WHY WE DON’T SEE THE WORLD AS IT IS?

Such a question strengthens the assumption that we are programmed creatures and, therefore, are not free to behave and decide as we truly want. We do things thinking we are acting on our own free will, but that is not the case. We formulate ideas and believe they are the pure product of our mental effort, when the reality is completely different. There is usually a gap between what we think and reality.

Taking these facts into account, the concepts of freedom, independence, and free will remain relative, reflecting long struggles to achieve and fully understand them.

Why can’t we reach an objective interpretation of what we see and witness?

By all accounts, this question is not easy to approach, as it spans a diverse range of fields, including cognition, psychology, neurology, and culture.

Scientifically speaking, according to the theory of predictive coding, the human brain guesses what is happening before it processes every single detail. The brain isn’t simply a passive receiver of information, but an active prediction machine. One doesn’t see the world as it is; rather, one sees the brain’s guess of the world.

Illusions seem to be among the harshest enemies of the self. They force one to escape into unreal worlds and enjoy what cannot be experienced in real life. They deepen the gap between the real and the unreal, creating an alternate world for the self where dreams are built on a foundation of sand. One can waste an entire lifetime and all of their energy without ever waking from the sleep of self-deception, completely falling into its trap and temptation.

While illusions may remain under the control of the self and its free choice, one’s personal background appears to be beyond its will. In truth, the self-conscious mind shapes how we see things by processing a huge number of details in the background. Indeed, the weight of the past, education, and everything we have received remain determining factors that direct the choices and behavior of the self. These elements program the self and take hold of its conceptions, convictions, beliefs, perception of things, and interpretation of events. Consequently, the self remains a slave to its old memories, fears, and personal history, acting and reacting in response to their awakening and influence. Furthermore, emotions play a significant role in shaping how we see the world. In fact, our current mood alters how we interpret events, preventing us from maintaining a neutral perspective.

It appears irrational to deny that every person is the outcome of their environment. Each individual can be perceived as the result of a specific historical evolution. Such a conception implies the heavy impact of culture through its countless elements: language, symbols, norms, beliefs, preconceptions, values, rituals, and codes.

Taking into consideration these complex factors, is it possible to acknowledge the gap and try to reconcile the facts we see with how we see them?