I have a cold right now with a sore throat and head congestion. I’ve had some whiskey to help me sleep and some cold medicine to keep my nose from leaking too much.
This cold has me thinking about something. What is the difference between whiskey mixed with tea and a cold medicine that helps you sleep? I don’t know the exact details, but I doubt there is much difference. But my mind perceives one as appropriate and the other as not. Through years of repetition and good branding I see two very similar things very differently.
So what else do I see this way? How else is my mind shaping the things I see? I know the answer is “everything else,” but I still think it is a fun thought exercise.