Understanding

Article No. 26
02/November/2019 

Understanding is one of the most essential qualities of a serious person in life. It means the cognitive condition of someone who has the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination. Ability to distinguish is necessary for identifying right and wrong. Present choices in our life determine our future life and course of action. Understanding is a skill developed over time through knowledge, wisdom and experience. These can be from both reason and revelation.

In the postmodern society, options in front of us are very misleading or narrow differences to distinguish right and wrong. Wrong and false claims that they are true to deceive people. Even fact-checkers are misguiding people in the wrong ways. Now, fakes look perfect than original in every walks of life. So it is a hard task to understand right and wrong for a person. Understandability helps to distinguish right and wrong, but wisdom is highly essential to the successful execution of right.

Major sources that we trust to gather knowledge and information are News Medias, Education institutions or politicians. Unfortunately, they are the biggest source of fakes and deceptions. There is a nexus between Medias, Politician, Academicians, Activists and so-called Celebrities. Majority of them are having a leftist ideology. Liberal leftism lives in the world of the lie, wrong, fake and false. They define and understand life-based of feelings or emotions, not based on fact or reality. Such people always hate truth and reality. Understanding is for people want to know the truth and realize reality. It is lacking in the present generation due to the absence of critical analysis, awareness of morality and inappropriate education from schools and colleges. Mainstream media outlets are fuelling this problem for increasing their failing business. Sensitisation of information makes hysteria and fear factor among people, which lead to mug up information without thinking another side of it.

Critical Analysis = Rational thought or inference or discrimination

In UPSC Civil Service Main Examination, Critical Analysis of different topics is a frequent question every year. Critical Analysis means considering both the pros and cons of the matter, then reach a fair, unbiased and value-based judgment. This analysis is absent in the vast majority of people. So they make wrong analysis and reach a bad judgment. Thinking and analysing about the other side of the story is not easy but very essential to find truth in it. It is more difficult in the present generation; mostly because of over flooding of corrupt media outlets and false teachers as well as professors. The news never means truth, rather opinion and one side version of a story or event or incident. Now, it is based more on subjectivity rather than objectivity. It is conveying information no more, but they are spreading opinion on the information with spicy sensations.

So people are misled and compelled to believe opinion as fact without any Critical Analysis. It is not only unhealthy in terms of truth, but it’s dangerous too. Also, a family must be a basic platform to make a critical analysis of different issues in life and society. It will be beneficial to children to face realities in life and they can make a real and truthful understanding of vulnerabilities of society and world. For Critical Analysis, community development among relatives and friends help people to discuss and debate on different topics in life.

Understanding needs proper awareness of both sides of a matter. If a person wants to find out the truth in a particular matter, he should take into consideration both sides of the arguments. Then he must analyse both sides with the test of rationality and morality. After that, he can find truth in it. Now, it is not happening in our society; we just blindly following the opinion of others, particularly in News outlets. This must be changed and everyone should gradually develop Understandability.

Morality

A second important component to understanding right and wrong is Morality. Morality based on revelation; because of rationality alone insufficient to distinguish right and wrong. Source of knowledge on morality is God Almighty. The essentiality of God can be established by the necessity of morality for good and just society. Authority of God is very essential to enforce morality in individual and society. Students and children are nowhere teach to becoming and developing good behaviour. Therefore, the family must be a school for teaching morality. Such as how to respect others, the importance of being truthful, the relevance of having courage, finding meaning and purpose in life etc.

Knowledge of morality as well as accepting the authority of God will help a person to understand fact and truth in vulnerable matters that he comes across. Absence of morality is one of the main problems in society to becoming more vulnerable. Morality helps a person and society to get more order in life. Morality without God is meaningless, unstable and never enforceable. Making legislation and increasing severity of punishment is not a solution to stop crimes in society. It never addresses the cause of the problem, but treat only its effect. Motives of crimes can be reduced by developing Understandability among people, which treat the causes of crimes.

Rationality and Morality

Both are inevitable to understand right and wrong, and to make the right choices in life. Absence of any will cause to vulnerable in our judgments and decisions. Rationality is the innate ability to all human, which distinguish from the animal. But we need to develop our ability to rationalize and use in appropriate circumstances. Morality is acquired from scripture, we need to study and meditate scripture to get morals in life. Wisdom is mandatory to the effective application of Rationality and Morality. Both are very essential to lead a meaningful and purposeful life in this sophisticated society. It is the fundamental knowledge and common sense. But it is very interesting that Common Sense is not common to all. So it can be developed by rationality and morality.

Every decision in life must be allowed to send ‘Duel Test’ of Rationality and Morality, particularly important decisions in life. If both tests passed, then you can proceed further with enough confidence and surety. Also, it makes more meaning and satisfaction in your decisions. Decision-making ability completely depends upon your Understandability. It is very mandatory for having a good and healthy individual for a peaceful society.

By,

Nithin A F

Doing Post Graduation in Psychology

Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala.

Email : nithinaf@gmail.com

www.NithinAF.blogspot.com

02/November/2019