Objectivity is a Myth
Glenda @ Mitchell News
Be intentional about what you choose to do. Be intentional about actually doing it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Objectivity is a Myth
Intentional decisions are not always objective
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Hot Off The Press*
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you ♫♫♫♫♫
My book – KICKING Out THE BUCKET List: Living Life with Intention and Passion – turns ONE on 24 January 2025!
It’s the book’s birthday but you are receiving the gifts. During birthday week – 24-31 January 2025 – I will be giving away one FREE book each day. Order directly from my website to go in the draw. In addition, one lucky purchaser for the week will receive a FREE personal coaching session block (worth more than AUD1,600).
It’s been a whirlwind of a year! Returning to Australia after 2 years living in Italy and having a book published in the same week should have given me a heads up!
I am grateful to Wood Dragon Books Publishing, my husband, my mother, my friends and all those that have been behind me in the journey from crawling to teetering to walking. To those that have encouraged me to run, I thank you. The book has opened up conversations with people from far afield and all walks of life. I feel as though I have learned as much from the resulting conversations, coaching & speaking engagements as clients have gained from me.
I am looking forward to another year full of opportunities to help others to identify and live out their passions, celebrate their accomplishments and turn intention to action. Whether this is via the book, coaching (individual or group) and/or speaking engagements.
During the year, many of my clients have made peace with their current life portfolio whilst other have wanted to shift where they spend their time and energy. I have learned that whilst some people are able to convert this desire to action, others struggle to act on their intentions or plans. As a result, in 2025, I have decided to supplement my offering.
With so many people wishing to spent more time on travel, adventure, health & fitness, my life journey has left me perfectly positioned to provide guidance, support and accountability to help them make the shift. For those that have made a resolution to get fitter or healthier, I would love to share my own commitment and discipline to assist them to get going and move forward with gusto. Whether it’s selecting which marathon to run, trek to complete or mountain to climb, I will draw off my own experiences to advise and assist in planning. Similarly, if someone is looking to spend an extended period in Canada, Italy or Argentina, I trust that my tips and tricks will help them avoid some of the pitfalls I went through. I will leverage friends and contacts across the world to supplement my experience and knowledge.
I have started a new Travel & Adventure blog to help those that are going it alone and are just looking for information. Check it out here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Objectivity is a Myth”
Your reaction to this statement is a likely indication of the bias that you have about objectivity. Let me reframe it. If you have an opinion about this statement, it is likely because of your previous experiences, learnings etc. It’s these frames of reference that influence our thinking and our decision making. If this is the case, can any decision-making be truly unbiased. Is true objectivity possible?
There are numerous studies on this topic. I am by no means professing to be a scientific expert. But the more I dig into it, the more my opinion gets swayed to the conclusion that objectivity is a myth.
I am no longer objective on the subject of objectivity.
Is this making your head spin? Let’s try and simplify the complex….
Objectivity is defined as a lack of influence by emotion or personal bias.
Many scientists believe that subjectivity has no influence on their field of study as science is based solely on facts. Yet, how does one view those facts and take it into perspective? It is a completely subjective process, backed up by the findings through quantum mechanics. Researchers in quantum mechanics explain that reality varies based on the observer’s perspective, illustrating the idea that nothing is truly objective.
When scientists conduct research, they perform rigorous experiments, test various factors, and repeat the experiments several times. Despite these precautions, subjectivity still has a role in scientific processes. Choosing what to research, what important factors to test in an experiment, and how to interpret an experiment is a completely biased process that varies from scientist to scientist, thus succumbing to the reality that objectivity can never be fully achieved.
However, much of society fails to take this idea into account and ignores the possibility of subjectivity for the sake of maintaining personal peace of mind and bias. We seem to find it easier to cope with – on the surface at least.
In neglecting the truth that objectivity is impossible, society creates a toxic atmosphere for people. For example, humans must consume fruits and vegetables, as they provide the healthy vitamins and nutrients needed to survive. Yet, there are still sources that negate this known fact, not only enforcing a false belief but leading to the spreading of misinformation amongst individuals of society and enforcing an incorrect thought process. This would imply that nothing in society can be objective because it is all based on what an individual believes and what information they choose to deem correct.
This has an impact on our decision-making. Let’s look at an example.
It’s time to finalise your career decision. “Where should I go? University or TAFE? Or should I do a trade apprenticeship?
The best way to make the decision seems to be by researching important factors that influence the decision including location, majors, finance, or life after graduation. You list out each factor and make a comparison, thinking that the decision is solely based on the facts that you list out rather than being influenced by emotion. You look at the list of pros and cons and wonder why the “correct” decision does not jump out at you, that the best path is not obvious.
In reality, the entire process is based on your opinions. Of the benefits of the location, the importance of money or what you want your life to look like following graduation. The opinions of others have an impact too.
What makes each individual unique is their perspective on various aspects of society from general ideas such as politics to smaller-scaled ideas such as music and art. Yet, society places such a strong difference between the idea of objectivity and subjectivity, calling out the idea that these dictate the rightfulness of one’s individual actions. This in turn imposes intense pressure to make the “right” decision. We become paralysed by the possibility of making the “wrong” decision.
I sense that this head spinning is one of the reasons that many of us struggle with decision-making. We can’t make a decision and blame it on a desire for perfect when it’s actually because we don’t have what we’d deem to be all the facts to make an objective decision. Perhaps we blame procrastination when it’s more about being reticent to make a decision in case it’s wrong.
As you likely know by now, I’m an advocate of intentional decision making.
Is it possible to make intentional decisions that are not necessarily objective?
I have been experimenting and have come up with a resounding YES. You may have heard someone say – it may not have been right but it’s the best decision that I could make at the time. Or, I wasn’t sure but I went with my gut. This doesn’t mean that they were flighty in their decisions, it just means that they were aware that the factors influencing the decision weren’t all black and white. They took what they knew, assumed what they didn’t and took a risk with the rest.
This approach does require being prepared to course correct. As more information becomes available that requires a variation to the path or a new path altogether, we need to be comfortable to let go. It means that we have to hold each choice loosely. It doesn’t imply that we made a mistake, it merely means that had we known what we know now, we may have made a different decision.
I am by no means saying that we should rush into decisions. You may have heard the term “bull in a china shop” – used to describe a person who breaks things or who often makes mistakes or causes damage in situations that require careful thinking or behaviour. People like this are rash and I would certainly not call their decisions intentional.
What does all of this mean…
….for society……
Overall, it seems clear that nothing in the world has total objectivity, that having absolute objectivity is simply impossible to attain due to the complexity and influence of diverse societal perspectives. Instead of trying to force society to believe in something that is false, it is important to embrace the reality: subjectivity is a beneficial part of society
Through embracing subjectivity rather than faking or forcing objectivity, society can strive to develop and embrace the diverse perspectives of each unique individual.
Embracing subjectivity can open the door to a more diverse and inclusive world where people can have more nuanced perspectives. It values critical opinions and does not negate the multifaceted and complex honesty of society, something that is so undermined.
….for individuals
Sometimes we need to be prepared to step out and makes choices when we do not have all the facts. It’s better to move forward than to be paralysed. Make the decision and make it work. Be prepared to change course as new information comes to light. And enjoy the journey!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*The 7Ps – To be intentional about what you choose to do and intentional about doing it”
Passion is about what you plan to do and how you feel about it. Your passion is unique to you. It doesn’t need to be objective. Embrace the uncertainty. That is why it’s an ongoing process of learning and course adjusting.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Quote of the Month*
‘Complete objectivity is not an option. We are all subjective about the way we respond to ‘what is,’ whether it’s the people we encounter, the circumstances in our lives, or ourselves.’
Elizabeth Thornton
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Kicking Out The Bucket List*
For further information or to order the book directly (signed copies available)
It is also available from Amazon, Kobo, Booktopia, Barnes & Noble and other leading book retailers.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I have only begun my journey on exploring the topic of objectivity myself and plan to continue finding out more. I’d love to hear your perspectives.
Glenda
Staying Focused in 2025