Understanding Paradigms
In order to understand why there is a needed shift in certain paradigms, one must first understand what a paradigm is. By its definition it is "an example or model", another meaning for that would be "a list of all the inflectional forms of a word taken as an illustrative example of the conjugation or declension to which it belongs." Taking a look at its etymology, we see it derives from paradeiknynai; with further analysis (para: beside, deiknynai: to show) bringing the meaning to "show side by side."
When something is shown side by side or running parallel with something that it is not, we like to think of it as being a representation more than the literally substance itself. For instance, take a look at your shadow. Everyone has one yet we are not our shadow, and our shadow is not us. It simply is shown side by side.
Much like our shadows, paradigms can only be seen at certain angles and with proper light. The majority of adults come to the conclusion that they have indeed been subject to the paradigm of believing certain tales or fables were true, as specific evidence was shown side by side with what we were told. The most common paradigm being our former belief in Santa Claus. Although not every child's parents were able to provide or chose not to celebrate in this specific holiday, creating a new paradigm based in life's reality for those certain individuals. But for the ones who did wake up on December 25th excited about running towards their festively decorated tree looking down upon newly wrapped presents, they did believe that a jolly robust man travelled all over the entire world giving out toys for good boys and girls. They did not only believe because they themselves received new toys every year, but because their friends did as well and their family too. When everyone participates in a narrative, it's hard not to believe that this is how things really go.
It isn't until years later when you begin to piece certain "coincidences" together and notice those seem to be the only things holding up the stories. When you begin to think outside the box, you begin to notice that you were only shown or heard one side of the story. The problem with only hearing or only being seen one side of something is that everything is multi-dimensional. So when you only know one side, you are missing out on all the others; and worse is most of the time, the facet you are exposed to is manipulated either purposely or accidently by someone who does not fully understand the many angles of things as well.
With that being understood, we begin to see how many boxes there truly are around us. We live within a proverbial box, ie the paradigms that be. As mentioned in "What is REAL" ity, there is a paradigm of our own existence that is being given to us to accept. How do we know what is a paradigm and what is actually happening? Have you heard the rhetoric that when ice cream sales are at its yearly highest the same is true about crime? Without any context, one may come to a simple conclusion that the two must be related. That the increase in sugar from the incline in neighborhood ice creams sold led to the influx in crimes, or that to cover up the money from crimes, the money was laundered into ice cream profits. Both answers would be incorrect, as the two are just statistics that correlate with the time of year, being the summer. Due to the demand of cool refreshments, ice cream sales spike in the summer. With the ability to go outside for longer portions of the day and participate in more activities, crime does increase during the summer time as well as more people are out of their houses. The two have nothing to do with each other, yet there could be a paradigm created by someone who knows how to make an unrealistic connection and wants to benefit from it.
The same argument of establishing inappropriate paradigms could be used as we view gun control, the education system, relationships and nearly all aspects of our lives. Now there are some paradigms that do hold truth. Such as the fact the more you learn the more you earn. Notice how I didn't say if you get a degree you will earn a lot, because that is a paradigm in itself. One in which will be discussed in our next post about how we can make shifts in these paradigms.
Remember we here at Paradigm Shift Edu are not here to cause fear nor spread paranoia. In breaking down paradigms and providing reasonable ways to shift them for the betterment of all we are expanding the human consciousness through alternative education. We never claim to be experts in a field or demand you take what we say as final; just as we independently research, we expect you do the same.
You will find that those who think outside the box are the ones who are either working towards reshaping a more accessible box or are the ones who created it to begin with.
"MEDITATE | THINK | KNOW THYSELF" Paradigm Shift Edu
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