The Collins Dictionary defines perspective as “a particular way of thinking about something, especially one that is influenced by your beliefs or experiences”(1). After pondering on my journey with perspective, I have realised the importance it plays on our creativity and ability to innovate. My journey with perspective has been influenced by many events, but after reflecting on several key moments I can see the positive impacts on my critical thinking skills.
My first encounter with perspective was in school when I was given an image. At first glance it was a black and white sketch of a young girl, but upon turning it upside-down it resembled an elderly lady. This simple exercise introduced a visual and artistic example of perspective, highlighting that our interpretation can completely change by simply altering the viewing angle. This idea can be applied to many other facets of life, where the viewing angle of a situation is shaped by our beliefs and experiences.
The first notable perspective experience was studying civil engineering for four years, where I was exposed to a structured, problem solving methodology of thinking and approaching situations. Students are taught to problem solve by identifying the problem, generating ideas, evaluating a solution, implementing, and then assessing the solution. This regimented approach led to finding solutions when a problem was presented, but it soon became evident that this is just one perspective when approaching any issue.
After being fortunate enough to study and travel overseas, I befriended many people with backgrounds in humanities and social sciences. Prior to these encounters, I underestimated the importance of fields such as history and politics. These disciplines often involve critically analysing historical events or social constructs, rather than solving problems through practical applications as in engineering. As an engineer, I did not see the value in analysing with no clear outcome or solution in sight. After further exposure to these fields I discovered the importance of their perspectives. By analysing humanitarian disciplines such as philosophy, culture, politics or history, we can understand how or why something was developed and apply these lessons to further shape society. Exposure to this perspective of analysing instead of solving can also be carried on to other facets of your personal life.
My studies continued on to commerce, where I was presented a system thinking approach in management. System thinking is based off links and interactions between elements that are not always tangible, such as psychological traits. The commercial and economic world is largely based off human decision making, and understanding these variables can be crucial to your success. Without exposure to business or economics, we are often unaware of the intricacies that make up the commercial world. This particular experience revealed the level of impact that human behaviour can play on outcomes in any context. A system thinking perspective can be further applied to analysing scenarios outside the business world.
My most recent perspective experience is from reading books. I have strived to read widely and gain an understanding of the world through different lenses. This includes both fiction and non-fiction reading. Many books are written through a specific perspective, as they are a collection of the authors’ thoughts and ideas, shaped by their experiences and beliefs. The author may be a specialist in a specific field, or have lived through extenuating circumstances such as poverty or famine. By reading widely I have opened my eyes to diverse perspectives of the world, and increasingly sympathise with others’ outlook on life.
Why is perspective important? We often encounter an information overload, which can lead to deep bouts of creative thought on a variety of topics (explained in my previous article). Widening my perspective has allowed me to grasp an understanding of the world from a macro lens, while having an awareness of the micro lenses within various domains. In these creative moments it is invaluable to critique ideas by considering different angles. For example, as an engineer designing a specific product, I would be concerned with its functional capabilities. But broad experiences have allowed me to also objectively consider other perspectives within business, culture or politics. Even without specialist knowledge in these areas, awareness of their potential impacts can trigger the need for further research.
Everyone has different ideas of right and wrong, built on beliefs and framed through their perspectives. This diverse spectrum includes the opinions or approaches to problem solving that each discipline is traditionally trained to adopt. Perspectives can vary dramatically on the same situation and there is no way to fully comprehend them all. Exploring other perspectives is not necessarily about agreeing with diverging opinions or ideas, but a matter of building awareness to attempt to reach a consensus.
My experiences have provided exposure to diverse disciplines’ ways of thinking. They have highlighted that one person’s right is another’s wrong. It is apparent that by broadening your horizons you can develop awareness of differing perspectives to aid decision making, creativity and innovation. Considering different angles facilitates critical thinking across countless facets of life. No one can be across all perspectives as every individual is unique, but I encourage you to build awareness before criticising others’ ideas.
Has your perspective shifted after a major life event?
References:
1. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/perspective
Books for Thought 