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| Picture taken from Wired |
In response to the “white and gold dress vs blue and black dress” debate, I believe that it is possible, in fact it is very possible that both are correct. One person sees white and gold, the other blue and black. I myself see it as a blue and black dress. However, this doesn’t mean that it the other person is wrong. Could it be two things at the same time? YES. How? Perspective.
At first I didn't understand how this could be white and
gold, when I see blue and black. But when someone said “I just don’t see any
black or blue there”, that’s the time it hit me. I suddenly remember page 25 of
Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of the highly effective people. To explain, let me first tell
you (if you aren't aware yet) that there are two main categories of maps in our
heads. As explained by Stephen, these are the “way things are or realities” and
the “way the things should be or values”. The first one talks mostly about the
truth, the fact, the reality while the latter is more how we see it or our perception.
Most of us aren't aware of the difference between these two, and we simply
assume that "how we see the things or the way we see the world, is the way it
really is".
Our perception, more often than not, is an extension of our
past experiences or how we are “conditioned’ to see in a certain way. And our
perceptions affect our actions a lot more than what we know.
“The
way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act”.
To illustrate, I’d like to borrow this intellectual and
emotional experience that covey explained in his book.
Take a look at the picture below.
Give it a good 10-second look and see it as it is. What do
you see? Do you see a lady? Where is she looking? What does she look like? Do
you see her nose? Her chin? A bit of her ear? How old do you think is she?
Maybe you’re seeing a young lady looking far right. You can
slightly see her nose and a part of her left eye, definitely because of the
eyelash. She also looks like she’s wearing some sort of a hat and a necklace.
If you agree with me, then let’s say you are seeing this
just like how people saw the dress as “white and gold”.
Now would you agree with me if I tell you that this young
lady is nothing close to that person which we just described? What if I tell
you that that picture shows an old woman, with a big nose, and is looking down
and has a very sad face?
I’ll show you what I’m talking about.
Tell me what you see? Do you see an old woman? A big nose?
Long chin and a sad look on her face? How old do you think this woman looks? Is
she anything like the young lady you saw before?
If you still can’t see the old lady that I am referring to,
take a look at this:
Do you now see the old lady? Take a good look and then go
back to the previous picture. Can you now see the old lady? Can you point out
where the big nose is? What about the eyes, and lips, and chin?
The blue/black dress
and the white/gold dress are [could be] one. And as I showed you, it
depends on how your mind was conditioned to see it. It is possible that one is
seeing the young lady and his point is a fact. And it is also possible that the
other one sees the old lady yet still consider his point to be a fact. They
could be looking at just one same thing but see differently.
What’s the importance of this?
I believe, this is one of the most important realizations we
must have and we must keep in mind, every day. I believe that this can save the
world – stop misunderstanding (which could stop arguments that turn into war) –
and can save humanity. In its simplest form, it can save us from making wrong
decisions which lead to wrong actions. This truth, in its basic application,
can teach us how to really show genuine empathy towards another.
“If ten seconds [of looking at the picture] have that kind
of impact on the way we see things, what about the conditioning of a lifetime?”
Ever wondered why it is very difficult to change a habit?
Because we conditioned ourselves to do our habit over a period of time. We act
in line with how we see things. Emerson said, “A man is what he thinks about
all day long” and the quote that brought about a universal change came from
Descartes' “I think, therefore, I am”. However, “we see before we think”. And
how we think depends on how we see.
So how can we change our habits? By changing the way we think.
And how can we change the way we think? By changing the way
we see things.
How can we change the way we see things? By understanding
what Covey said:
“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.”
Whenever we are having an argument with someone and we think
we are right, let us stop. Think. And just like what photographers do, change perspective.
Let us go to the side of that person we’re arguing with and see from his point of
view. Let us look at the same side of the coin. In that way, we might be
surprised that all along , we have been thinking that we were right, when we we’re
absolutely wrong.
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