So many of the issues in the world today come from people isolating themselves into groups and then always assuming the worst of the other side. I’ve shared this idea quite a lot over the years, talking about how “those other people will do lasting harm to our country“, “the other guy isn’t pure evil“, and understanding that “the people you’re talking too aren’t all the same“.
In Yuval Noah Harari’s book “Homo Deus“, he summaries the thoughts of most people very simply by saying:
“We always believe in ‘the truth’; only other people believe in superstitions.”
It’s easy to always see it that way. In most cases, both sides of any argument are sure that they are speaking the truth and the other side is full of lies and superstitions. While that may occasionally be true, it’s very rare. You’re entitled to hold your position, but respecting the “other side” is always of value. Seek to understand what they understand and why they believe what they believe, and you’ll be better off for it.
It might just be a superstition, but I’ll bet it’s not.
