Thoughts from Isaac

Traveling in southern Asia has made me realize what an amazing ability discrimination is. I know, we're all told that discrimination is evil. But hear me out.

Discrimination is the ability to apply knowledge based on previous experiences to a current or future situation. Without this ability, we would not be able to function. Picture a baby encountering a new situation. He has no prior experiences from which to form expectations. What does he do? He cries! Without the power of discrimination, he is unable to function.

So what does this have to do with travel? In each new country I've visited, I've been challenged by simple tasks like buying groceries, getting from the guest house to a meeting, or ordering food in a restaurant. I'm unsure which previous experiences can be trusted in the new environment. But I've been amazed to find how quickly I get comfortable in the new surroundings. My brain works feverishly - analyzing my experiences so they can be used to predict the outcomes of future situations.

But discrimination becomes evil when our previous experiences override our belief in the current situation. When we believe something negative about a person so strongly that we cannot see the truth about them, we have surrendered to the dark side of discrimination.

Think about yesterday for a moment. When did you use the power of discrimination appropriately? When did you surrender to the dark side? Share your comments about how discrimination works in your life.

..Isaac..