It angers us, puzzles us, and even entertains us sometimes. It's the point where we feel so lost and desperate that we almost loose ourselves . . . sometimes we do loose ourselves from it.
When I think of confusion, I think of a giant television screen with nothing but flashing black and white spots. Complete static.
According to dictionary.com, confusion is "a lack of clearness or distinctiveness." That is to say, when things seem so alike or so different that you loose track of what they really are, you're at that point of confusion. It can be pretty scary.
Some people choose the path of what I call blind faith. They simply trust what they have been taught without ever completely understanding it. I've seen that come into practice especially when it comes to religion, whether people want to admit it or not. Sometimes blind faith really does pay off in the end . . . like following the example of your role model, when normally you would never do the things they do. It helps you realize the value of some lessons. Other times, blind faith leads you to being taken advantage of. You can become even more confused or helplessly lost.
There are always those who reach for what seems familiar when they're confused. It happens all the time. Think about it - after getting into an argument or struggling to solve a problem, we all feel a little confused. Doubting what we used to take for fact, questioning right and wrong, or trying to decide if we even care about what's fact or right or wrong anymore. When I'm overwhelmed, I reach for something comforting; rereading bits from my favorite book (I could launch into a Harry Potter rampage now, but that might be just a little off-topic), talking to someone familiar, or just drawing. If somebody gave you the choice between eating your favorite food and eating a pair of scissors, which would you choose? No, silly, not the scissors! Speaking realistically, you would probably pick your favorite food because you're already comfortable with it. Then again, always picking what's familiar means you can miss out on new experiences. It's the safe choice, which isn't always a good thing.
Finally, there are people who really just can't handle quick decisions. They break down and evaluate everything until they can come up with the most logical answer possible. This doesn't make them less smart or capable . . . in fact, you could think of them as truly wise, for realizing how important choices are. Even this tactic has no guarantees, because when you over think some things, you forget about common sense. Usually logic is the most difficult way to deal with confusion, but it's also the most honest way. Given the choice between living in the Alaska and living in Hawaii, a logical thinker would use reasoning . . . which would be better in terms of sun damage? Frostbite? Food? Education? You get the point. The approach is complicated, but useful.
How do you deal with confusion? Do you choose blind faith, reaching for what's comfortable, logical reasoning, or something different?
Off to watch static on the TV screen,
- Wicked777
