Context

This topic is something that I really feel needs to be emphasised a lot more in our current day and age. Given how ubiquitous social media is right now, and the ease with which anyone can post and share content, there are many people, experts even, who are eager to share their thoughts and opinions on a wide range of different topics. There’s nothing wrong with that. The issue is that more often than not, everyone seems to think that they have the right answer, that their opinions and observations are correct, and that everyone should follow their example. When you have such beliefs, you close yourself off to the possibility of other opinions and start to have a very reductive view of the world.

I think it’s important to keep one thing in mind. Context. What works for you might not work for others. Daily habits, health, personal choices, life priorities, beliefs – the list goes on and on. There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer to any of these things. Even throughout the course of our lives, our values and priorities change. You might be focused on working hard to start a personal business earlier on in life, and devote your efforts to starting a family in the future. Our conversations need to be more progressive in taking external factors into account.

Of course, this is not to say that there aren’t areas where there is a definitive answer to things. When it comes to factual knowledge, we cannot argue with empirical evidence. When it comes to personal values, we can differentiate between good and bad. But we first need to begin from a place of respect and understanding. Not to project our own opinions on others. Only then can we find common ground and enact real change.