“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
— Marcus Aurelius
Simplified Meaning:
What we hear from others is often just what they think or believe, not necessarily the absolute truth. Similarly, what we see with our own eyes is shaped by our own experiences and viewpoint, and might not be the full picture. For instance, if two people watch the same soccer game, one might say a player was fantastic, while the other might think the same player was terrible. Each person's opinion is based on their perspective, not an objective fact. Imagine you and a friend are looking at a painting. You might see a beautiful landscape, while your friend might just see some random colors and shapes. Your friend isn't wrong, and neither are you; both of you are just seeing things differently based on your own experiences. This idea teaches us to be open-minded and understand that people's opinions and perspectives are influenced by their own unique lives. In everyday life, this means we should try to listen and understand where others are coming from, rather than immediately thinking they are wrong. It helps us communicate better and have more empathy for others. By remembering that our own views are just one way of seeing things, we can be more flexible and less judgmental.