The Windows of a Divisive Culture

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The Windows of a Divisive Culture

by Guy Vallee

© 2026

Most have heard the phrase, “the pen is mightier than the sword”, it simply means; words have great power. Consider the consequences of words enthusiastically and convincingly spoken through the new mass media of air waves by Stalin and Hitler resonating slowly into the death of 50 million people. We are quick to judge those people and nations who were led astray by visions of grandeur, half-truths and propaganda but could that be the sharpened weapon of choice even today? Our challenge is to develop skills to recognize distorted words and ideas while deconstructing our own faulty thinking. A prerequisite is to realize, as Pulitzer Prize winner Buchner did well into his third autobiography, we don’t even understand our own self. He began slowly to see his memories were skewed by his own particular lens and limited understanding. Frankly, everyone gets their own history wrong let alone the infinite nuances of a world past and present.

Nobody is exempt from seeing through visually impairing stained-glass windows likened to what is called, Johari windows. Unpacking Johari windows is relatively easy, it recognizes we all have hidden areas (where we can only see), blind spot areas (where others can only see), even totally unknown areas to ourselves and others. The obvious conclusion is that we don’t have a good grasp of our true selves let alone others in a fast-changing diverse world. Try as we may, our bias, both willing and unwilling never goes away. Our birthplace, age, family beliefs, education, community norms, cultural group think, bad hair day and emotions skew our every thought. Further frustrating clarity of thought is the tsunami of both intended and non-intended misinformation, which is worshipped one day with a Nobel Prize, (Spiroptera Carcinoma, 1926) and debunked shortly thereafter. The wise will factor these towering obstacles and consider the probability of error even in their most fervently held beliefs.

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The depth and speed of words and information has become beyond our human capacity to properly process, grasp, and weigh. Life and death consequences lay in the balance of distinguishing, without fudging, what is ultimately good or malevolent or a possible combination of both.

Guy ValleeAuthor, Thinker, Consultant

Einstein said, “we still don’t know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us”. The real paradox is, the more you study the more you understand how little you truly know. Add the ever-compounding information collective conciseness, there is no way for even the brightest among us to keep up. The depth and speed of words and information has become beyond our human capacity to properly process, grasp, and weigh. Life and death consequences lay in the balance of distinguishing, without fudging, what is ultimately good or malevolent or a possible combination of both. Where, near a century ago, it took months to recognize the truth which plunge the whole world in war; today, with the speed of A.I., the technological power of governments and corporate tech giants the next world event will surely unfold in days.

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The way forward unfortunately is a bitter pill to swallow especially for those who think too highly of themselves and so poorly of their opposition. Like the previous mentioned despots, there seems to be a current similar lack of tolerance for certain races, religions, and divergent beliefs. Unlike the humility of Lincoln or MLK Jr., many seem blinded by power, status, and wealth which Durkheim would describe as totemistic traits, with self-worship as a result. “If destruction be our lot, we must be ourselves the author and finisher”, Abraham Lincoln. Thus, the necessity for honest and respectful debate, where we recognize the merits of what people believe and who they are as people. Will it happen, history demonstrates the windows of self-aggrandizing, and prosperity refract the light of truth until darkness fills the land. History also has those who have changed us all (Lincoln and King) through their humility and love for humanity, exemplifying our way forward.

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