Sensibility

There are so many voices trying to share information online about what is happening. My go-to question during all of the changes and uncertainty of the past months of the pandemic is: “Are they being sensible?” This question is for the messenger. Whether it be a message from a press conference, a news report, a podcast, a video message, or someone sharing their stance or opinions on a particular matter in their own post. This question allows me to funnel and sort out thoughts and views (and dare I say ‘facts’) from what others are sharing through our current forms of media.

Well let me tell you, I’ve been continually surprised about how nonsensical some things are being purported. I’m not surprised that some political figures or media personalities do it, because, well… that’a what they do. But it does take me aback a little when And hey, I’m totally up for having a discussion about things, but I think most of us can attest that the common modus operandi on social media is to tell others what we think (rather than securing openness for what others think).

I do understand that right now, many people have been spun around and confused about more things than they may have experienced before. It’s not a crime for people to believe or say things that may not be very sensible. But let’s have more of an open forum in which we can address this to one another if that’s the perception of someone’s statements and claims. If you can’t stand by the fact that someone might see a flaw in logic or sensibility.

Would you prefer to shout into an echo chamber?

And sensibility isn’t MY sensibility. It’s simply what makes sense to what is already known and trusted. To me, sensibly signifies awareness of and responsiveness toward something, including both rationality and emotionality. With all the information we are processing, it’s not just about being ‘right’ and cognitively accurate along one way of thinking. And it’s not about emotionally reactivity. We have the ability, the sensibility to factor in both logic and emotion. Let’s do it!

For the record, this is not in response to one specific subject or another. I have always noticed matter, and have been noticing the uptick in this over the past months. It will likely fall on deaf ears, as there’s likely an instance when each of us has done this. And it seems now more than ever it’s less fashionable for one to point a finger at themselves than to attribute discord to another.