Response to seeing-is-believing.

Response to seeing-is-believing.

Due to the lack of physical or photographic evidence regarding the death of OBL perhaps this should include hearing is believing.

When I see or hear a news item I receive the information with my ears, eyes and prejudices wide open.  I can't help it, it's what we all do   Whatever I experience in the world my human instinct makes me compare that experience to what I have encountered  before.  Hearing Kim Jon-un proclaim that the Democratic Republic of North Korea is a rich, prosperous and peace loving nation is not going to have applying for citizenship.  If on the other hand Nicola Sturgeon proclaimed her wish for an independent Scotland I believe her.  My experiences colour what I am willing to believe.  

I was a Police officer for over 30 years working in London working mainly in the field in accident reconstruction and had many a frustrating time listening to and taking statements from, for want of a better word, witnesses.  They clearly believed they had seen what they were reporting, but due to prejudice, malice, a wish to be helpful, or plain stupidity their statements could sometimes be described as at best confusing and at worst dangerous.  Too often they heard a bang, looked round and, on seeing the aftermath unconsciously made the rest up.  Perception also played a big part in their stories.  Quite often we were told, " He was travelling far too fast. Fifty or more", when upon examining skid marks and damage we found the speed to be nearer 20.  These people were not consciously lying but their perception, and possibly their interest in any prosecution, coloured their view.  

We all have built in prejudices, based mainly on past experiences, that govern how we see the world and what we are willing to believe about it.  As I said earlier, we can't help it; we learn from experience; learning what and who to trust keeps us alive.  To have someone test our beliefs and probe our prejudices is both healthy and enhancing.