Kunal Kumar 
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“Perception is like painting a scenery – no matter how beautifully you paint, it will still be a painting of the scenery, not the scenery itself”
ABHIJIT NASKAR
We’ve all heard the old parable about the six blind people who tried to describe an elephant by their sense of touch.
It was said that the blind man who felt the leg said that the elephant was like a tree. Whoever felt the belly told that the elephant was like a wall. One felt the tail and said the elephant was like a rope.
Another touched the trunk and said that the elephant was like a snake. The blind man who touched the ears noted that the elephant was like a fan, while the one who touched the tusk concluded that the elephant was like a spear.
Each blind man’s subjective perception was accurate, if limited, but not precise from a holistic standpoint. This story has several variants, but the underlying moral is that perception is limited and does not always provide a complete picture of reality.
Understanding positive and negative perceptions.
for me, it’s an infinite loop.
Picture Credits@ Filip Kominik
So at times, maybe what you see is not what is intended and what is intended is not what you might be witnessing. This fragile balance of perception gives rise to thoughts that can allow for both positive and negative sentiments.
That is to say, it works in both ways. A wrong perception taken in a positive sense might give you the confidence to undertake a venture you might have never thought of.
For instance, there was a scenario where I adored someone. But for some reason, the person was conscious about herself, having a perception about herself as not good compared to her peers and devoid of confidence.
However, I saw her as the person with the prettiest smile who could tender any heart in her vicinity.
Picture credits@ Toa Heftiba
Yet, with my positive perception of her, her perception of herself also changed. And when she started perceiving herself as a beautiful, elegant person, she transformed into a completely different soul. This positive perception allowed her to explore and realize that there was so much more to her.
On the other hand, a negative perception of things can cost you highly.
Another example, A person who has an innate talent for football and plays really well. His coach scolds him daily to be further motivated and improve, but if he negatively perceives this.
He might end up leaving football forever, cursing that he lacked any skills. However, in reality, he could have ended being one of the best football players.
Reality and Perception
Picture credits@ Steffano Zocco
Nevertheless, the same goes for our life. Our life is a perception, a perception that each individual perceives differently. Therefore, the experience is different for everyone. Everyone sees the world in their own way.
The bottom line is that reality differs from person to person, as each of us sees the world with our own eyes. While it is true that everyone sees the truth in their own way, reality may be less concerned with our views.
Reality does not change to suit our perspectives; Reality is what it is: Reality, on the other hand, is not always a known quantity, and this is where the perception of reality comes into play.
The truth about reality is that it is constant in the equation of life, while the perception of reality is a variable. So you’re right in your place, and I’m in my place.
Defining Perception
Picture Credits@ Khashayar Kouchpeydeh
So how do we define perception? Perception is explained as the mentality through which we view people, events, and things. As a result, it has a significant impact on how we experience life.
“Perception is simply the mindset through which we observe people, events, and things.”
Put another way, we think that what we see is correct and build our reality around it. And just because our impressions appear to be extremely real does not imply they are.
To cite an instance, a person who suffers a heartbreak might perceive love as deceptive, a sham, and painful. However, maybe the person’s faith in love is still to end.
It’s just his perception because of the endless suffering he might face, forcing him to regard the beautiful feeling of love as fake. This perception might lead the person to completely shun and, surround himself up by walls not allowing others to reach him.
Picture credits@ Neobrand
In this process, the person deprives himself of another opportunity to find a better perspective and starts perceiving everything that associates with this feeling (love) as harmful.
Here he/she is far away from the perception of reality. Which states that just because you didn’t finish on a happy note doesn’t mean you will never be successful in love. Remember that fortune favours brave, and brave personalities always keep a positive perception of life and reality.
Maybe destiny has decided something else. Yes, the suffering is inevitable and undeniable. Still, we have a say in who can harm us, whether we want to drag it or give ourselves another opportunity. For the author, he is in satisfaction with his choice.
How to deal with perceptions and reality
Picture Credits@ Camila Quintero
So how do you deal with it? It is easy, contrary to what I have argued so far. Keep your own Parameter that meets your satisfaction criteria. In my case, Happiness and success from the work that I undertake and my contribution to society.
For you, it might be taking good care of your loved ones, buying yourself a mansion, or a simple dream of traveling to the mountains and gazing at the star-studded sky.
Request to my readers, try not to care what others think or how they perceive you or your acts, even if they are incorrect or perfect. You will always judge your actions on your own parameters since they happen to perceive you through the parameters of their choice.
In the end, what matters is the level of satisfaction and the level of serenity and purity that we seek. And why do we strive for that? Of course, we strive for the highest level of satisfaction. But here, everyone has a different standard for achieving satisfaction and happiness.
I am happy to talk to you, be with Parents, helping others. However, some feel dissatisfied even when they have achieved everything. This is because in their struggle to strive for success, they never really waited, stopped, and pondered upon the things that calmed their soul.
Picture Credits@ Caju Gomes
The definition is different, and therefore the concept of life is different for everyone. So fall in love, laugh like no tomorrow and cherish even the worst moments as life lessons.
Stop with the Judgement.
That’s all I can think of about life. Although I will share any other thoughts as and when they occur, I am sure it will be based on my perception of the life that would happen … as in … how I perceive life.
Furthermore, here I would like to exercise a word of caution and inform our readers that don’t be so hasty to judge someone. Things are always deceptive. We assess people or others evaluate us based on their perception of life. And this perception of ours is shaped by many factors.
To shed further light on this, let us talk about another example. A person who has grown up in a family where the extended family or relatives were constantly aggressive.
Picture Credits@ Christian Lue
However, such a person will perceive that the relatives are a source of the commotion and despise them. Similarly, the person might perceive other extended relationships in the future with red flags.
Similarly, a female born in a family with abusive males can perceive all males as abusive. So let us not jump the gun. If someone perceives you or deciphers any other happening in a wrong sense.
Don’t be too eager to criticize such people. We don’t know the circumstances they faced and the factors that shaped their perception.
Faith in humanity- the ocean of hope.
Picture credits@ Nathan Dumlao
Humanity is like the immune system of the human species. It saves fellow humans in distress and provides them with the antidote of hope. Only through the little acts of kindness and humanity do humans continue to grow and survive.
Don’t believe me? Watch Schindler’s list here.
For me, humanity is the universal quality of life that has led me to fulfill my aspirations. Furthermore, humanity corrects me to make the lives of others less painful, if not happier. The initiation of aspects of humanity within us leads us to love and appreciate even the worst moments when we can.
The attributes of humanity are made up of a myriad of elements and traits, but they all lead to a single goal: to improve the lives of others. Unfortunately, most of us fail to comprehend the lack of humane factors in society. Therefore, we fail to understand the necessity of humanity as an essential virtue.
Try putting on someone else’s shoes. It’ll give you a stroke of realization that everyone you meet is fighting their own battle. Everyone you ignore needs a hand to hold. Everyone we despise and loathe needs love and affection.
Picture Credits@ Sigmund
The Message- Perception, Reality and Humanity intertwined
What am I trying to convey here is? Perceive life as per your benchmarks but keep the aspect of humanity as a guiding principle. Nevertheless, always be careful and remember while choosing your standards, coz life is nothing but a perception of yours and mine.
We both are different no matter how closely knit we are unless we both believe and pursue the phenomenon of humanity.
In short, there are two aspects to thinking. Firstly, the result is not what we think and what we do not have in hand. Secondly, attitude is how we see what we can control. Thus, our attitude determines how we perceive things and whether we want to laugh or weep at the end of the day.
Picture Credits@ Zac Durant
I hope I didn’t let you (my readers) down or cause you any discomfort. I’m pretty concerned about the risk of our understanding being shattered, which I do not wish to happen.
furthermore, I have faith that you guys will not sign off from understanding the complexity of life and not lose your faith in humanity. For ” Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” Therefore you must continue to strive to make a difference, even if it is tiny.
By- Kunal Kumar.
Kunal Kumar is the Co-Founder of the international prism. He was previously associated as content curator for lawviapods & is now the editor in chief of the column on Exploring Life in the international prism.
He did his graduation from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. In addition to being a fitness fanatic, he is also passionate about swimming, trading in Index options, Futures& Equity Derivatives.
He can be reached at kunal@theinternationalprism.com
You may also like:
Living to the fullest: Life as we see it! https://theinternationalprism.com/living-to-the-fullest-life-as-we-see-it/
Decluttering the Human Mind of 21st Century https://theinternationalprism.com/decluttering-the-human-mind-of-21st-century/
Essence of life in plain words….
a good step ……Kunal bhaiya