"They knew, for their own good reasons, what the world was like, and their experience acted as a filter through which any new message was tested, confirmed, rejected, challenged, and reinterpreted. Changing their minds would have meant changing the world they experienced, not simply convincing them of a new set of ideals around equality of opportunity and the desirability of a different world." - Kessler, Ashenden, Connell and Dowsett (1985)
I believe that change is a powerful validating force. It allows you to revalue your view of the world. Since our experiences are inevitably linear, the circular logic of cause and effect doesn't apply. Two people can reach the same conclusion on something with entirely different motives and aspirations. The only reason that we interpret their announcement as a convergence of change is that we all use the same vocabulary to describe that change. But, words are a poor substitute for emotions and even the most eloquent speaker cannot truly summarize the human psyche. It is that fragile identity that views the world from behind its battered walls. Each paradigm is unique to the recipient. Perhaps what that quote is suggesting is that by living the change(tres Obama, I know) you can actively redefine your paradigm in a manner that allows others to contrast their beliefs with an example of progress. It isn't so much about changing their world, it is about making your own better. Be the change!
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