EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION

You've heard it before, so I don't need to repeat the adage ... but everybody has one. The interesting thing about it is, it seems to be just fine that everyone has one of those "holes," but it isn't just fine to have your own opinion. It's been said, we judge ourselves on our intent, yet we judge others on their behaviour. Why is it that if my opinion of something differs from your opinion or belief system, that whatever it is I have to say will be cut-off or ignored immediately without even as much as a minor consideration?

We each choose the type of car that we want to drive. There is a large selection of models from different manufacturers and designers. When you find the one you like, it doesn't mean that now everyone has to stop making, selling, and offering all the other ones. You've made comparisons, you've studied the reports, you've heard the pros and cons, and you have made an informed mature decision on which make and model you wanted to purchase and take ownership of. We are all like this.

I don't like sports. So does that mean I have to picket the sporting goods stores and try and shut them down or attempt to negatively effect their business? No. I just don't shop there. They have nothing to offer me based on my deep understanding and years of experience that I am horrible at sports. Except for maybe bowling. You can eat, smoke, and drink while you bowl. It's quite the unique sport. But, back to the subject, which is "opinions" and how everybody has one ... it would make sense to me in an open educated forum such as we supposedly live in today, that all should be able to share and discuss their opinions about everything ... openly, freely, and with a mature attitude.

In these modern times or rapid information, worldwide Internet connections, email, blogs, social media, TV, radio, satellite, cell phones, texting, and multiple other communications resources, people are still stuck in the same trap of thinking cycles. They are not open to new information, especially if it may affect their existing belief systems. This is cognitive dissonance. It's fear based and counter-productive for all of society. Industrial progress has been made because people exchanged thoughts, ideas, and more effective and efficient systems. We have advanced technologically, but we still stay stuck in our ways ... in many of our ways. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. We are all insane.

Wake up, shower, eat, commute, work, eat, work, commute, eat, watch TV, sleep, and then the same cycle begins the next day, and the day after that in an endless cycle ... until WE change it. Until we change our way of thinking, behaving, acting, creating. The mind is as an umbrella, it works best when it is open. Yet so many people close their minds, and lock the door. We don't all have to wear the same clothes, drive the same cars, have the same beliefs, or speak the same language. But we do have to remain open to new and different IN-formation in order to advance as a society and as a spiritual being. We all are here to evolve, and involve. Instead, we revolve and revolt ... and regurgitate the same stuff over and over again without being open to new ideas and new world community (common-unity) standards. We do not need to have uniformity, in order to have unity. The world is One. And we must be open to new views and new ways of advancing humanity to a higher level of consciousness.

Just a thought ...

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.