Anyone who studies art soon discovers that perspective is not reality. It is a distorted version of reality based on the limitations of human eyesight and the position of the viewer. The only way for artists to draw with accuracy is to forget all the facts they know to be true about an object and draw only what they see. Nothing more and nothing less.
The hardest part about distinguishing between perspective and reality is that there is no way for individuals to know what they do not know unless someone else tells them. That is the value of engaging in conversations with other people. It can help an individual see the areas of their life where they may be overlooking things or missing things due to their own personal limitations.
The natural tendency of every human being is to assume that their personal experiences are universal to everyone. That assumption can lead to people becoming upset or offended when others don’t see things the same way they do. They can’t understand why someone can’t see it the same way without realizing that it is a literal impossibility for anyone to see things exactly the same way they do.
That’s the value of choosing to engage in meaningful dialogue with people of varying — even opposing — viewpoints. By listening to and asking questions about experiences that differ from their own, individuals are given the opportunity to broaden their own perspectives, incorporating things they’ve learned into constructing a new picture that is closer to reality.
The difficulty in engaging in these meaningful conversations comes when the beliefs that form around those viewpoints are tied directly into an individual’s sense of personal identity. That’s why most people advise against discussions about race, religion, money, politics, gender, and sexuality.
If done without great care, those discussions are too often viewed as personal attacks. These can erupt into arguments that leave lasting emotional wounds. However, shutting down these conversations doesn’t create lasting peace, nor does it bridge gaps in understanding.
It can actually foster the divisions between people and lock everyone down in fear driven by misunderstandings and misinterpretations of behavior. Only when the door to these conversations is open can authentic change begin to take place.
That’s why we at Path To Publishing are leading the way by crowdfunding a movement to change. The funds raised for the publication of our upcoming novel, The Price We Pay (being published on our traditional publishing imprint, PTP Press), is just the beginning. Path To Publishing intends to use our book as an instrument to open the door to these important conversations. We’ll also be providing a discussion study guide to engaging in these kinds of sensitive inter-racial conversations.
To discover more about the movement, the book, and our work to open the doors of communication, visit our crowdfunding campaign page at https://ptppress.com/taking-a-novel-approach-to-change. Sign up to #JoinTheConversation and be invited to join the community.