Blind to Our Surroundings

There was a study conducted by scientist, Donald Simon and Christian Chambris, in which they had people observe a one minute videotape that consisted of three people wearing black shirts and three wearing white shirts in a gym passing a ball. The observers were charged with counting how many times the white shirts passed the ball to one another. During the film, a person wearing a gorilla suit walks onto the middle of the floor, waves their arms, pounds their chest, and walks off the court.  50% of the people watching the film did not see the gorilla. 

   Another professor added a factor.  In his instructions to the candidate audience, he told the viewing audience that past results showed a distinct difference in gender observations; the percentage of those seeing the gorilla dropped even further.  Lastly, the subjects were given a single drink, far below the driving drunk limits for most states, only .08, and the numbers dropped even further down.  What they concluded was that contrary to popular belief in which our eyes are drawn to the unexpected, it was determined that as we concentrate, what happens is, we are so focused we tend to become attentionally blind to most everything else around us. 

   This explains how often in car accidents people claim, "I didn't see him, he came out of nowhere".  Additionally, it explains how many people hit bicyclist and motorcyclist.  They were concentrating on looking for "CARS" and frankly in their concentration, did not see them. 

   In airline simulators, pilots can be so focused on reading their instruments during landing procedures that they fail to see a plane sitting on the runway; gives credence to the policy of no tolerance for drinking and flying.  

   I realize that every event has a precious pearl of meaning, and that in disillusionment we can find actual if we decline the option of self- pity.  Mentally I get that, and rejoice at finding facts that support clarity in feeling the robust health of freedom from fear.  But it remains a sorrow for me also to interact with those who are clinging to the notion of oppressive ownership.

Do I manipulate in order to make my point?  Am I seeking martyrdom by suggesting freedom that is not wanted?  There is a fine line of difference between tolerance and patience.  Tolerance is allowing misbehavior to rein for some justified (albeit it fearful) reason.  Patience is a disposition of concern and hope.  Even when hope is a positive delusion, it is a process of confident and conscious effort to allow change to do its magic.

 Now I ponder the same can be true to my attachment to my beliefs.  So blinded by my focus in making it work, that I fail to see what is real; right before my eyes

When exhausted one takes rest; it’s only rational