Our Perspectives

Growing up, I did not know what perspectives were, nor was I even concerned about them. Most of us, at a young age, didn't acknowledge perspectives at all; it was either "us" or "us." Our tiny bubble had no space for anyone else but ourselves. How selfish we were not to be concerned about how someone felt about anything we did to them. We were solely focused on being treated right, and no one else seemed to deserve the consideration we enjoyed.

As time went on, some of us matured into individuals who care about others' perspectives, but some haven't found the balance yet. They tend to prioritize other people's perspectives over their own and often end up feeling cheated. Then some juggle different abstract perspectives in their heads and choose the one they find easiest to deal with.

Sometimes perspectives must be based on morals, societal norms, or personalized values. Humans are naturally selfish, so it is not always beneficial to put other people's perspectives before yours; you might end up being taken advantage of.

When two people engage in a dispute over a minor issue, they each see the conflict from different perspectives. Likewise, the people who witness the argument will perceive it differently. This is why some individuals end up in prison for a crime they didn't commit, owing to the various perspectives held by those around them during the time of the incident. Perspectives can be deceiving.

Different individuals' perspectives can be shaped by the environments they grew up in, the families they were raised in, and even their past experiences. A person can be influenced to see something from another perspective and may adopt that viewpoint. So, perspectives can be acquired, reshaped, and unintentionally absorbed from the environment around us.

Perspectives cannot be deemed inherently wrong because they are defined and molded by the factors in our surroundings. However, people's perspectives can be belittled and disregarded, regardless of how appealing they may sound to the human ear.

In the past, there was a prevailing "they" perspective rather than an "I" perspective because society placed the needs of the collective above individual desires. Your acceptance into society relied on how well you adapted and adopted that perspective. It was either you embraced their viewpoint and put it into practice or risked being ostracized. In this era, the "I" perspective is beginning to overshadow the "they" perspective. I have often wondered how those who straddled the fence on this matter coped with the "they" and "others" perspectives. Well, I now believe that those are the individuals who have the right perspective. They tend to be adaptable, capable of blending into anyone's viewpoint and discerning enough to discard it if they find it unsuitable.

Perspective depends on the individual and their environment, as well as their willingness to accept or reject the perspectives presented to them. During a conversation, when perspectives are expressed, the listener can choose what to hear from both sides and filter the perspective they find most fitting. Therefore, perspectives vary from person to person, and everyone has the right to their viewpoint. For instance, in Western countries, some may believe homosexuality is acceptable, while in Nigeria, it is considered a crime. Even perspectives vary between countries. It is important to know when and where to employ the right perspective to avoid being misled or taken advantage of.