, why some people prefer blue to the color red, or why some people enjoy the opera and others don't. It's pretty apparent when we look at one another and talk with one another that, everyone is different. I suppose the logical question now to ask, as is the case with all of my writing (i.e. every post on this blog), is: where am I going with this? Well, I'm sure you've oft heard of how we have "luxurious problems" or have heard something regarding starving children in Africa. I'm not here to tell you that malnourished and impoverished African children aren't important. They're very important, but at the end of the day I'm not an impoverished, malnourished African child. I know that probably sounds somewhat cold and selfish, but that is reality.

While I don't subscribe to the concept of relativism (which is, a logically untenable concept), there is a certain degree of personal perception that is naturally infused into each person's reality. Thais perception doesn't necesarily change reality, but it colors it, and it is in this color of reality that we all live. I don't mean to downplay the significance of global awareness, to know that there are people who are impoverished in countries beyond our borders, and even people who are in need within our borders, possibly right down to our very neighborhood or even social circles, people in real need, unable to pay rent, put food on the table, etc... Certainly these are very real issues and problems, but they aren't the issues and problems of everyone. Should they be? Probably, but that's not what I'm here to discuss, what I am here to consider, is the reality (however colored) of each individual. While we an posit regarding the global or general state of man, throw out numbers and statistics regarding how well off we are or others are not, we don't live or experience the general state of man. Some might see this statement and think that I've completely lost it, and that I in fact, must be some completely selfish person devoid of altruism, because to me it kind of sounds like that. However, I would posit that while we are a part of mankind as a greater whole, our experience of reality happens at an individual level.

What I wish to consider then with this post is then how we relate to one another. Certainly perspective needs to be garnered if someone is losing sleep over what size and which brand of television to put into his/her living room. However, despite being "luxurious" or at least more so than what the rest of the world has to deal with, the problems of the people around us (and ourselves) are no less problems. While we certainly need to approach each of our problems with a sense of big picture perspective (i.e. "at least you have the opportunity to consider career options"... etc...) and thereby not become too self-involved, I also believe it to be somethign necessarily correct to utilize all the time. I believe that we are to relate to one another at a personal level, because once we approach people idyllically, they cease to become people, they become a cause or a number. Thus, while we all need perspective, I don't believe the best way to relate to people is to downplay their problems. Just because someone else has a bigger problem, doesn't make my problem go away or any less of a problem. In some cases (as with the television) it may garner me perspective to help realize that perhaps I was making a problem out of something that wasn't a problem, however, just because there are impoverished children in third-world countries doesn't mean I'm not depressed.

So what do we do then? How does this affect how we should live? Well, for one it relates to how we deal with the people immediately in front of us. Each person before us has very real problems, and while some of them in the grand scheme of things may not be as grand as the condition of the environment or endangerment/extinction of animal species, they affect us more because they are closer. We need to treat these problems with the immediacy presented before us. Everyone is important, and thus their problems are important. God takes time not only to listen to the prayers of those asking for world peace, those seeking a cure for cancer or some disease, but also those praying for a good grade, and those seeking comfort and direction in a time of uncertainty. Who am I then to consider any problem as insignificant? It's not much for now, but something that I've been chewing on for a little bit.