~How many times are we actually focused on the present? How many times do we stop and really look at our surroundings to take in every detail that it has to offer? Almost never. Like right now as your reading this blog post you are probably thinking about your past and evaluating whether or not you live in the past or in the present or even in the future, as now you probably making plans to be more attentive in the future as to what is in that now.
~How do I pay attention? Was I ever taught to pay attention? Am I doing it correctly? Many will probably answer no to these latter questions. This is because even though as children we are told pay attention, our teachers wanted us to pay attention to them and them alone. However, events where still happening all around us, be it a pencil was falling, it started to get sunny once again or many other situations that come to show that we were taught, albeit sadly, to concentrate on one single thing at a time. I love her phrase ' Attention is an intentional, unapologetic
discriminator', because that is what it actually is. A one thing at a time type of concept. At least for most.
Now I am aware that we can't all observe and pay attention to everything at the same time and sometimes things will slip. But it is the principle of not always being in that position of not paying attention to your surroundings. I think that, that is what Alexandra tries to convey to us. To start paying attention.
Regards, I would like to know the following: How do you think your profession or your studies influence the way we see things? Has it ever happened to you?
ReplyDeleteHello Crystal! If your asking in terms of perspective then our profession can be influenced greatly for example, a historical philosopher doesn't see the world the same as an organic chemist... and yes, it has happens to me.
DeleteI gotta ask, what is the present exactly? How can we concentrate to something thats so relative, considering there is no real present, just time. And I agree with you, we can't know everything nor pay attention to everything that is happening in the world.
ReplyDeleteWe need to start paying attention, start looking outside our 'normal' boundaries. It's not being paranoid or looking like a satellite. This is the key to start seeing interesting things and change the way we see stuff.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I know that not everyone has the same thoughts, and probably a lot of people doesn't think about this but I strongly believe it's common sense to know that what you see is not the same as what others see, and that if you pay attention you will notice some things each time you see the same.....thing.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that you picked up that quote where Horowitz says "attention is an intentional, unapologetic, discriminator." I got that this phrase was saying that paying attention was an intentional thing. The thing is that life is so much more than one thing, and in my opinion, it is hard to focus on one thing while many other things are going around. Unless a teacher can really captivate a student's attention, making the student find interest in any topic, he will eventually lose focus.
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