Truth hurts. Always. It does not hurt as much when others tell it to you because you can deny it and pretend you don't care. The most painful moment comes when you realize the truth on your own, coming to the same conclusions without being forced. It is like embracing your own crown of thorns you've been putting on others for years. It hurts. It bleeds. It heals.
If there is one thing I managed to wrap my head around is that almost 99.99% of the cases it is a waste of energy to tell people they are wrong. You better let time build the mirror for those people who will eventually look at it one day. With the eyes wide open.
You know, now that you mentioned Mars. If we can't be friends with one of our own kind, I doubt we would ever come close to ever make friends with a martian in case one would ever have existed. Humanity has a history in killing, isolating or throwing prejudice towards everything it does not understand.
You held nothing back with dose of honesty here. Another comment where I'm more interested in listening, thinking. Now some words come to mind...
It can be a waste of energy. Often it is. But every time, it is a form of teaching. We're not going to let those we care about jump if we know the fall will break their legs. They jump anyway. Well then you go pick them up. I see this as a flaw in humanity now. Neither of us is immune. You mentioned that prejudice towards things we don't understand. Hearing what we don't want to hear is included in that. I know I can't change the world but at some point people will need to be able to accept what is meant to help. And I'm not talking about those who are pushy and want their demands met. Just those honest occasions. People need to work harder on seeing the difference, not treating it the same, or we just keep going in circles.
I think these ideas lead to something called authenticity. When you meet someone who is authentic to themselves, they can make a huge impact in your life. Not imposing you to do things, but rather challenging you to question your own thinking. I think that it's easier to be more open to the truth when you start asking questions. And in order to get to that point there is a sweet spot called doubt. If people have a slight doubt about what they do or how they do it, then the change can happen. The most horrendous things happened when people were so convinced of what they were doing. Crimes, genocide, mental wars, racism, sexism etc.
For the past while, when I'm trying to figure out why people are doing something I probably wouldn't do, I go straight to asking questions. Often, I'm not getting straight answers. The questions are converted into insults, and they give it back, the same as they would had I simply dropped my own opinion on matters down for them to pick up and disagree with. If someone can't answer a question, even if it does sting a bit, that kind of tells me they don't really understand what they're doing. People don't ask enough questions. They exchange opinions and argue points. Especially online. Go try it out sometime. Drop a question into a busy comment section that makes it sound like you don't understand or agree and watch how they'll instantly jump on you and make you regret it. LOL... People.. So much attitude. And of course I've been the same damn way at times. Reacting rather than thinking.
It is like a wild circus out there, in the ego arena. The best moment comes when you realize that sometimes some people don't deserve having a question asked to them. It saves a lot of energy. For a fun experiment it would be kinda hilarious. But now I value my time so much more that I believe that the focus of attention should be on people mature enough to get a stingy question and roll with it and maybe even grow as a person after that. There is that old saying to not cast your pearls in front of swine. I have had enough mud on my face after a swine party. I exclude myself from such situations now after I have learned a thing or two. Swines party the best together. Let them have their party. Oink oink.
Ha! You're right. Why get mud and shit on your new shoes?
Exactly!