Per·spec·tive

Recently I have been taking mental notes on perspective in relation to the people I interact with on a consistent basis. What I have begun to realize is that the foundation for how we think and feel about people is largely based on incomplete information. We are presented with some information on those we come in contact with frequently but very often that information is presented in such a manner that a logical conclusion is way off base. I know this isn’t earth shattering but it is interesting to think about.

The way I’ve started thinking about it is like looking at a cube from different angles. If you look at the cube straight on then it looks like a square. If you look slightly off to either side you can see it is a cube. If you look at the point of the cube just right it looks like the top of a pyramid. Imagine if your perspective never changed and you were stuck with on of those vantage points. You would never know the reality of what you were looking at. Every thought or opinion you had would be incomplete but you would have no idea that it was.

When communication is not clear and concise people are able to jump to widely incorrect conclusions. The conclusion is usually generated more out of how we think and feel then out of fact. It’s almost like someone tells you that X + Y + 10 = 30 and you conclude that X and Y are both 10 because it’s a simple conclusion. It never enters your mind that X could be -100 and Y could be 120 or any other combination. I may be making this sound more difficult then it really is but there is complexity to perspective. It reminds of the game I played as a kid where the teacher whispers something to the first child and then each child passes the message along the line of children. When the message got back to the teacher the meaning had become extremely garbled.

Paying attention to others perspective has really helped me realize how important communication is. Not jumping to conclusions is hard sometimes because you don’t realize you don’t have all the information. It has amazed me how small details can make a big difference in how people perceive a situation. Language can be complicated enough without trying to decipher emotion. If you say something in the wrong tone of voice a completely different conclusion may be drawn from what you were trying to convey. I might sigh as I respond to a question from someone and they think I'm being a dick because of the sigh. They may have no idea that I'm just sad because some people think Nickelback has musical talent.

What amazes me is how one tiny misunderstanding can create a foundation for a person’s perspective. If a relative sees me order a burger without mayonnaise they might conclude I hate mayonnaise. They might go so far as to not fix any food with mayonnaise in it when I am around. The truth is I just don’t like mayonnaise on my burger just like they may not like mustard. The problem gets more complex over time as you form opinions of people based largely on what you see and hear. The real information is usually never available to process unless you ask for it. That is if you actually know there is more information.

I am a somewhat private person who must be prompted for specific information. I’m not sure if that’s because I don’t think people are interested in the entire story or if I don’t care what they think. I imagine it is a combination of both. The result is that people I come in contact with have some misconceptions about me. A lot of people don’t get my dry sense of humor or even realize I am often extremely sarcastic. I am a complex person just like most people. I’m not really concerned with being understood but I have found the many pitfalls of people missing my perspective on things.

The result of all this is that I’ve realized that reality is what you make of it. Everyone’s reality is totally different. We shy away from that and try to keep things on a common level but we are all so different. We have been exposed to different information and our perspective on everything is based on that no matter how incomplete the information is. Without all the information our perspective will never be totally accurate. When you stop and think about that it makes you wonder if the next step of our evolution is to communicate on a higher level. Maybe that step is a more accurate level of communication that is direct and without multiple meanings.

That would be sweet!

ADJECTIVE:
sweet·er , sweet·est

Having the taste of sugar or a substance containing or resembling sugar, as honey or saccharin.

Containing or derived from sugar.
Retaining some natural sugar; not dry: a sweet wine.

Pleasing to the senses; agreeable: the sweet song of the lark; a sweet face.
Pleasing to the mind or feelings; gratifying: sweet revenge.
Having a pleasing disposition; lovable: a sweet child.
Kind; gracious: It was sweet of him to help out.
Fragrant; perfumed: a sweet scent.
Not saline or salted: sweet water; sweet butter.
Not spoiled, sour, or decaying; fresh: sweet milk.
Free of acid or acidity: sweet soil.
Low in sulfur content: sweet fuel oil.
Music Of, relating to, or being a form of jazz characterized by adherence to a melodic line and to a time signature.
Used as an intensive: took his own sweet time to finish; earns a sweet million per year.

ADVERB:
In a sweet manner; sweetly.

NOUN:
Sweet taste or quality; sweetness.

Something sweet to the taste.
sweets
Foods, such as candy, pastries, puddings, or preserves, that are high in sugar content.
Informal Sweet potatoes: candied sweets.
Chiefly British
A sweet dish, such as pudding, served as dessert.
A sweetmeat or confection.
A dear or beloved person.
Something pleasing to the mind or feelings.

Whoops, I mean that would be “low in sulfur content” !