It should not require a bold leap of faith, to declare that, in the determination of reality, there is a material difference between optics and perception. All thoughtful human beings, understand that our respective, individualized “reality,” is affected by our past personal experience, nuanced pre-judgments, concerning certain subjects and often, the felt presence of contemporaneous stress. Mutually shared perception is the essential, route to a shared reality, and shared reality is the fundamental requirement for successful, societal living.
We all stop at red traffic lights; and all agree on the general, visual definition of “red.” What is not known, is how each of us, optically, sees (and interprets, the color, known as “red”). A necessarily universal consensus, however, as to what constitutes “red,” governs, and defines that specific item of reality.
The easily accessible public media, affords ample opportunity to discover the official weather reports and predictions of future meteorological events. Experts and trained technicians, observe the situational trends and, with the aid of specialized instruments, previous training and experience, reach scientifically determined decisions, as to present and future weather; and broadcast those decisions to the interested public.
For the intended purposes of this note, we would take the unusual liberty to distinguish between the ostensibly scientific determinations of the professional meteorologists (re: prevailing external weather conditions), and what we, who breathe the esoteric air at plinyblog, would humbly innovate, namely, the concept of the “inner weather report” with respect to which, we promise to furnish, needed elucidation, below.
In order to avoid any misunderstanding of our intended theme, it would seem appropriate, to clearly and affirmatively acknowledge, the essential importance of public (“external”) weather reports. Choices of action, from military campaigns to the family picnic, are all necessarily impacted by meteorological reports and officially made, weather forecasts. Air and sea travel, agricultural decisions, public events, sporting and recreational decisions among very many other activities, rely upon the findings of National and Local Weather Services.
However, we at plinyblog, have eternally stressed the importance of man’s inner life; his life-long inner conversation with himself, his established self-image, his personal growth and development, all hopefully leading to an ultimate recognition of self-fulfillment and happiness. This preoccupation with man’s internal life, has led to subjects like perception (as well as factual accuracy), self-image, the latter, as the basis of morality (as opposed to rewards and punishments), happiness and success as being the product of a private realization of self-fulfillment, together with virtually every subject of experience, from the point of view of its empirical impact on feelings and perception.
One is obliged to be consciously aware of others in our society (especially family members), and to sensitively consider the potential impact on others, of our statements and actions. We must be aware that every human feeling is real and, effectively, colors every, otherwise, objective, experience. This, of course, includes our own feelings, which have a personal impact upon our own perception of reality.
We will return, at long last, (with profuse apologies) to the indicated subject of weather reports. Official weather prognostications, are, as stated, inarguably significant and useful; but the personal evaluation of the weather, like virtually, every one of the myriad things that we experience in our lives, is also subject to contemporary perception. Thus, if the outside weather is sunny with mild temperatures and blue skies, yet, one is anxious or troubled, as far as he is concerned, it is not a “nice day.” By contrast, if all is going well and one is feeling relaxed, it is a “great day,” despite the existence of intemperate weather.
All meaningful weather reports are internal, and are not, necessarily, dependent upon outdoor conditions.
-p.
plinyblogdotcom 