"[People] like the opinions to which they have become
accustomed from their youth; they defend them and shun contrary views: and this
is one of the things that prevent [them] from finding the truth, for they cling
to the opinions of habit." --Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed
Do you think this is true?
Can we see the reality – or at least the possibility – of this
tendency in ourselves? Can we recognize ways in which we simply defend what we
are accustomed to, and resist other perspectives?
It seems to me that Maimonides is referring to an aspect of the
human tendency to be “ethnocentric” – to accept the worldview, perspectives,
values of the people we grow up with and live among; in fact, for those views
and values to be so deeply rooted that we aren’t aware that they are anything
other than “how the world is.”
If Maimonides is right – and I think he is – how do we overcome
this tendency? How do we escape the inertia of living with our customs, habits,
traditions, patterns - in short, with our ethnocentrism (the tendency to see
the world straightforwardly from the perspective of our people, and believe the
world “really is” that way)? How do we escape the tendency to recoil from
anything that is new and different and strange to us? How do we develop an
orientation toward getting out of our territory, our "bubble," and
setting out on a search for truth/reality that leads us into the
"territory" (literal and figurative) of others? Can we develop the
ability to see the tendency that Maimonides puts his finger on, and to work
against it?
A starting point is to recognize that we might be
clinging to “opinions of habit” and shutting out other views, and that we might
be missing some aspect of “truth” (or reality) through ths tendency. A next
step is to desire to grow beyond our current opinions and ways
of understanding, in search of a broader perspective, a view of truth informed
by the opinions and experiences of others. And if we think that is possible,
and desire it, we can take the further step of engaging in relationship with
those who are different from us, those who have different experiences and
opinions, different perspectives and understandings.
A good friend of mine, author Mazhar Mallouhi, opened his novel
“The Long Night” with the statement, “Those who never reconsider their ideas
love their ideas more than they love the truth.” I think this is another way of
saying what Maimonides is getting at in this quote. So the question is, which
do I want more – my (current) ideas and opinions, or a more full perspective on
truth (reality)?
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