Assessing Reality

Rating: 2/5

Reality—the majestic, ever-elusive concept that philosophers, scientists, and randos of the internet have debated for centuries. On one side, we have the stoic, unflinching figure of Objective Reality, with its “laws of physics” and “empirical evidence,” acting as if it runs the show. “Look at me,” says Objective Reality, “I’m independent of your feelings! I exist whether you acknowledge me or not!” Bravo. Truly, what a flex.

But wait, standing in the other corner, draped in a patchwork robe of emotions, perceptions, and questionable cultural influences, is Subjective Reality. This is the side of reality that looks at the facts and says, “Nah, I feel like doing something different.” Because let’s face it: what’s more compelling, a shared physical law that dictates how the universe operates, or your personal feelings about how that law should operate? We all know Subjective Reality wins most arguments at the dinner table.

And so, these two forces are forever locked in a tug-of-war. While Objective Reality sits there smugly, observing things like gravity with a clipboard, Subjective Reality is out here creating meaning, darling. Yes, meaning! After all, what good is a hard, cold fact if you can’t dress it up with some nice personal interpretation? Your ability to understand 2+2=4 becomes so much more interesting when you overlay your feelings about numbers, or your traumatic childhood experience with a math teacher.

In the glorious middle, where these two realities overlap, lies the mess we call human existence. In this magical space, shared experiences are forged. Ah, but not without a fight! One person’s “universal truth” is another person’s “wild conspiracy theory.” Objective Reality might whisper, “This is how the world works,” while Subjective Reality retorts, “Not in my world!” Hence, we end up in a delightful paradox: a world where facts exist, but their relevance is up for grabs.

Empirical evidence? Why burden ourselves with the hard work of verifying facts when we can simply rely on perception, emotion, and Twitter threads?

Even cultural influence gets its hands dirty in the fight for dominance. Objective Reality’s laws may be universal, but Subjective Reality swoops in and says, “Well, in my culture, we don’t believe in that.” This, my friends, is how we get to the sophisticated art of interpreting facts in the most convenient way possible. Interpretation of facts? Why yes, we do that here.

In conclusion, while Objective Reality tries to maintain order with its rules and logic, Subjective Reality ensures that life stays entertaining, with its exaggerated biases. And in the end, isn’t that the real truth?