Are you being objective or subjective?

Hey friends,

It's been a long while but recently, I've been doing a whole lot of thinking about the words "objectivity" and "subjectivity". These two words have a lot to do with life, especially right now, but maybe especially all the time. Many people lash out with emotions full of feelings that can be either objective or subjective and the way these feelings come about can be due to either of these things, as well.

Being objective means acting, speaking, and living through facts while being subjective is driven by opinions. What's so messy about this idea is that facts and opinions are still hard for the multitude to grasp.

No matter where you go in the world, there will be opposing forces which can be one or the other. A calculator is objective and a Facebook post is subjective. What's difficult about being objective is how hard it is to relate to something without emotion, feeling, or human attributes. A Facebook post is more filled with a person's manner of speaking and therefore something we can relate with.

I've encountered so many differing opinions in different conflicts. From discrimination to the art world to the dance world to the university as an organization...it's hard to take one side. Many things can be seen as black and white while others can take on a variety of grays. Taking all the art supplies from a classroom without notifying anyone? Wrong. This is stealing. Or is it right? Were the materials not being used regardless? Putting Football games on Thursday nights which are still a school night...? Right or wrong? Is this person racist? Are some services biased and wrongly force this opinion on their patrons? Are we being fair to every person and respecting all kinds of people's choices? Are we saying things out of turn? Are we publicizing a pretty image or who we actually are? If this person is a feminist, does that make them wrong? Donald Trump? Gun rights?

These things aren't black and white. Nothing is black and white. I suggest to all of you, to try as hard as you can to be unbiased, to live in a mind that can accept all things and act in the best possible solution (or not solution, not everything needs to be resolved). But seeing all sides and taking time to understand people you don't even want to look at might be eye-opening and better help you make an argument for the side you stand on.

Take a deep breath and listen.

xxx
Beth