There are several blocks that prevent us from fully aligning with the truth. They increase the chance of forming inaccurate mental patterns. Many of these false patterns are self-reinforcing and can be difficult to correct. However, once you become aware of these blocks, you’ll be less likely to succumb to them. – Steve Pavlina in Personal Development for Smart People
On one occasion, we had an interesting discussion with one guy though it was on a religious topic. Half-way through the discussion, the issue of understanding reality popped up. He said we need to be very conscious about interpreting reality. What he referred to as MARGIN OF REALITY.
What then is this margin of reality?
To start off, people can believe a lot of different things about the same thing but the margin of reality will be what reconciles the differing views.
While most have a myopic view on reality, it is important to then reconstruct the margin of reality. All of us need to be aligned to a given degree to this fact. It is now important to take into consideration influences that have led to this distorted views on reality.
Media conditioning:
I believe we’re aware of what advertising can do. Haven’t you seen say alcohol advertised? It is shown to have some amazing rewards, because the producers of that want to strip open your wallets.
On the other hand, Health practitioners have brought in significant evidence to show health hazards associated with alcohol usage, haven’t they? But regardless of that, media has helped in removing the reality from our minds.
Steve Pavlina argues that people who hold an accurate model of reality only buy what they actually want or need, so advertisers frequently promote half-truths and outright falsehoods to boost profits.
Unfortunately, this has also influenced greatly the career pursuits of many and their ideas about personal development. Most young people have – mostly Hollywood role models- and attempt to live out all that. This is owing to unrealistic media representations of those people and their lifestyles.
If most could see their role models in real life, I bet most wouldn’t be very impressed with their role models. So margin of reality has diminished from our minds, and that makes it imperative to recapture that and live accordingly.
Social conditioning:
Social conditioning is a close cousin to media conditioning. The society in which you live—including your family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances—contributes heavily to your understanding of reality. Through your interactions with others, you’re continually influenced by social, cultural, educational, and religious ideas.
Unfortunately, such conditioned beliefs often place other values ahead of truth, so you may feel compelled to do the same. In the long run, this disconnection from truth leads to self-doubt, causing you to give away your power out of weakness and confusion. Realigning yourself with truth enables you to reclaim that power. – Steve Pavlina
Hey, I am in no way saying social influences are altogether bad, but that if unchecked may bring in unwarranted hindering view on reality. Like I said previously, there’s such a thing as margin of reality and social conditioning may at times impair our views of that. Even regarding personal development, some societal views are limiting in our understanding; we tend to esteem what majority esteems without taking time to make our own judgements.