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Originally Posted by Brain Toomer
But what if I'm the professional so adept at manipulating the perspective of others to suit my objectives?? If there is any truth to that then will I not have come into this forum knowing how to tell my story so I would get the validation I need and want? How do you all know with certainty that I haven't played you all with my story In just such a clever and devious manner as to garner sympathy for myself while painting my friend as the villain?
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Well, for one thing, a professional manipulator's whole career would depend on never, ever letting themselves sound anywhere near as confused as you've been sounding about this particular subject.
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If I am afflicted by blind spots that I'm unaware of and simply cannot see, how can I know what is true?
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Permit me, please, to offer these two alternative possibilities for your consideration:
1. The glass is half empty at best, and you're "afflicted by blind spots" that everyone but you is aware of...
-- or --
2. The glass is about half full, and you have somewhere around your normal share of blind spots along with the rest of us.
Personally, when I've been absolutely certain what was true and what wasn't, I've generally found that that knowledge did me little, if any, good. Meanwhile, when I've been certain that I had absolutely no idea what was true and what wasn't, I've consistently found that what worked best for me was to choose the fantasy that suited me best and stick with that until I learned otherwise.
I think it was William Blake who said, "If the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise." I've tended to appreciate that quote a lot, myself, but those in my life who've dedicated themselves to teaching me the error of my ways, have seldom seemed to.