Perception, Interpretation and Assumption: Creating Gossip
The Evil that is Gossip (Part 2)
One of the primary things that fuels gossip is the
relationship between perception,
interpretation and assumption. I have had conversations with many different
people and the one thing that’s common when they started talking about others
is: they in their Minds perceive another’s behaviour, then interpret it
according to their own ideas / opinions of the particular behaviour and from
there assume their perception and interpretation is correct because they
believe their references in the Mind more than actually walking the space and
time process of getting to
know a person.
So, if you take a step back within yourself and access some
memories (or simply observe your mind when you’re around other people) – within
this having a look at the processes unfolding within your thinking / internal
conversations when watching others: you’ll see how you’ll watch someone talk /
move / do something, then slightly or overtly react to them, then in your mind’s
eye ‘see’ a projection/imagination that encapsulates the overall ‘image’ of the
person and then you’ll start creating an experience towards them based on your emotional
/ feeling reaction. From here, depending on the reaction being positive or
negative and depending on what data/information/memories/programming you have
already within your Mind – thoughts, backchats etc. will start activating.
Here, your Mind is starting to create a relationship with the person based on
emotion, based on feelings, based on data/information/memories/programming
of your Consciousness.
For most part we have observed that people will approach / respond
/ simply stay away from people based on this platform in the Mind which
constantly decides on the relationship with another based on perception,
interpretation and assumption. Where individuals aren’t even aware of how
little they ASK questions to another person, but in fact reference this
perception-interpretation-assumption equation in the Mind where either positive
and/or negative things will accumulate and as time passes – if the result is
more positive, the person will continue a relationship, if more negative, the
person will slowly but surely distance themselves.
So, it’s to for yourself see how this particular programming
of your Consciousness operates. Referencing / believing this initial ‘assessment’
of a person in your Mind more than actually asking them questions, having
conversations, spending time together and getting to know them – is causing a
separation within humanity where you have so many people in very few relationships, both
partnership and platonic and so many people who have no relationships at all.
Where they either isolated
themselves from people because of this programming or have been the
unfortunate ones of being on the receiving end of this programming and others
simply never gave them the opportunity to get to know them as a person.
I have met people who would go so far as compromising so much
of themselves, just to portray an image / personality for others to keep
everyone else’s minds happy – where they became astute at being able to assess
what other people’s minds expect of them or likes / dislikes / prefers and
accordingly moulded themselves to be able to please everyone’s (or as many as
possible) minds. This primarily coming from and because of the gossip of others
– but even then, despite these efforts, other people’s minds manages to conjure
up gossip about one thing or another. Many people do this with awareness
– maintaining relationships with others because of the fear of gossip, but do
not have any other way of interacting with others and so base their
relationships on keeping everyone else happy, while diminishing / limiting
themselves…
In this, many people face a conundrum: if you are different –
you’ll be isolated / ostracised and many depend on their relationships outside
of the work environment, for example, when socialising, doing sports activities
/ extracurricular activities etc. If you are / do something that fuels gossip,
it spreads, it affects your relationships, your general experience of yourself –
but not only that, most of the people who’d gossip you may not even know and do
not have or are not given the opportunity to share your side of things and so
everyone is left to their own Minds, their own assumptions of you and you are
powerless to do anything about it.
So…what do we do? What’s the solution?
In the next post we’re going to have a look at how we as
individuals can take personal responsibility first and foremost: see where
within yourself you accept and allow this programming and participate in the perception,
interpretation and assumption programming within yourself when observing other
people. This so that you can for yourself see the extent to which you do this
to yourself, as well as others in not giving them the opportunity to share who
/ why / how they are and in so doing – separating you from others in your own
Mind with believing your own perceptions, interpretations and assumptions
more than actually getting to know a person.
From here, we’ll also have a look at what we can do to
assist and support ourselves to find a balance in our lives – being aware and
considerate, yes, of who we are in thought, word and deed but at the same time
not accepting and allowing self to live in fear of gossip or other people’s
thoughts / reactions towards you. Obviously being cautious of now wanting to
rebel / go to the extreme of “I don’t care what other people think of me” and
live in absolute disregard of others – herein we’ll open up the dimension of self-honesty
and one’s starting point in thought, word and deed and how important this is in
interacting and building relationships with other people, because if you’re
going to take an emotional / rebellious stance of “I don’t care / give a shit” –
this will obviously create manifested consequence in your life and relationship with
others…
We’ll continue more in the next post…
