Reality Is That Which Challenges Our Fundamental Beliefs

On every front of our existence, what we take to be "reality" may seem to be under severe attack. In short, reality is not what it used to be.

What Is Reality?

For many, "reality" is basically a set of cold, hard facts, as determined by a reputable group of experts in which we put our basic trust. The more facts, the better.

But in fact, much of the time, we seek out those who provide us with the facts that support our favored, preconceived, positions. In this regard, the more that the experts agree, and the tighter the agreement between them, the more something can be considered "the truth." But as a result, it often takes considerable determination—and even more self-worth—to be open to that which challenges our basic beliefs.

The prime difficulty facing us today is that many of the problems we encounter are beyond the competence and knowledge of any single set of experts, no matter how distinguished they are. The problems that engulf us often call for the cooperation of experts from across the most widely disparate disciplines and professions. But this means that they not only have to respect one another, but strive constantly to understand one another’s different perspectives—in short, to learn from one another.

Other Perspectives on Reality

For others, reality is a combination of the best theories we have about the world—the more rigorous they are the better. Even though the two are inseparable, the emphasis is on how well the theories explain that which is in need of explanation, not on the theorists. It’s as if the theories are independent of their makers.

The trouble, again, is that no single theory can explain all of reality. All theories are the product of a limited set of disciplines and professions. Once again, intense cooperation and understanding of different theorists are needed. Try as one might, one can never separate a theorist from his or her theories.

The deliberate and systematic use of multiple perspectives thus tends to fare better in the quest for reality. Take, for example, drug addiction. Medical doctors, psychologists, family dynamics practitioners, police officers, and more are needed if one is to stand any chance of not only understanding drug addiction, but in treating it successfully. No single perspective by itself is sufficient to explain a difficult condition.

But this requires people who are not only comfortable with a variety of perspectives, but appreciate their utter necessity. As if the initial problems for which multiple perspectives are used aren’t bad enough in themselves, they are often made worse if one doesn’t present the different perspectives in ways such that people are not overwhelmed and confused by them.

But most of all, reality is that which challenges our most deeply held beliefs. Comforting as it may be, that which merely confirms our prior beliefs often does not serve us well. Making sense of reality requires that we bear witness to the most intense debate regarding what we take to be "the truth." But this requires people who have been primed to appreciate and thus value the benefits of productive conflict.

Why Understanding "Reality" Matters for Crisis Management

To understand why this matters, we can turn to the philosophical school of pragmatism. Its essence is captured in its definition of "truth": “Truth is that which makes an ethical difference in the quality of one’s life.”

Thus, epistemology (what is truth, and how do we produce it?), ethics (what is right, and how do we achieve it?), and aesthetics (what is “pleasing”?) are inseparable. Further, the little word “makes” is critical for according to pragmatism, one achieves truth only by means of a set of ethical actions designed to remove an important problem, not by publishing a scientific paper alone.

The most distinguishing feature of pragmatism is that it’s systemic. As such, it’s the underlying philosophical basis of crisis management. Crisis management requires that we think and plan for the worst—that we think and plan for the unthinkable. It requires that we pick up the inevitable early warning signals that not only precede but announce the imminent occurrence of all crises. It requires that we plan for a wide array of crises, not the few with which we are familiar. It requires that crisis management be part of everyone’s job so that it’s not only taken seriously, but is done automatically. It requires that crisis management teams be set up across the whole of an organization so that every part is constantly on the lookout for crises. It demands that after a crisis has occurred, that the organization conduct a no-holds-barred examination of what it did right, what it did wrong, and what will be done to ensure that it does better next time.

Crisis management demands nothing less.