Perspective. We approach things with our own viewpoints, based perhaps on our background, upbringing, education, or lack thereof. Views might be skewed based on one’s tribes, parents, peers, and/or mentors. But perspective is vital nowadays with far too much fragmentation and far too little active listening, empathy, and compassion.
Even visual perspectives can be tainted by our personal history, what we know, or at least think we know. Example- last week I took my lunchtime break at Sand Island State Recreation Park; just because. I grabbed a sandwich, parked at the park, and casually gnoshed while watching fishermen, passing ships, parasailers, birds, and peripatetic park patrons.
As I turned to leave, there it was- downtown Honolulu across the water… from the “other side”. I espied cloud-draped mountains behind downtown buildings which I’d always seen from a completely different angle. It was almost like looking at a different cityscape, with green, rugged peaks as the backdrop- not Aloha Tower Marketplace or the pier one might glimpse while driving down Bishop, Vineyard, Nimitz, Ala Moana, et al. Same place, different viewpoint.
How often do we approach issues from a different perspective? How often do we do a 180 and actually listen when we find ourselves in disagreements with others? How often do we seek to gain diverse perspectives before allowing our own beliefs and deeply-chiseled opinions get in the way? Having strong convictions can be self-assuring, but it can also cut into one’s emotive capabilities to try to see things from a different angle; and I’m not rationalizing anti-facts-ers.
That brusque coworker? You have no idea what’s going on in that person’s brain, at home, or what his/her background might be that led to this behavior. I know, that may not be your problem, but it is your attitude.
I’m not excusing anti-social behavior or beliefs that are an affront to the human race. I’m suggesting that actively listening or letting go of one’s entrenched vantage point is possibly a fair way- maybe the only way- that we’re going to narrow chasms that only seem to widen these days.
Absolute gun rights, vaccination validity, native and women’s rights, TMT, the rail, short-term rentals… Pick a topic and everyone’s got an opinion… and a belly button. Sometimes, we can’t see the forest for their trees. I just discovered downtown from Sand Island, and it sure looked a whole lot different.
Think about it…