To get it.

One thing that dawned on me a while ago is how to describe different levels of understanding, particularly for ideas or things that are not tangible. For me, it makes sense to look at it in terms of levels, and the further down the level, the deeper the understanding. And I personally label those levels as:

-Knowing of something.
-Knowing it.
-Understanding it.
-Truly *getting* it.

I think it's particularly true for large and hot button issues such as racism, feminism, religion, and other political issues. It also is relevant to any "fuzzy" ideas such as psychological theories or art. Perhaps people's definition of "getting it" can be different, but I believe that to get at what you really believe and what is best for a more peaceful world, we have to think long and hard about these issues. We have to entertain various perspectives in order to truly know what we believe. We have to think about them to the points of our heads hurting. I'm serious. They are complicated issues and only by slicing and dicing them and critiquing them can we truly *get* them, which would be the first step in resolving the conflicts because of them.