(image from http://www.yadempowers.org/ I don’t own the rights of this image. )

It all started when she was a small girl. She was diagnosed with mild-polio virus, which needed emergency medication to safe leg. The doctor did what he thought it was best for her. The nightmare turned real, the blame that he was the cause of her disability, something that made the doctor go underground from medical field and till now he is nowhere to be seen.

Later in her adult age, she was walking home from work- a primary school teacher, when she slipped on a banana peeling and fell down, breaking her stable leg. She was rushed to the nearby private hospital for first-aid before she was transferred to a public hospital. In there, she underwent a surgical operation to restore her leg. That was when one doctor told her the reality, telling her to appreciate the doctor who stopped the virus from engulfing her even though disabled but at least working leg.

After being released from the hospital, she went direct home. As ‘expected’, no one was there to help her, or to just pop in and go. She deed what she was able to, avoiding food most of the time- this was to avoid the call of nature. Remember, she could not move around because of effects of an operation, plus the fact that she is disabled.

A week passed on, her weakness doubled, but still none of her two sister showed up to help her out. Although she helps them financially or in other way, they chose to avoid being in contact with her at the time she needed them so much. They made no call or just a message of quick recovery. Why? Disability.

During that week of isolation, she tried walking around to do some simple chores in the house but it seemed impossible, since she was denying herself food. In that moment, she felt dizzy and fell on the floor- hurting her leg. She was rushed to the hospital by the neighbor.

Her leg was fixed one more time, in addition the doctor advised her to get enough food. Something she knew was hard for her, but her determination to survive was her drive that lead her through.

Just a simple presence means a lot when someone is in need. Caring does not mean being there the whore time, just a few minute is what counts.

Is it better to wake up dead or be dead to waking up? ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.

Judgment?

Do not condemn your brother or sister or come down on them for the choices they make. It is not your right to judge another based on your feelings, what is said in the scriptures and what is taught by those who choose resistance and hate. It’s OK to disagree with what choices they make and reveal the results of the choices they make but NOT to condemn them for making those choices. You have NOT walked in their shoes and experienced what they have learned. You do not feel as they do, experience what they have lived and learned what they have been taught. If you disagree with what they do because it does not contribute to the mutual growth and expansion of all concerned, then seek a way express yourself without hurting another. However, if what they are doing is hurting others, then speak the truth and identify what they are doing to all concerned. Be a light unto the world and don’t allow darkness and deception to proliferate. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.

Greed?

Only when our congresspersons serve jail time for taking money from corporations will our system begin to purge itself. Until then, greed and ego will reign supreme. Pray for them, vote them out of office and vote for genuine representatives. It’s all about control, domination and manipulation. First, corporations and lobbyists pay off our representatives, dominate their agendas and manipulate laws in their favor. When their term(s) are up, the same corporations hire them as ‘advisors’ because they have lived how the ’system’ works. Greed and selfish motivation is all they care about. They surely don’t care about their constituency with the high unemployment and ‘entitlement’ reform. Keep their corporate financial suppliers happy at all costs; which usually comes out of our pockets. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.

Order the book Spiritual Growth: Articles of Expectation by Dean A. Banks, D.D. This book shows you how to scientifically discover your own truth.

https://www.createspace.com/3691279

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One-sided relationship is just like a charitable act, where one partner is always desirous of giving for the sake of giving and not expecting anything in return. Though this is a virtuous act and the giver reap its reward in the shape of peace of mind and will also reap rewards in the life hereafter, but in terms of worldly or materialistic gains he receives nothing, whereas the receiver of the benefits proves to be a parasite or detrimental for the other partner. This type of relationship lasts till the giver keeps on giving and the recipient keep on receiving and ends up as soon as the giver stops giving.

Conversely, in a relationship based on mutual basis, both the partners offer service to one another and share their experience. This benefits both on equal basis. There is a difference in serving and having served, and receiving and having received. In a mutual sharing partnership both the parties earns benefits emotionally and psychologically equally.

Both the partners must cooperate with each other in the processes of crafting, putting into practice and evaluating their experiences. They should also be sharing equal authorities so as to implant, safeguard and assess their requirements pertaining to their relationships. In mutual relationship not only focus is laid down equally on both sides for seeing who is benefiting but powers are also shared on mutual basis for implying that focus and determining that both are equally benefiting.

In mutually shared relationship, it is crucial to understand that both parties are providing valuable services to one another on equal basis. There are three important aspects involved in strengthening a mutual relationship.

Firstly, crafting a relationship, this involves mutual sharing of powers and authorities that is required to fulfill one another’s needs and requirements. It is obvious that either side is missing some benefits that must be met by either side. Therefore, crafting a relationship is a process that supports and fulfills the need and requirement of both the parties, simultaneously sharing authorities on equal basis for the purpose of strengthening the relationship.

Secondly they must play the role of giver and taker. Since, both giver and taker shares different benefits from practically involving directly in learning and fulfilling one another’s needs, they are more likely to involve in the process of long lasting relationship. This creates a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment from either side, which serves the purpose of creating strong bondage between two.

Thirdly, is the equal ability of assessing their experiences during the process? This assessment is not based on assessing only from one aspect but reflecting on various aspects of their personalities. It involves questioning and answering honestly to different aspect of a relationship such as “How do think, you contributed in strengthening the relationship process?”, “What do you think is required for improving the relationship?”, “What expectations you think are not fulfilled by your partner?”, “What are your differences?”, “What are your compatibilities?” and “What’s the solution?” etc. These and such issues must be communicated by both the partners for a long lasting relationship.

To sum up, both the partners must enjoy equal levels of authority, cooperate in crafting and making up relationship design, practically play the roles of giver and taker and communicate regularly for meeting the challenges in the relationship if any.

There is no doubt that in actual life it is not always easy to fulfill the requirements of an exemplary mutual sharing relationship, since people are different in abilities, individualities, preferences, mental levels, habits, likes and dislikes, education, childhood environment and many such factors. The authorities are not always estimated equally. In the presence of all such differences why do these unplanned relationships survive, it is only due to the presence of good wishes, mutual love and respect between two parties. In the presence of such attributes, the need of mutual sharing relationship sets aside, but these relationships remains in limits and can be broken anytime due to huge difference in their personalities, whereas mutual sharing relationship can be difficult to understand initially, but it guarantees benefits to both sides and lasts long, since it gives a broader and well-planned perspective of a healthy relationship.

By Muhammad Irfan Zafar

Content Writer

With all those modern gadgets — cell phones, speed dials, e-mails, search engines, websites, Facebook, and similar stuffs, it’s impossible not to have a word from him. If a guy really wants to be with you or would want to talk to you (if only because he thinks his voice is glorious to you), he will find a way to connect : no alibis.

An alibi is worse than no alibi; it makes the fault worse than the alibi. Alibis are forms of deceit. Deception is deception in any language. There is no justification for it; it just does not happen. On the other hand an alibi could be a form of polite rejection or polite evasion. Either way it hurts, definitely not in the job description of true love. If you have lost him to someone else, remember that no man is stolen or allows himself to be stolen. Nagging him would only give him a chance to say NO louder—- to inflict the wound deeper. It’s like beating yourself, digging the hole deeper for your grave. It’s painful to be left licking his chops. Unfair.

Missing someone is a sign of a healthy relationship. If he likes or loves you enough he won’t forget how nice you are. Ever. He promised to call or come but didn’t, making you appear like a creep. All right, he did call but told you that he had an insanely busy day. That’s a load of crap. You should be after a guy who’s good as his word. To waste time with a guy who’s not serious is to waste time and feeling— feeling stupid. “There’s no cure for stupid.” Time enough to sniff the bad news: he’s just not interested. A guy who wants a woman to be part of his life will work for it.

While those omniscient books advice patience and understanding, this time it should not be the case. Listen to the knell of parting. Assume rejection no matter how much he is worth dying for. Being dumped or taken for granted is an insult. He makes you feel so unattractive and meaningless. Why should you feel needy and obsessed and allow yourself to be stepped on like a doormat?

Don’t allow the fall-off to rattle your world. Cut him off. Get on the saddle again. Don’t ever give him the chance to ever reject you again. You are simply fabulous in your own way. Out there is a guy who can’t wait to love you. Find him, keep moving. Look no farther than your own happiness. ###

If cultural diversity can be managed effectively, there is a potential to use diverse workforce for organizational benefits. It is proved that multi-culturism is directly linked to organizational success. It is because effectively managed multi culture companies have cost effective competitive edge over its competitor. It helps in promoting minority friendly reputation among current and potential employees. Diverse cultural corporations help to get better customers which have a variety of people. Moreover diverse group of employees are perceived to be more creative and efficient in problem solving as compared to homogeneous group. Last but not least ability to manage cultural diversity increases adaptability and flexibility of an organization to environmental changes.

Other benefits include: identify previously overlooked cultural markets, create new products for existing markets, change corporate culture to attract a different employee mix, get things done in better ways. Therefore understanding cultural diversity in workplace is become utmost important for the managers.

Today’s manager must understand the importance of diversity in order to remain competitive, respond to globalization and promote innovation and productivity within its organization. It also contributes to increased human resource retention and productivity. It can enhance the organization’s responsiveness to an increasingly diverse world of customers and improve relations with the surrounding community. The world today is more diverse than ever before. Therefore the rationale for understanding and managing diversity has never been stronger.  As new possibilities and opportunities in the business environment arise, the need for diversity programs will be the key to successful organizations of the future. 

Image by Eric Kilby via Flickr

Image by Eric Kilby via Flickr

Objective:

This basic objective of the study is to find out the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace. To achieve the basis objectives our study covers the following specific goals:

a.        To know the cultural diversity theoretically and

b.       To know the importance of cultural diversity

Methodology:

Methodology refers to a settled kind of procedure, usually according to define, established logical or systematic plan. It means “the under lying principles and rules of organization of a philosophical system or inquiry procedure”. The information and data inserted and discussed are based on desk research and collected from secondary sources.

Literature Review:

According to Alicia Kenyon, “As now a day businesses compete in a more global arena, the value of different perspectives and talents will be vital to an organization’s survival and growth.” This is a fact that workplace diversity is a multi-faceted concept that will continue to evolve as more industries move toward a global marketplace.  The globalization of business is changing the face of the local workforce thereby emphasizing the importance of effective leadership in managing diversity in the workplace.  Managers are now expected to have a firm understanding of managing a diverse workforce to be effective in positioning organizations for future business opportunities. In order to determine the both positive and negative impact of culturally diversified workplaces, mangers are in need to understand diversity. That is why, Ann C. Schauber  says, “A healthy organization is one in which an obvious effort is made to get people with different backgrounds, skills, and abilities to work together toward the goal or purpose of the organization.” Your leadership challenge says Stever Robbins, is to explore cultural differences in your workforce and help the group discover what they suggest about the business.

Cultural diversity

Before going in to discussion why understanding cultural diversity is important for managers, let us first see what is culture are what is called cultural diversity?

Culture may be defined as the values, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people. A group may be identified by many criteria such as nationality, religion geography or language. Culture plays a significant role in workplace assumptions, behavior and organizational cultures. According to Wikipedia4, “Cultural diversity encompasses the cultural differences that exist between people, such as language, dress and traditions, and the way societies organize themselves, their conception of morality and religion, and the way they interact with the environment.”

Cultural diversity includes but is not restricted to: language, race, ethnic background, country or region of origin, dress, values, religion and associated practices, social and community responsibilities, sexuality, disability, notions of family, family responsibilities and political views.

Understanding cultural diversity: why it is important

In Australia, for example, Hotel Nikko in Sydney has customer relations teams composed of staff members from different cultural background. In direct guest contact areas they speak a total of 34 different languages. Similarly Qantas Flight Catering has sixty-six nationalities on staff, with various overseas-born chefs. These diverse ‘ethnic’ kitchens gave Qantas a huge competitive edge that offers food based on customer’s ethnic taste and requirements. Moreover language and cultural trainings increased cross-cultural communication and increased profits while lowering costs at the same time. Similarly The Cheesecake Factory had put special effort to understand Japanese quality and packaging culture as Asian employees assist management to understand Asian tastes so that they can target exports to Asia.

Above three are some small examples of the importance of knowing cultural diversity in workplace. Now let us see more specifically how cultural diversity plays a vital role behind the organizational success now a days and why should the managers being aware of this.  

 Changing demography

According to Cole  by 2010, the Hispanic labor force is projected to be larger than the African-American labor force in US job market.  Asians will continue to be the fastest growing group in the labor force, projected to increase by nearly 45% this decade. Women currently comprise nearly half of the labor force. The majority of workers entering the workforce this decade will be woman, minorities and foreign nationals. The labor shortage that began in the 1990’s will continue to grow and is projected to reach 10 million workers by 2010.

 Now let us assume ConAgra Foods, Inc. is a company that employs over forty thousand people.  According to the above statistic, twenty thousand of ConAgra’s employees are women.  Since the majority of workers entering the workforce will be minorities, including women, by the year 2010, over 65% of the employees within the organization will be minorities.  It is evident by the changing demographics that diversity must be an integral part of a corporate culture. This new workforce will, of course, mirror the changing demographics of the country.  As a result, the new workforce will be comprised of older workers, more women and greater numbers from minority groups. 

Proportion and growth of non-Irish national workers in Ireland

 Sectors                                                                                 2006 %                                                 % growth 2005 to 2006

Hotels & Restaurants                                                          25                                                            33

Construction                                                                         12                                                            49

Other Production industries                                               11                                                            27

Financial & other business services                                 10                                                            34

Health                                                                                    10                                                            41

Other services                                                                      10                                                            34

Wholesale & retail trade                                     8                                                              28

Transport, storage and communication                           7                                                              31

Education                                                                              5                                                              7

Agriculture, forestry & fishing                                          4                                                              8

Public administration & defense                       0.5                                                           27

Total                                                                                       10                                                            32

Source: CSO (2006) Quarterly National Household Survey Q2 2006 (www.imi.ie)

The above table shows us % growth rate of non-Irish workers in various sectors of Irish economy.

 Actually the picture is more or less same for other Western, European, Gulf and some Asian nations too. Immigration is now an established feature of various society and international trends indicate that it will only continue to flourish with the increased mobility of people and globalization of business. This immigrant people are bringing different set of belief, taste, preference, behavior pattern, political view etc in the countries. Moreover they form different types of market for them too. That is why creating high performing organizations through valuing and using all the talents of employees of different cultural groups are the challenge facing by managers. It makes understanding cultural diversity obvious. Only understanding cultural diversity in workplace will help them to cope with the fast changing demography.

Innovation

According to Santana, “Companies that have managers who are equipped to successfully leverage the distinct and rich talents and skills and knowledge of all employees will not only avoid drains on profitability; they will actually attain a number of strategic benefits. Managing diversity is essential for success in any business.  Diversity breads creativity and creativity drives innovation. To be successful in business your people need to be able to innovate so that you can remain differentiated from the competition. Otherwise, your company becomes a collection of “commoditized” people that produce “commoditized” products and services. The bottom line:  the ability to manage diversity is extremely valuable to any organization.

We know high productivity depends on effective functioning teams.  A team that composed of variety of diverse characteristics individually, which comes together collectively, can spark creativity and innovation.  Diversity can be a “looking glass” through which, new ways of thinking about products, markets and innovation can develop.  Promoting innovation and diversity efforts can improve organizational effectiveness. 

According to Procter and Gamble CEO Pepper, “The success of this company is a direct result of our diverse and talented workforce.  Our ability to develop new consumer insights and ideas and to execute in a superior way across the work is the best possible testimony to the power of diversity any organization could ever have.”

That is why workforce teams that are more diverse in nature generate ideas that are superior in creativity and in quality. 

Better decision making

Diversity is not government mandated. But managing and valuing diversity gives an organization a competitive edge.  According to Simmons, Clemons, and Bennett, “The more diverse your workforce, the better your decision-making”

Decision-making groups that are characterized by higher levels of diversity are more likely to generate a higher number of possible solutions and consider a higher number of alternatives before finalizing their decisions and such processes are generally associated with higher quality decisions.

It enhances the creativity and problem-solving abilities of the organization. Once an organization can incorporate difference, previously unexplored talent and energy will be focused on achieving organizational goals.

Future legal requirement

It is a legal requirement. In the U.S., equal opportunity is supported through laws such as the Civil Rights Act, Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Age Discrimination Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act. Organizations, especially the ones that receive government funding, maintain affirmative action programs in an effort to comply with these laws (Cox).

This is another reason why organizational cultural diversity is important. It may be more economical in the long term. When an organization is perceived as not complying with equal opportunity laws, fines and costly litigation are often the result. In the long run, it may be more economical to invest in incorporating multiple perspectives in an organization before the need for litigation arises.

New opportunity

According to Alpert “The workforce will be increasingly composed of “minority” populations.  By the year 2005, projected changes in the ethnic composition of the American Workforce include 51% of new entrants into the workforce will be minorities.  Looking at women alone (minority and white) will make up 62% of new entrants.  These demographic changes will significantly alter the composition of the population as a whole and the workforce.  In addition, these changes will have a major affect on who has “buying power” and the definition of the markets that will provide growing business opportunities. IBM, for example, accounts its dramatic expansion in minority markets to the promotion of diversity within its own workforce resulting in a virtuous circle of growth and progress.

Human Resource Issue

Employees are an organization’s most valuable asset. These are the people who are going to carry out strategic plans, business plans and company policy thereby making them the most precious possession within the organization. Personal qualifications, characteristics and talents make employees the bloodline of the company, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or sex. What an employee contribute to the company with respect to experience, thoughts, opinions and actions is vital to the business environment.  Because of this, retaining employees from diverse backgrounds is critical.  Evidence suggests that a diverse workforce leads to profitability and minimizes the cost of employee replacement.

According to C. K. Prahalad, and G. Hamel, “Estimates of the cost of replacing an employee vary, but a good rule of thumb is that replacing an employee costs four times that worker’s salary.  These costs include such factors as the time involved in recruitment, hiring and training, as well as the dollars lost to production while the position is unfilled.  Such calculations, moreover, do not take into account the costs of lost accumulated company knowledge and the current and future potential of contribution of the employee who has left.  If turnover is high, poor morale also increases the real cost of attrition.

Measuring how diversity contributes to an organization’s profitability raises difficulty, but evidence shows there is a link between profitability and a sound diversity program. 

Conclusion

Although some people think that diversity does nothing but create problems and challenges, it offers remarkable benefits. If the corporate society does not address the issue by learning how to manage diversity, they will fail.

As demographics continue to change, the importance of successfully managing workplace diversity will continue. Ignoring diversity within organizations does have its consequences.  The inability to manage diversity in the workplace can be extremely harmful and costly to a business.  Many aspects of business can be damaged with this attitude resulting in discrimination suits, litigation time and money, legal fees/settlements, high employee turnover and a negative community image.  Furthermore, productivity, morale and the organizations’ ability to recruit high quality individuals will suffer.  All of these aspects can be detrimental to the success of an organization. Supervisors, managers, directors and leaders should educate themselves comprehensively so that they can be role models for their personnel.

Relationships of all kinds are often perceived as very delicate things, that require extra effort to maintain. However, a relationship can also be something that can provide security and can also be long lasting despite many trials.

Building an effective and lasting relationships is a necessity for several reasons. For example in a group or organization, the well being of the people depends on how efficient and effective that group or organization works.

The group or organization is also dependent on how the members work well with the management.

An ineffective group or organization can really be very frustrating. An effective group or organization can also ask so much on their members, that sometimes the members would be having no life outside the walls of the area where they work or sacrifice the other aspects of their life just to meet deadlines. For an organization or group with this kind of scenario, relationships can be stressed or suffer from breakdown.

People or other entities who depend on these groups or organization also suffer.

Society is defined as a web of relationships, which requires all parties to work and contribute their share in order to achieve a common goal. Having a relationship that is good, where cooperation and respect are manifested, can make society work better. In this way each member works for the good of the whole and towards achieving a common goal. This can only be attained with effective and efficient relationships.

Understanding the other parties’ feeling and position creates an effective and efficient relationship. The easiest method to understand what is important to another party is to ask them what they want and listen to what they have to say. When the other party realizes this, they would feel the importance given to them

Effective and efficient relationships require parties to openly express their feelings and positions on all matters pertinent on the relationship. Assuming that the other party understands our needs and give us when we need it without asking for it is not a good practice.

Respect is the key to relationship. In order to create a more effective relationship, parties should treat each other with respect. We can show respect just by listening to the other party and by trying sincerely to understand how they function. You can also show respect to other parties by confirming that they are doing everything they can.

The opposite of respect is quick forming of judgements based on unfounded facts and prejudice.

Respect is the very foundation for a great relationship. This also means respecting yourself and respecting others.

Another key area in forming an effective relationship is to tackle differences of the other party directly. Differences between parties or people are quite interesting. For example in a conversation where each party listens to the other party, you may observe that each is having two different perspectives.

Work towards a win-win solution for both parties.

This can be done when at least one party acknowledges that the relationship is important. That party would then exert more time, effort and energy to understand the other party’s needs and deal with it to get it out of the way. Should they fail, it is comforting for that party to know that they tried.

Effectively listening and no pre-judging. This is important if parties are to understand each other.

Informal discussions are conducive for parties. They bring out issues and concerns comfortably. They also feel more relaxed making them think more clearly.

Developing an atmosphere where the other party can express their feelings when they need to.

When parties fail to express whatever is on their mind or their feelings, it can get in the way of building an effective relationship.

Parties should be aware that certain things exist naturally but should be controlled in any dealings in any relationship. Human nature is one. Some of these things found in a relationship also include a history of stereotyping or mistrust, blaming the other person or party for a strained relationship, excluding the other party’s feelings when focusing on a task, no clear and defined objectives, roles and expectations of each party in a relationship is also unclear.

Relationships are important to anyone, addressing issues and problems right away is a must to further improve the relationship. As they say ‘No man is an Island’.

Definition of informal communication is communication between people that exist within an organization, but not planned or not specified in the organizational structure. Informal communication function is to maintain social relationships informal friendship groups, dissemination of information which is personal and private as is the issue, gossip, or rumor. On informal communication should not be based on information that is still unclear and inaccurate, look for sources of reliable information, always use common sense and act on positive thoughts.

The information in informal communication usually occurs through a chain of a crowd in which a person receives the information and forwarded to the person or more, and so on so that the information is dispersed to various circles. The implication is that the truth of such information would be unclear or vague. However informal communications will be to meet social needs, influence others, and overcome the slowness of formal communication that typically tend to be rigid and have to go through various channels first.

Non-formal communication is the process of communication is between a formal or official with an unofficial or informal. This type of communication is usually in the form of communication that relate to personal relationships

Understanding the culture according to The American Herritage Dictionary (in Kotter and Heskett, 1992), which is formally defined culture as a whole pattern of behavior that is reflected in social life, religion, art, and institutional, as well as all the results of the human mind and work on an entity certain people. Meanwhile, Koentjaraningrat provide systemic understanding of a whole culture of ideas, actions, and the work of humans in the context of a society that’s used as a human being by means of learning.
Culture has 3 (three) form, namely:

Culture as a complexity of ideas, ideas, values ​​and norms, rules and so on. Culture form in this context is a form of cultural ideal rights are abstract. Culture in this sense serves as a customs regulating, controlling, and member referral patterns of behavior and actions of people who live in the sphere of culture. Examples of this culture form is a system of cultural values, norms, laws, and regulations such manners and so forth.

Culture as a complex activity patterns of human behavior in society. Culture form in this context referred to as a social system consisting of human activities that interact, connect, hang out on the basis of certain behavioral patterns of governance. The second form of this culture is more concrete because it can be observed and documented.

Culture as objects of human handiwork. The third manifestation of this culture is a culture of physical and culture is the most concrete, such as buildings, artifacts, temples, buildings, houses, and others.

The Path To The Stars

By Dougal Mac Gregor

This booklet is a compilation of thoughts, reflections, and advices. This booklet is meant to help you understand the world around you better, arrive at better decisions, enhance the quality of your life, and ultimately find and complete your dreams. Please read each thought carefully, and take the time to mentally digest and understand it. Read them as many times as necessary for you to comprehend the message behind them. But most importantly; question everything, including that which is written here, and that which you take for granted or fact. You must never accept any one idea as the ultimate truth or fact; you may arrive at being 99.99% sure about an idea, but never accept it as 100% fact.

11. Objective or Subjective?

Something is subjective when it is based on personal interpretation, in other words, an opinion. Opinions are often things that cannot yet be measured.

Something is objective if it is not dependent on people’s perception, in other words, a fact. Facts are usually measurable in one way or another, and they are always perceived by everyone.

An example of a subjective thing is “cuteness”, because something can be attractive to person A but not to person B. This may change if we develop a means of categorizing and measuring things by how attractive they are based on some kind of rule or condition.

An example of an objective thing is “weight”, because weight is the same regardless of how it is perceived by each person. Additionally, weight can be measured and categorized regardless of people’s perception.

Advice: It may be difficult, but always remember the difference between objectiveness and subjectivity, and consider whether something is subjective or objective.

Taken from Dougal Mac Gregor’s “The Path To The Stars”.

The Path To The Stars

By Dougal Mac Gregor

This booklet is a compilation of thoughts, reflections, and advices. This booklet is meant to help you understand the world around you better, arrive at better decisions, enhance the quality of your life, and ultimately find and complete your dreams. Please read each thought carefully, and take the time to mentally digest and understand it. Read them as many times as necessary for you to comprehend the message behind them. But most importantly; question everything, including that which is written here, and that which you take for granted or fact. You must never accept any one idea as the ultimate truth or fact; you may arrive at being 99.99% sure about an idea, but never accept it as 100% fact.

10. Illusion; Perception Makes Reality.

An illusion is something one or more people believe to be true, when in fact it is likely to be false or deceiving. To understand illusions better, we can make reference to the analogy of the realities in topic 9;

You are inside your house in your living room which has a window with a view of huge grasslands and mountains far away. Your neighbor is also inside his house in his living room which also has a window looking in the same direction. The view that you have of the outside may be very similar to the one your neighbor has, but it can never be identical. Say for example, that you are watching a large beautiful tree, which your neighbor can also see but from a slightly different angle. The tree happens to cover from your sight an ugly windmill that stand further behind. Your neighbor can see the windmill because the tree does not cover it from him as it does for you. This means that your neighbor is aware of the existence of the ugly windmill, while you are oblivious to it because you can’t see it, because the tree is on the way from your perspective.

Here the illusion is the tree blocking your view of the windmill. Although usually an illusion represents something that is real in your head but is not real in the external world, in this case the illusion is based on the tree which is a real object. For you, there is no ugly windmill because you cannot see it; therefore you have the illusion that there is only a beautiful panorama. However, your neighbor can see the windmill, so he is aware that the panorama is not as beautiful as you perceive it. The tree represents an illusion to you, but not to your neighbor, and because you cannot see the windmill, even if your neighbor tells you about it, you are unlikely to believe him it is there.

People often think that if something is not perceived by anyone it means it does not exist. Much like the question of “If a tree in a forest falls but no one is close by to hear it, does this mean that the sound of the collapsing tree does not exist? ” This is flawed thinking; and it goes hand in hand with the topic of Illusions. We perceive the external world with our senses, but people mistakenly think it works the other way around and assume that the only things that exist are the ones he can perceive through his senses. It is much more accurate to say that things exist whether we perceive them or not, the external world is independent to our perception, while our perception is totally dependent on the external world.

However, today’s human society is so unaware of this structure that people live in mirror worlds rather than the real one, and you can be easily judged insane by people who do not perceive something that you may be perceiving. For this reason, even if your senses are more developed, or if you can somehow perceive things that others cannot, it is safer for you to pretend that something that you perceive but others don’t does not exist. Especially since it is now widely known that our brains can malfunction and our minds can trick us by creating things in our minds that are not really there in the external world (like schizophrenia), and for this reason people automatically think your brain is malfunctioning if you perceive something they don’t and they call you insane, even if that is not the case.

This is how society works:

If everyone can see, or hear, or smell, or taste, or touch, or feel it, then it is real. If it cannot be perceived by multiple people, then it is not real.

This is how it should really work:

If everyone can sense (see, hear, smell etc.) it, then it is probably real.

If only one person can sense it, then it might not be real, but it could still be.

If no one can perceive it, it might not exist, but it could still exist.

Advice: Be wary, people do not see the world as you see it, and vice versa. If you detect things others do not, you should seek methods of verifying that what you perceive is real in the external world, such as finding other people who can also detect it. Because if you remain the only person able to perceive something; you risk not only being tagged as insane, but being in fact tricked by your mind. By the same reason, always take into consideration what others perceive and not only what you perceive, because they might be able to perceive something you yet can’t (illusion).

Taken from Dougal Mac Gregor’s “The Path To The Stars”.