Do we see reality as it is?

I really love mysteries. Perhaps this must be one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in human history. The mystery is about: “Truth or simply reality”. What is truth? We are basically hardwired to this concept quoted in the book Cloud Atlas- “Truth is Singular, its versions are mistruths!”

In the beginning of the story we have the protagonist – Somni541 sitting in a room and the Archivist comes in and the conversation starts.

Archivist: “On behalf of my Ministry and the future of Unanimity, I want to thank you for the final interview. Remember, this isn't an interrogation or trial. Your version of the truth is all that matters.”

Somni541: “Truth is Singular, its versions are mistruths!”

I am somehow stuck in accepting the quote. 

What is the relationship between your conscious perception and the reality? Experiences such as your boyfriend cheating on you or your son are telling a lie. These experiences are not new. These experiences are as old as the world. These are personal experiences that we have experienced at least once in a lifetime. Which one is the actual Truth? your version of truth?t or the boyfriend’s/son’s version is right or someone else’s is right.

We all look around the world, taking in all the sights, sounds, smells and experiencing as it is in all its completeness and details. But these experiences are a result of irritated nervous tissue. This nervous activity reconstructs a virtual reality.

We used to think earth was flat because it looks that way. But we were Wrong! Then, We thought earth was the unmoving centre of the universe because it looks that way. But we were Wrong! We had misinterpreted all our perceptions. Why? Because we are blind to our own blindness.

Let do a small experiment on ourselves.Please identify the Subject given below in the picture

Well, if you have guessed it as a rubix cube, you are a damn genius. Well my problem for you is not that. My problem for you is to tell me what the color of the other side is, the colour opposite to the red side. With this point of view, all of us can only recreate the red side. Let me give you a better perspective at this problem.

This time I have given a 3 dimensional view to the problem. Still the solution to our problem remains undiscovered. Anyway, the answer to our problem is orange. Similarly, if I had asked “What is the color of the given subject”  to 6 different people placed along each of the 6 perpendicular axis, they would have given 6 different answers. My demonstration is showing what we are interpreting is once again wrong. 

Our Senses are sometimes incapable of perception sometimes. The reason is that we are only taking in a tiny subset of details from the superset of the the whole visual world, There by we get an impression, sorry! a "FALSE" impression of everything we observe in detail.

When we look at a problem, we assume everyone is looking at the problem exactly as it is. Despite the difference in knowledge, experience, profession and beliefs we were looking at the cube exactly the same as it was. I was using the above example for illustrating how we don’t see the world as it is. These limitations are not limited to our sensory organ system but also to our perception, the way we think, the way we reason, the way we memorise. We believe we see more than we do, we see all the detail around us, we don’t!. We also believe we know more than we do, but we don't!, We believe we remember more than we do, we don't! These false impressions lead us to a situation that we believe everybody should see the problem as they see it, nothing else is right. But in reality, 2 different people looking at the same cube are taking two different information at the same time because the perspective is different.

What does that mean?

It means that at anytime, when we have to communicate, lecture or teach you have to take into account that your knowledge, your experience is going to be different from the other audience.

What can we do about it?

We all share this one thing. We all share this illusion that we see the world as everybody else. And only by testing your knowledge and testing what we see, we will realise that we are not seeing the world as it is. Having a degree in engineering, law, social work, ethics does not make you God. Its makes you just an well-informed expert. It just helps you in understanding the problem in a particular way.  It blinds you. Always test your knowledge, filter what you take in. When you read a book, read it! as well as read between the lines. While reading a book you are taking in what the author wants to say. But "Hell!", it doesn't matter what the author wants to tell, it is going nowhere. Read between the lines. What is your perspective for the subject. Do you agree with the author, look for the other side, and have a different perspective. Empathise! That's more important. Always test the knowledge and information that we are taking in.

I can’t explain it to any simpler than giving you my own example. I have been given a driving licence since 2005 and its valid till 2025. I have a whole lot of experience in driving a car. I have crossed this country halfway (2000 kms) in 3 days.  But the driving licence and my experience does not mean I won’t be involved in an accident. That's stupid. The driving licence is just a written document illustrating I am capable of driving a car. I can make mistakes. 

"Only by testing your knowledge and testing what we see, we will realise that we are not seeing the world as it is. Truth is not Singular, it has versions too."