“Reality.  What a concept.” -Robin Williams

Years ago, in a psychology class, the professor asked all of us to put our heads down on our desks while he played a tape.  We were instructed to relax, listen and then we would discuss what we had heard being played.

What he didn’t tell us was that the tape was a ‘tape loop’ — one word repeated over and over again.  When all of us eager students raised our heads, we had all heard something different.  Many of us, myself included, insisted, argued even, that we had heard other things, different rhythms, more words. (Ahhh, the certainty of youth…)

Not so.  Only one word, repeated endlessly, looping.

I was reminded of this experience recently when I set the GPS in my car and then I deviated from the ‘calculated route.’  I’m sure you’ve all heard the calm, neutral GPS voice as it tells you to ‘Make a legal U turn.’  As the GPS continued to urge me to change my route, I swear I could hear an edge creep in to that voice.  I swear, there was an undertone of irritation because I was not following directions.  I could have sworn that GPS voice was giving me attitude.

Of course the voice was as neutral as ever, but if it was a live exchange, a human voice might have become irritated.  And perhaps it is possible that if we can hear irritation in a GPS voice, when said irritation does not exist, then perhaps we can also hear things in the voices of those around us, — we think we hear irritation when none was intended. 

Back to the tape loop;  I heard what I thought I heard and that was my reality.  The point of the lesson is don’t judge what someone else hears because what they hear is their reality, even if it differs from yours. 

I hear my GPS get annoyed.  I heard that tape loop waiver from that one word. Interpretation is always subjective, as is reality.

I still remember the word on the tape.  It was ‘cogitate’.

Check out the reality at this week’s edition of  Contentment is for Cows.

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