Check your lens

WHAT YOU SEE THROUGH DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE

The lens through which you view the world have an effect on how you see the world, and what you see.The view of an object from a pair of glasses, a camera, or through a window will never be the same, even when you are looking at the same object, from the same distance, at the same time, in the same environment. In the same manner, ideologies, cultural background, and personal experiences will filter, distort, and define our perception of reality, events, and people.

A telescope bring closer distant object into clear vision for you, while a microscope will make bold element that are invisible to the naked eye. The same eyes, looking through different instruments, sees entirely different realities. A person who views life through the lens of optimism sees opportunities where another, shaped by pessimism, sees only obstacles. Our beliefs, biases, and backgrounds act as prisms, refracting reality into the colours we expect, or fear to find.

In our daily lives, the stories we consume, the people we surround ourselves with, the environment that shaped us, and the values we hold all act as perceptual filters. Where a person sees flaws, another sees potential; what someone disdains, another sees beauty, and cherishes it. Sometimes, the problem is not what we see, but what we are seeing through. To change what we see, we must first examine what we are seeing through, and ensure it is the right instrument.

A telescope can not be used to see an ameoba, and a microscope can not be used to enlarge the stars. In trying to look at a situation, you must ensure you are using the right instruments. We must come to terms with reality, and recognize that no lens is entirely neutral. It is not just what we see, but how we choose to look. When we shift our perspective, by trying new lenses, we might discover realities previously invisible to us.

To a better you, Kamikun John.