The Paradigm
The Paradigm: In and of itself it embodies the complexity of a paradigm. Much like expelling its usage you find yourself describing a concept more than simply exercising the semantics of defining a word. Especially when this one word stands for the totality of everything that both individuates you and binds others to you. Filtering everything you see, hear, feel, experience, fear, accept,trust and condemn through an intricate and complex system classification and archiving.
The Paradigm and The Significance
The Paradigm can be explained in this next example. An Agnostic Scientist and A devout Christian Fundamentalist Evangelist can read the exact same article regarding a vigorously debated issue, for example; a vote to determine the right of gays and lesbians to marry and receive the same acknowledgements, rights and benefits as Heterosexual marriage.The very next story they read chronicles the horrible massacre of high school students by an imbalanced and dissociative student ended by the tragic but truly inspiring and heroic actions of a first responder. Both of these men are most likely going to have nearly identical reactions to the school shooting.
Both men live within paradigms that find acts of senseless violence appalling and these belief paradigms dictate not only their absolute denouncement of such acts but in truth are the controlling factor that prohibits both men from even entertaining the notion of participating in that behavior. Everyone is a part of the paradigm whether they know it or not.
Both men, in this case co-exist in a paradigm that provides the security of like mindedness that makes civilization possible. Yet, they would most likely be adamantly opposed on the issue of gay marriage. To the Christian, the Paradigm of belief in God is so powerful it quite literally “saves” his life from any fear that he will himself have to come to terms with the concepts of insignificance, mortality, fear of sexuality and this “salvation” provides a euphoric peace so precious that he accepts the terms of that paradigm no questions asked.
Homosexuality is a sin, so says the Paradigm of Christian Fundamentalism. To not oppose it would be in direct conflict with the terms of his salvation. It’s not that difficult to understand why some beliefs drive men to such extreme acts when you consider that most of us are prewired with questions to which no absolute answers are to be found. No matter which side of the coin you reside; be it in search of God or just any sentient life other than us; we have all since the dawn of self awareness turned our sights to the heavens for answers.
On the other side, however the truly agnostic scientist (and I say truly because I believe it’s paramount that the sanctity of a word’s meaning be sovereign. Paradigms are often distorted and confused simply because we don’t take the time to understand everything we attach when we apply labels)… he being agnostic finds peace in the belief that the only proof that exists for any argument on the subject is that we can say with empirical absolution the no one can prove or disprove the existence of any deity.
True agnosticism is based on a foundation of peace with the unknown and has no construct in place for salvation. So the concept of judgement or augmented human rights based on genetic predispositions under no one’s control but the random whim of nature is such an absurdity, the idea that it is even considered an option to put to a vote violates his paradigm of humanity.
And now each man, being firmly planted within the confines of their respective paradigms have gone from trusted allies in the face of an agreed evil. Yet, each an immovable opposition to the other in a disagreement that for all intense and purposes resides in paradigms rooted in the most universally shared concept in all of human history.
What’s the point? It’s simple. The paradigms we reside in when in harmony create civilizations, give birth to art, higher consciousness, expanded horizons which leads to more comfort and trust and in the end; the single most important trait of humanity.
