Dissecting the “Subjective Perspective”.
Hi There,
Vital to the mindset of living inclusively is to meet people where they are. In this way, you’ll gain a glimpse of the world through the eyes of others, lending credence to the metaphor, “Understanding means standing under another’s reality”.
During February, as we celebrate the resilience of people of color, DRIVEN is offering our "short list" of essential reading and viewing— a Black History Month resources primer! And this week, our offering expands the glimpse to a wider swath of the black perspective.
This expansion of perspective is crucially necessary due to a reality that black Americans face, namely the assumption that all people of a specific skin color think alike. The truth is that we each have our unique life experiences that directly correlate to our thinking, composing who we are. It’s like Gefilte Fish; just because it’s a traditional Jewish recipe doesn’t mean all Jews enjoy it!
I invite you to scroll through our resources and choose something that calls out to you. Then, immerse yourself in that book, article or film. Use these cold days of February to settle in and see the world you share through the eyes of others.
As you explore, you may find yourself challenged to stay within the writer’s reality. I know, it’s tricky. It’s in our nature to think, “It can’t be that bad” or “No one would ever do that” or “That didn’t really happen”. But remember that each of us learned about history through a specific filter— a subjective perspective. Your role is to consider the context of the piece and, when in doubt, give the storyteller the benefit of that doubt.
Keep in mind that everyone you meet is fighting a great personal battle. Open up your mind and your heart to others’ struggles and triumphs. This will serve you in the workplace as well as with those living under your own roof!
Then, look forward to an abundance of compelling audio and visual resources as a follow-up next week.
Cheers!
-Deborah
Deborah Goldstein
DRIVEN Professionals / Forbes / Linkedin
info@drivenpros.com | LinkedIn
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