Shades of Reality

“Urja, I’m telling you, that’s blue.” My head jerked up in disbelief, scanning the face of my friend, searching meticulously for a smidgen of humor. Disappointed to find none, I passionately counteracted her claim. “Just look, it’s clearly green.” Bended over the rough fabric, we consistently debated the hue, neither one ready to admit defeat. This situation, while deeply unserious in nature, sparked an unsettling thought in the back of my mind: How altered are our perceptions of life?

Each and every one of us has an extremely precise view on nearly everything, and no matter how much we attempt to deny it, we all subconsciously form an opinion on everything. This deep rooted opinion subtly affects much of our actions, and while we often do not realize them, sometimes come out in odd situations. The example of color theory stands out to me, however, for the numerous times it has been proven. Take the example of the ‘color test,’ where two people with different skin tones try on the same product—say, foundation, often representing the disparity of shades across various backgrounds. The stark resemblance this holds to our life is uncanny. We have an odd way of judging others. It’s often that we consider ourselves the standard and observe if others meet it. It must seem perfectly fair to us that everyone else does the same. But it doesn’t and that in its essence is where our perspective shifts majorly, proving it much different than others. 

For instance, we can delve into the complex theory of innate racism, or rather, the discomfort with difference. We are all born into a certain family, and undeniably, it exerts a good deal of influence on our mindset. The way we view others, and our way of considering some our “own” and “outsiders,” often affects our moral compass, and how fairly we judge others. If we consider the quintessential high school setting, and consider the specific roles of a popular girl and a quiet one, we can see how differently people judge them. The popular girl is looked up to, even though she is extremely rude to some around her. The quiet girl, no matter how sincere or genuine, is treated with ridicule due to the personality others have created for her. In this way, we can see a simple example of perspective, and how it is heavily drawn from those around us. Everyone is so wrapped up in the popular girl’s opinions, that they fail to realize just how unfairly biased they stand.

I believe, above all, that our unique perspectives are not only shaped by what we see, but by what we want to see. Our experiences shape us, and for better or for worse, they leave lasting impressions on us. The glass half full versus glass half empty phrase comes to mind here, as some people are intent on seeing the positive in everything, while others are more guarded, and tend to doubt others easily. They allow these to affect how they view life everyday, sometimes completely altering their trajectory.

However, it isn’t really about our own perspectives, is it? It’s the flawless combination of each and every person that creates the blissfully chaotic world we thrive in. The symphony matters not the solo view. It’s not about blue, or green, but rather how they come together as the color teal.