If
asked to describe God or what is the absolute Truth, one can only give a
partial answer at best (even if the answer fills a library). Yet
quarrels and wars are fought between different people and groups who
think that they have the single irrevocable answer. Such sectarianism
gave rise to the parable about the blind men who touch an
elephant to learn what it is like. Each one feels a different part, but
only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then compare notes
and learn that they are in complete disagreement.
There are different versions of the story that differ
in how the elephant's body parts are described, how violent the
conflict becomes and how (or if) the conflict among the men and their
perspectives is resolved.
In
some versions, they stop talking, start listening and collaborate to
"see" the full elephant. When a sighted man walks by and sees the entire
elephant all at once, the blind men also learn they are all blind.
While one's subjective experience is true, it may not be the totality of
truth. If the sighted man was deaf, he would not hear the elephant
bellow.
It
has been used to illustrate a range of truths and fallacies; broadly,
the parable implies that one's subjective experience can be true, but
that such experience is inherently limited by its failure to account for
other truths or a totality of truth. At various times the parable has
provided insight into the relativism, opaqueness or inexpressible nature
of truth, the behavior of experts in fields where there is a deficit or
inaccessibility of information, the need for communication, and respect
for different perspectives.
In
short, no one person can see the whole of larger truths (we are all
'blind' to varying degrees in different ways) and we are limited by our
own personal perspective. Even knowing the whole truth of small human
events is a rarity. It is only our arrogance in thinking otherwise that
gives us the illusion of absolute certainty of the manifold nature of truth.
"Blind Leading The Blind"
The expression "the blind leading the blind" is a metaphor applied to leaders who know as little as their followers and are therefore likely to lead them astray / uninformed and incompetent people leading others who are similarly incapable or unable.
"There Are None So Blind As Those Who Will Not See"
"...this
saying has its roots in the Bible, "Hear now this, O foolish people,
and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have
ears, and hear not."
In other words, the most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know...thus, willfully lacking perception, awareness, or discernment.
In other words, the most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know...thus, willfully lacking perception, awareness, or discernment.
There
are those who are unwilling to see because they're unable; and then,
there are those who are unable to because they're unwilling. Those
willing to struggle are best suited to begin to see the truth....