In the modern world, where personal contact is often replaced by rapid communication, there is a risk of losing the true understanding of human essence.

Beyond the Surface: Rediscovering Authentic Human Depth

In the modern world, where personal contact is often replaced by rapid communication, there is a risk of losing the true understanding of human essence. Instead of deeply comprehending the individual, we often tend to see only his external layers, ignoring the rich inner life that truly defines a person. Such a stance leads to a distorted perception of reality, as the habit of overlooking people’s depths gradually blurs the line between genuine truth and superficial falsehood.

This loss of “sight,” as mentioned in the texts, reflects a fundamental problem: the inability to engage in deep interpersonal contact becomes an obstacle to genuine understanding and heartfelt closeness. Instead of discerning the complex nuances of life, we become capable only of formal, mechanical assessments of the surrounding world. The refusal to see the soulful depth literally deprives us of a sense of reality in which sincerity and profound emotions play a crucial role.

In conclusion, returning to a genuine perception of human essence is not merely a philosophical challenge but a necessity for restoring a connection with the very core of life. The call to rethink our views on people becomes an important step on the path to achieving true harmony and understanding, where falsehood loses its appeal and gives way to sincerity and authenticity.

Can the refusal to see in people what is not really there be regarded as a form of enlightenment, or rather as a distortion of perception?

Based on the quoted excerpts, such behavior—the refusal to notice a person’s true, deep essence (that is, refusing to see what isn’t actually there)—is not a manifestation of true insight but rather indicates a distorted perception of reality. In particular, as noted in one source, when “one ceases to perceive the personal depth of those around him, a person simply loses his sense of reality: he no longer understands why falsehood is worse than truth. For it is when people interact with deep soulful openness…” the ability for genuine interpersonal contact is lost, and accordingly, the capacity to distinguish the genuine from the superficial is diminished (source: link txt).

Furthermore, another text emphasizes that as a result of such refusal, people “wander, unable to discern where the bitter truth lies and where the ‘charming’ falsehood is,” indicating a decline in the acuity of spiritual “sight” and an inability to perceive the subtle nuances of human essence (source: link txt). Thus, rather than serving as a form of true enlightenment, the refusal to see the depth in people leads to a loss of contact with genuine truth and the affirmation of only a formal, superficial view of the world.

Supporting citation(s):
"An inner disposition toward avoiding personal contact essentially leads to the same outcome as any lie... once a person ceases to see the inner depth of those around him, he simply loses his sense of reality..." (source: link txt)
"And so, while wandering, they become unable to discern where the bitter truth lies and where the ‘charming’ falsehood is..." (source: link txt)