Ah,
the benefit of the doubt. This delightful principle is not often used in crime
shows (although it should be) and is a comforting, sometimes irritating
one. If you find yourself a detective then you must learn to love it.
Me? I've got my own reasons.
One reason I love it is that, if you give others
the benefit of the doubt, you think that others will bless you with this gift
and thus you feel more comforted in... odd situations. For example, if
you are running around your neighborhood with a towel on your head
because you and your friend are playing "towel tag" you will feel, after doing this yourself, inclined
that others will see this and think: "What is she doing?! Maybe
someone's hurt and they need a emergence sling, maybe she has lice and
is running in fright, or maybe she is playing a game with her
friend." and so, you feel more comfortable doing odd and weird things. (Which
is a good thing. I mean, who wants to stick by the status quo?)
Another reason I like the benefit of the doubt is that it requires
you to think, to open up your mind to all the possibilities. Because, as
you try not to watch that woman use the facilities in the leaf-bare
tree 50 feet away from your bedroom window, you can reach into your
mental store-houses and think of all the reasons that she might be going
in that unfortunate place. It requires you to refresh your mind and
comb your memories.
This is why I think that giving others the benefit of the doubt is a satisfying and kind thing to do, and that it broadens and enriches the mind.
