Think of mental models as the operating systems we use to process reality. Just as a computer’s operating system determines how it handles information, our mental models filter and interpret everything we experience. The key insight is that these aren’t fixed - we can consciously update or even temporarily suspend them, like switching between different operating systems.

Consider how maps relate to territory. No map can perfectly represent reality - it must simplify and highlight certain features while ignoring others. Our mental models work the same way. The danger comes when we mistake our map for the territory itself, forgetting that it’s just one way of interpreting reality.

These interfaces often determine how we respond emotionally to situations. When someone’s behaviour triggers pain, it’s usually not the behaviour itself but our interpretation - our interface, that creates the suffering. By recognizing this, we can choose different interpretations that serve us better.

Like clouds in the sky, mental models can either obscure or frame our view of reality. The practice isn’t to eliminate them entirely, but to hold them lightly, knowing they are temporary formations rather than absolute truth.