Learning A Cohesive Process

"We can usually learn much more from people whose views we share than from people whose views contradict our own; disagreement can cause stress and inhibit learning."
Learning is the process by which we try to expand our domain of know how. Learning is a collective task in which each individual gains knowledge by interacting with other people. It is a two way process that is when views are shared audience learns from the speaker and vice verse. Now sometimes it so happens that the views that we share on a certain topic may be in harmony with the views held by others or it may be in disagreement with them. Although the transfer of knowledge ideal should take place in harmony, but sometimes certain discords are essential.

One of the man's most inherent trait is that he tries to seek comfort in his own clique among people whom he recognizes or in some sense are similar to him, same is the case in the learning process he tends to be more comfortable with whom he shares the same view point. When we are in harmony with the people that are around us we often tend to learn more. Although having the same stance on a topic does not necessarily mean that our knowledge level is same, we learn new amazing facts which were previously not known to us. However there is a downside of having such a learning milieu that is we will get only one sided picture on any aspect that we might discuss. Although we would be in our own comfort zone but would be leading a life of ignorance. To quote “ignorance is a bliss that only fools relish"

Looking at the other side, when contradictory views clash it exudes tension in its surroundings which definitely does not promote learning on the contrary it inhibits learning, stifles the growth and dispersion of knowledge. There are many reasons why this happens one of them can again be attributed to one of our fundamental follies that we often believe that "we are always right" thus when someone tries to challenge our view point, we with our misplaced sense of justice try to fend of this adversary because we feel that our pride is at stake, our ego takes over and we absolutely gain nothing from such an argument. Sometimes rivalry can also be the cause of developing contradictory views that is having a different view from your enemy, this can be classified under the category of "inferiority complex" which prohibits any sort of learning process from taking place. But we cannot refute the fact that contradictory views are actually important and conducive for growth in the process of learning. It provides a completely new prospective on the topic, something that is out of the box. It might give rise for further even more new ideas. This is beneficial up to the point when knowledge is being shared and learning takes place but when various complexes take over that is the point when learning actually stops , that is the point when effusion of knowledge is inhibited.

To conclude I would like to say that although we might learn more when our views are in harmony with that of others but having different views is equally important for the complete overall growth of a person. And in the end I would like  to quote "world isn't divided into black or white there is often a grey area and is in this area that we truly define ourselves".