On every planet I visited with mature life, there was consensus about one thing: reality isn’t democratic.
They don’t vote on facts. They observe coherence.
Earth is unusual in that we treat perception as opinion. This causes friction, which generates heat, which we mistake for progress.
I tried explaining this when I got back. People thought I was unwell again. But wellness is contextual. On at least three planets, I’d be considered extremely grounded.
I miss the one where silence had texture.