Comparisons

I'm wondering about a strange principle: that we have to learn something new and different in order to fully understand something old and familiar.

In high school I studied Spanish; I actually learned more about the English language than I did about the new, foreign language. I learned new English vocabulary and finally understood some of the rules of English grammar.

I think that occurred because I benefited from being able to compare two things. By learning Spanish grammar, I could better understand English grammar -- by comparison.

This principle isn't limited to languages. I noticed the same pattern recently when I went to another country. I expected to learn about THEIR culture. In fact, I learned a lot about my own culture -- by comparison.

I learned that the fundamental American ideas of individualism and fairness are applied to the way we drive, the way we board a bus, and the way we approach meals. I never realized that I held strong (maybe unreasonable -- at least unfounded) preferences until I was around people who did not share those preferences.

This isn't to say that I am going to change my preferences. What I'm saying is that now I recognize my preferences and I understand them in light of a different way of thinking.

Interesting, isn't it, that we have to leave to understand where we are . . . that we have to give up things in order to value them . . . that we don't see clearly until we get some distance away.