Humility, Ego and the Force

To pick-up on tzb's reference to 'travel', I tend to think that opinions, doctrine, assumptions, theories and even 'facts' are the basis for the mental maps we use to interpret our experience of reality and navigate through our lives. Problems tend to arise when we conflate the map with reality, or even worse, self-identify with the map. Maps are really helpful but every map is flawed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lR7s1Y6Zig

Ideally we should have access to a multitude of different maps and the wisdom to know when to use the right ones at any particular time, or for any particular 'job'. Confidence can come with the experience that the use of a certain mental maps seem to work for us, and others, in certain situations. Humility is required to realise that there may well be a better map available. Compassion towards those who might be using a poor map (there are plenty of those about) is a good idea - choosing a poor map is very easily done. A little courage may be needed to try a new map, or to act knowing that the map you're using is imperfect - but you can't improve the map without sailing into uncharted seas.

I, for one, appreciate it when people share a mental map. You never know when that is just the map you might need. There is of course a big difference between sharing a map and forcing someone to use it against their will

I've probably stretched this metaphor too far already but using two or more maps (both of which are accurate, but for different parameters e.g. area vs shape) may well be the source of paradox in our lives.