Why some people see the dress as blue and black, others white and gold.

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.