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Understanding How We See the World
By JLP | May 16, 2007
It’s funny how we can read something several times and then one day it really stands out to you. That happened the other day when I read this passage from Steven Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are—or, as we are conditioned to see it. when we open our mouths to describe what we see, we in effect describe ourselves, our perceptions, our paradigms. When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, sincere, clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of experience.
This does not mean that there are no facts. But each person’s interpretation of these facts represents prior experiences, and the facts have no meaning whatsoever apart from the interpretation.
The more aware we are of our basic paradigms, maps, or assumptions, and the extent to which we have been influenced by our experience, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms, examine them, test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions, thereby getting a larger picture and a far more objective view.
Interesting. There’s no doubt that the way I was raised has had a huge impact on who I am today. That’s not to say that I can’t change who I am. There’s no need to feel trapped in a situation that you may have been conditioned into (like excessive debt due to a lack of financial skills). The cool thing is that we can change. Understanding why we are the way we are is the first step.
Funny, I’ve been living with myself for over 37 years and I’m still learning things about me that I never knew.
Topics: Books, Personal Growth | 4 Comments »
May 16th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
This is exactly why there really is no such thing as unbiased media – everyone has their own bias & objectives, whether or not they admit to it. There are, of course, varying levels of bias, but no such thing as unbiased, non-objective media.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Maria,
You’re exactly right.
May 16th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
“…I’m still learning things about me that I never knew.”
Amen to that!
This is what keeps life fresh and interesting and exhilarating.
Funny how it really takes a life-time to get to know oneself.
May 17th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Not only is there no unbiased media, it almost absolves people of responsibility for their lives. If your parents didn’t teach you about planning for the future and you were never otherwise exposed then it would take a really special person to grow out of that into something different. Imagine all the people around on the net just watching youtube videos of morons lip syncing instead of reading your blog . . . all they’re ever going to have ambition about is making or finding a better lip sync video. You become what you do, and thank goodness there are little communities for decent causes. But how do you get to those who don’t know about you?