Paradigms & perceptions

"Just because something has always been done in a certain way is never a sufficient reason for continuing to do it that way."
- Clarence Birdseye

This quote explains a paradigm in a simple way, and the attached cartoon in an even simpler way. (to view the cartoon more clearly, just click on the image, it will open in a new window)

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, a paradigm is "a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind."

In a sense, we each have our own set of paradigms or glasses through which we view the world. These personal viewpoints of the "way things are" may cloud our ability to perceive or consider new or different ideas, especially if they seem to be in conflict with our perception of what is reality or "truth."

My question is this, how many paradigms are there, and why do we accept them so easily?

"All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions."
- Leonardo da Vinci

A lot of what we believe and the way we do things has been passed down through the ages, from our distant relatives, or a committee or organization created the paradigm. We are even born with certain perceptions already programmed into our thinking. It is only as we get older we can start to question things. (if we want to)

"What you see depends on what you thought before you looked."
- Eugene Taurman

The problem with paradigms and perceptions is that it tends to narrow our thinking and close our minds. We make decisions before we have even heard the other side, especially if it challenges a belief we have had for some time.

"With most men, unbelief in one thing springs from blind belief in another."
- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

One of the most concerning paradigms for me, is one created by certain churches. The belief that if you don't walk the straight and narrow you will suffer the wrath of God. That basically means we will all suffer the wrath of God, because all of us sin at one point in our life. I believe in a loving God, I believe God is pure love, nothing else and he will never get angry with any of his children. I strive to be more like Him and be loving and kind to all I know and meet.

I would love to hear about more paradigms that annoy you, I know there are plenty out there...