The Illusion of Only Me

[music] >> In 1932, psychologists discovered a phenomenon called pluralistic ignorance. Let's picture a classroom. The teacher explains something complicated and then asks, "Does anyone have a question?" No one raises their hand. Everyone is sure that they're the only one who didn't understand. But in reality, the whole class is just as confused as they are. Everyone plays it safe and each person is convinced that they're the only one faking it. And let's admit it, that's how we feel about life. Everyone around us seems confident, put together, like they know what they're doing, and only we feel lost and [music] afraid. Everyone else has it figured out except for me. But that's the biggest lie, because at that very moment, everyone around us is thinking the exact same thing about us. Moses said about the Torah, "It [music] is not in heaven, for the matter is very close to you." The struggle that we're sure only we are facing alone is neither distant nor rare. It is close, human, [music] and shared by everyone. No one is truly alone in their struggle. Science has proven that everyone feels lost and thinks it's only them. Moses knew that the struggle is close and shared by all of us. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not create any of us alone with our pain. He created us together sharing the same path. Let's not believe the lie that it's only me. Let's remember we're all in the same boat.