In the fall of 2016, leading up to election, I posted this piece on divergent shadows and the higher dimensional object casting their shapes. It is no less relevant today, given the political turmoil observed world round. It continues to speak to me now, just as it did when first written. Enjoy . . .
We live with and fight over many opposing perspectives. From religion to politics, opinions are rigid and staunchly held as uniquely correct. Opposing views are thought of as misinformed, erroneous and even evil. How is it that we humans can use the same data, yet end up with such contradictory views? The answer might be found in a dimensional illustration.
For the purpose of our discussion, let’s pretend there are three major political groups: the circles, the squares, and the triangles. They argue incessantly over which of them has the correct set of political standards. The debates wage on. Unfortunately, none of them is willing to consider that the set of beliefs they cling to so vehemently may be but a shadow of a much more sophisticated object.
As you can see, the circle, the square, and the triangle are but shadows of an object more beautiful than any of the three independent shadows could imagine. What would happen if each of the three groups stopped to consider for a moment that the shadow they adhere to is cast from an object in a higher dimensional realm? Might they slowly begin to realize that they each hold tightly to lower dimensional shadows of the same entity?
Whether we are dealing with theology, philosophy, science, or politics, we humans gravitate toward less sophisticated and quite limited perspectives, sacrificing a much richer and more beautiful overarching perspective. Let’s put some meat on the issue.
One political group (let’s call them the Squarinians) argues that it is wrong to send adults to their death via war or execution, but it is OK to kill unborn babies via abortion. Another group (the Triangularians) argue that it is wrong to abort an unborn life, but it is OK to send adults to their death, since it is either an honorable loss or deserved consequence. I am not quite sure where the Circularians fit in.
One group may argue that we need less government, but promotes the elite to an economic monopoly over middle and lower classes. Another promotes a large governmental beast, but seeks to level out the economic playing field, caring for the less fortunate.
One group calls the other liars, cheats, and bigots. The other group calls the former liars, cheats, and bigots. Both are guilty for limiting their perspectives to weak and dying shadows. When the sun goes down, the higher dimensional object will still be there, waiting for us to stop stumbling in the dark while we seek our preferred shadows, and begin to seek and develop a higher dimensional common ground.
I am not offering a preferred lower dimensional political opinion. I am neither a Squarinian nor a Triangularian. I have often considered becoming a Circularian, but it too is limited. What is the solution? It begins by recognizing that none of us has the one and only correct perspective. None of us! We are too constrained by this limited realm to claim such an arrogant stance. Strangely, we need these diverse lower dimensional perspectives in order to assemble a view of the larger dimensional gem that casts the shadows. Did you get that? The Squarinians, the Triangularians, and the Circularians need each other!
This does not mean that each of the three shadows has no faults. The fact that they are each a lower dimensional shadow guarantees error! This is why the three must work at assembling a higher dimensional perspective. Therein the beauty and the faults are revealed.
So where do we go from here? The prophet Micah gave us a dimensional exhortation: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Notice the triune nature of the requirement. What is required of us? It is a dimensional requirement: to recognize that we need the triangle, the square, and the circle, and to converge them in unity.
A beautiful entity awaits our discovery!
– Sam Augsburger
