DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OR MY OWN PERSPECTIVE: THAT IS THE QUESTION

Last month, I had the incredible fortune to attend a talk organized by my good friend Charlotte Meisner at ETH, specifically in the D-GESS department. The event featured two inspiring speakers: Rami Elhanan and Bassam Aramin, peace activists from Israel and Palestine, respectively. They both carry a heartbreaking connection: each lost a daughter to the violence and war that has gripped their homelands for decades.

The fact that they, two men from opposing sides of a relentless conflict, now travel together to promote peace and reconciliation is something extraordinary. They visit universities, cities, and institutions, sharing their deeply personal stories of loss and transformation, reminding us of the often-overlooked humanity on both sides of any division. They advocate for peace through understanding, showing how knowledge of the "other" can foster compassion rather than hatred.

Since the subject matter was so sensitive, I was asked to attend as a mental health first aider, ready to support anyone who felt overwhelmed or triggered. But what struck me most was something Bassam said: “When you don’t know, you suffer less. Because you can always agree with yourself.”

I couldn't feel like agreeing more.... Sometimes it feels like it's better not to know things... it gives you somehow the illusion that it is all OK, that our world does not go so fast, and that we can still be always present and let our minds wondering.

I think his simple but powerful statement speaks to our tendency to remain in our own echo chambers, where our views go unchallenged and we face no discomfort. When we shut ourselves off from perspectives that differ from ours, we may experience less inner conflict, and I think anyone can relate to this.. At the same time I feel that the cost of this can be high: we close off possibilities for growth, empathy and curiosity.

This idea reminded me of a saying from a French-speaking friend of mine, who jokingly calls this mindset "l'imbécile heureux"—the “happy fool”—someone who knows little, thinks little, and suffers less as a result. As an overthinker myself, I sometimes envy this blissful ignorance. But I’ve also come to value the often-uncomfortable learning that comes from questioning my own beliefs. When I am super sure about something, or I am having an important intuition, and I talk things through with my husband or friends, often a scary and powerful sentence comes to mind: What if I was wrong?!

The Courage to Confront our Own Perspectives

In a world where polarization feels more prevalent than ever, the courage to look beyond our own beliefs seem to have become a radical act. Encountering opposing perspectives is uncomfortable; it forces us to confront the possibility that we don’t have all the answers. However, this discomfort can also be transformative. It challenges us to see the world with nuance, acknowledging that others’ lived experiences are just as complex and valid as our own.

Rami and Bassam’s message for me was a profound reminder that knowledge can be both painful and liberating. They’ve both suffered unimaginable loss, but instead of retreating into anger, they’ve chosen to channel that pain into a quest for understanding and peace. Their lives are proof that even in the face of personal tragedy, it’s possible to seek reconciliation.

Awareness and the Power of Listening

So, if I accept that my views might be wrong, who holds the truth? Sometimes this feels scary, it's like when you grow up and need to self-parent yourself. But this awareness is essentially also openness that our perspective might change. This doesn’t mean abandoning our beliefs, but it does mean respecting that others’ truths, formed by their own unique experiences, are as real as our own.

When we manage to do this, I think we feel calmer because we accept more, and in a way it’s about opening ourselves up to different perspectives. There’s something powerful in learning about other people’s lives and experiences, even when it’s challenging—it gives us a richer understanding of what it means to be human. As hard as it can be, this broader awareness can help us find common ground, even in situations that seem really divided.

So, this month, I invite all of us to explore different points of view. It might mean listening to someone with a different viewpoint or exploring a topic we usually avoid because it feels uncomfortable. By doing this, we might see that awareness isn’t just about learning facts—it’s about building empathy and understanding, even across our biggest differences.