Perspective
per·spec·tive
/pər-ˈspek-tiv /
It’s a noun and a value that asks you to see situations from multiple points of view. It’s similar to empathy but whereas empathy pushes you to feel what that person might feel, perspective is more in the mind than the heart. When you use perspective, you can gather information and data. It is a skill that can be practiced with role-playing and anyone can get better at the art of perspective-taking. Complex social problems require a combination of empathy and a change of perspective.
Interesting Fact #1
Our brain is wired to wander which makes it a perfect muscle to flex and practice perspective. Perspective activates a part of our brain - the cortex - that is also used for remembering the past, fantasizing about the future, and processing optical illusions.
Wise Words from Around the World
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses. ”
Perspective in Action
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Start with this question: How can I relate to their experience to begin to understand how they feel?
Then apply it to any situation. It’s even a fun exercise to do in a public setting when you are people-watching, watching a movie, or reading a book because you can watch situations unfold and imagine yourself in any of the people’s situations.
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When did you last role-play or have imaginary play like when you are pretending to be someone else.
Telephone Skit Activity: Write a skit with a few different characters and include a conflict where each character has a part to play. Then give it to a friend or parent and have them add another character into the skit. See how they perceive that character in the conflict and how they might react based on their perspective. Keep going and see how many perspectives you can get.
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Have you met someone from another culture? When you meet people from different countries and cultures, perspective changes because of the way of life in those places. For example, some countries are more individualistic societies while others are more collective societies. This changes people’s perception like how to handle conflict or even to thank someone.