Ever heard of the story about
looking through a glass filled halfway with water? Then the spectator will be
asked about his/her perception about the given visuals of this glass, whether
it’s a photo or an actual glass of water. The outcome expected was originally
just two answers: Half-full or half-empty. Then professors, speakers or
motivators will explain about how your perception about this experiment affects
your everyday view about everything. If you see it as half-full, you’re a
positive thinker and if you see it half-empty, you’re a negative Nancy. I have
no idea how this story went viral. Quotes encrypted on the image of the glass
of water was posted everywhere. The problem was you never had the chance to
think about your perception on this short project. Before you even think about
how you will react on the half-full/half-empty glass of water appeared on your
newsfeed, you’ve already read that the only choice was this two things which
is: Half-full/optimist and Half-empty/pessimist.
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| Plot Twist! |
Better
than the original. Why are we limited to black and white when there’s another
color lying around somewhere? Alright I know you’re thinking, “What’s your
point?” – This is not really about the glass; or about pessimists/optimists
thing; or about dragons… It’s how simple things affect people’s mind. How
people would accept options given to them, as if it’s the only option they can
choose from. Remember that math exam that had a multiple choice? Yeah, I hate
that too. Especially that letter “d. none
of the above”. – And if your teacher hated you enough, it will have a
follow up instruction of “if none of the
choices have the answer, write the answer in the blank” Yup! Good times,
good times. But in reality, that style of answering questions in our daily
lives is the proper ones. We should not be limited on the choices given to us
by trying to take what the large consensus had been doing, or the norms. It’s
like reinforcing the “think outside the box” because cultures are these boxes,
and we’re living inside of it – Not questioning the flaws of it, but just given
to see it negatively or positively. Like “you’re either with us or against us”
cliché.
Since
we’re starting to visualize the past, let’s go further on our nostalgia
express. Remember the high school days when there was that one girl you hated
because of her slutty style flaunting the guys. Then you’d say in the back of
your head “wow, what a bitch” when in reality you should all just be studying,
but you watched too much teen movies so you lived your high school years like
it. Better yet, that bully or the guy who insistently copies your home works
and test papers with no consent whatsoever. You hate that guy. Then few years
later, you heard that he didn’t pass college or stop doing school. You say to
yourself – “KARMA’s sizzling up this dude’s fate plate” with your eyes glaring
in a distant and a half grin on your face. That was really awful of you, but
you think he probably deserved it right? And that’s the overused definition of
Karma – “what comes around, goes around…
bitch.”
Then
let’s make the same story, but on the different perspective. Let say your best
friend did well throughout his existence. He have helped people, and made them
feel better about themselves. He was the motivator of the class, and the
peacemaker of your group. He is, in general, the good guy in this story.
Suddenly, you lost connection with him after high school. Few years later you
heard a story that he didn’t made it through college. You, now on a different
perspective and in subjective opinion, thought – “I think whatever happened to
him was just a TRIAL in his life, or a TEST. I’m sure he’ll be better and he
can conquer it, I hope.” See the difference on how people see things differently,
subjectively. But we don’t question it, do we? Did us even thought about the
connection or the similarity on how we see “Karmas” and “Trials”, maybe some
few individuals had already figured that out.
We’ve
seen and heard what people are already been saying to us. Motivating/comforting
us on the same things over on over again. So we think bad things happen to bad
people is called “Karma” and bad things happen to good people are called
“Tests” or “Trials”. We never tend to question why? My thoughts are this, we
never accept complicated and valid data. We only accept what is simple to
understand, or what we want to hear. People hate choices, subconsciously. Free
choice and big decisions drains the brain energy, that’s why passive people
feel at ease than the dominant or aggressive ones. We hate it when people tell
us what to do, but in reality we’ve been doing things society tells us to
believe.
It’s easier to be instructed than
to be the instructor. Just think about this – In school, what’s the difference
between listening to your professor and doing a report in front of the class.
Which is easier for you?
