Life’s all about perspective. I’m sure we’ve heard that one before.
The idea that one thing can be looked at on so many different angles.
Looking at daily issues popping up in media today: COVID, the handling of such cases, opinions on lockdowns, vaccinations, politics, faith, climate change, criminal cases and more. For every issue there is a multitude of opinions and viewpoints.
One person’s viewpoint on an issue can change from another’s and colour their whole worldview differently. Thinking of these things I am reminded of a cut diamond.
As light enters a cut diamond it spreads out the light in a variety of different colours.
Each colour is separated by a different wavelength, resulting in different colours being shown. Turn the diamond and it turns the array of colours seen. The light entering the diamond gets split into the colours of the rainbow.
How pretty to see one beam of light be represented in so many different ways.
Stuck on a wavelength
I think of this when I see the array of different viewpoints. Some might ask how there can be such a range of different views on one topic, instead I see it as beneficial to have a continuum of colours.
When you see an issue and get a ‘round table’ happening it is healthy and I think beautiful to have the whole continuum of colours present.
Failure to do so and I believe you end up with what so many peoples social media newsfeeds are: echo chambers. These echo chamber breeding polarization of community as people struggle to see beauty in the way others’ worlds are coloured.
Holding space for an array of different perspectives gives rise to such a beautiful continuum of colours, and grows empathy as we take into consideration how other’s view issues.
De Bono’s Thinking Hats
De Bono coined the idea of “6 Thinking Hats” & attributes x6 disc tin t models of thinking to issues to help people see things from multiple.
These 6 different perspectives are encouraged as ways to think about a particular issue or problem to help give perspective from multiple angles.
Blue Hat - The Conductor's Hat. Thinking about and managing the thinking process
– The blue hat is the control hat. It is used for thinking about thinking. The blue hat sets the agenda, focus and sequence, ensures the guidelines are observed and asks for summaries, conclusions, decisions and plans action.
Green Hat - The Creative Hat. Generating ideas
– The green hat is for creative thinking and generating new ideas, alternatives, possibilities and new concepts.
Red Hat - The Hat For The Heart. Intuition and feelings
- The red hat is about feelings, intuitions and instincts. The red hat invites feelings without justification.
Yellow Hat – The Optimist's Hat Benefits and values - The yellow hat is for a positive view of things. It looks for the benefits and values.
Black Hat - The Judge's Hat. Caution - The black hat identifies risk. It is used for critical judgment and must give the logical reasons for concerns. It is one of the most powerful hats.
White Hat – The Factual Hat. Information- The white hat is all about information. What information you have, what information you need and where to get it.
So which ‘colour’ is the right one to look through?
We all have things in life that colour our perspectives, whether we are aware of them or not. Our backgrounds, ethnicity, life experiences, education, family values, SES, so many different factors colour the view of our world.
Leave room at the table
Whilst we may not agree with everyone’s certain ‘colour’ of an opinion, we need to welcome everyone to the table.
Next time a certain issue has you asking questions, maybe its time to make room at your table for someone else who has an interesting perspective on the issue. Be brave enough to ask the question “so how did you arrive at this idea?” I believe the conversation will be fruitful and eye opening when both sides value each other and take time to listen, respect and be vulnerable.
Kelly Thompson is the newest member of the Sports journalist team. Kelly currently plays AFL for Casey Demons in the VFLW, and practices what she preaches as a HOPE (Health, Outdoor, and Physical Education) Teacher in Melbourne’s southeast.