In order to shift your point of view you need to actually see and recognize that there are other points of view. Seems obvious, right? But I'm not just talking about the book titles here. It's not just Liberal versus Conseravative. You need to get into the chapters and paragraphs of these other views.
How open is your mindset?
Today's society is characterized by increasing polarization -- simplistically, people are opting for the black and white versions of life, rather than seeing the millions of shades of grey in between. It's easier that way! And there are millions out there who would viscerally turn away from other points of view, finding them perverse, without taking a single moment to try to understand.
But really understanding another point of view requires effort and an understanding of nuance. However, one of the really important things to understand is that each person's opinion is formed directly from their experience and deeply roots there. But in my view, you can open your mind and listen to others' stories and experiences to try to understand them.
Such an action can be transformative, and is challenging in 2021 when human interaction is limited by COVID, working from home and the pervasiveness of social media.
To answer the question in the title: will I know it when I see it? The answer is yes, but whether you take action to delve deeper into the issue will determine whether you will take a risk to possibly shift your own point of view.
Happy reading,
Rachel
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