Perspective = Reality

 "A person's perspective is their reality."

Perspective. 

Perspective can also be referred to as an outlook, attitude, context, angle, overview, way of looking, frame of reference, or a broad view... I like this last comparison to emphasize what I am discussing. Perspective is your view on someone or something, but only from a distance. Perspective is a broad view of looking at something or someone and what you see or feel from far away won't ever change unless you get closer. 

Picture this... you're a young  African American woman giving a presentation to a group of workers in upstate New York on diversity in the early 90's. You also have a background in hate groups and extremists. During the presentation two gentleman can't help but stare around you to your butt with a very annoyed look... so during a break you approach them with a kind attitude asking if there was a problem. They respond very stone faced, but polite with, "Well, yeah... We were just wondering where do you hide it?"

You feeling very puzzled exclaim, "Hide what?"

They respond, "You know... your tail. Where do you hide it?"
....... ?

Everyone has a perspective on everything. The above is a true story from an exceptional and extremely moving speaker that I recently heard during a workshop.

My thought after her story was how on earth can avybody in America actually believe that another human being with dark skin would also have a tail like a monkey?! Though it was quite literally what these gentleman above thought... because it was their perspective on dark skinned people. Their perspective was that dark skinned people were decendents of the monkey and therefore had tails.

Well, once I got past my infuriation towards these discussed gentleman I started to learn how everyone has a perspective, which originates from their knowledge, education, and experience surrounding specific topics.

We all have varying perspectives that won't always be the same. Now, the danger lies when we allow ourselves to develop a specific bias towards something or someone without having a lot of education or experience. It is in these instances that we are then prone to develop a bias for entire groups or things based on what little we may or may not know. The even greater risk here is that with each perspective that is then turned into a bias we then move toward having a thought, which then turns into action.

And sometimes our actions will not be good... simply because we have a lack of education, or experience... or perspective.

To stop this cycle from spinning out of control for the worse we need to check our bias' right away and think about what we are thinking. We also need to keep an open mind to people and situations.

Most importantly we should never allow ourselves to stay in our comfort zone. We need to push out of those comfortable situations and into circumstances that we may not be used to because those are the instances that we will learn the most and find the ability to discover greater perspectives.


"A person's perception is their reality."

As you interact with others today ponder this thought. You can not be sure of someone's situation, past experience, or struggle. So be less to judge and try to keep an open mind.