Thoughts on Vision
Jan 21, 2015
Story
A world pulse member posted an interesting blog about vision. What does it mean to have vision that others do not share? What happens when you see social injustice that others do not? When you see the world for it can be and not as the status quo says it must be? It means frustration! I have felt this frustration as well. I believe it also means perspective, and we can tap into perspective to harness the challenge of exclusion for the aim of inclusion. How do we do this?
As a vision scientist, I know for fact that the world we see is shaped, quite literally, by the stimuli, thoughts, and experiences. Our visual system is dynamic, and subject to influence. The visual system is always recalibrating- if you have ever painted a room in your home a color that grew on you over time, that was physics and your visual system mechanics at work. The great thing is, these principles extend into the social arena as well. We have the capability to surround ourselves and others with an array of images that will influence norms. Our norms become our beliefs and values, and our values guide our lives. We can literally use visual physics to shape the social behaviors of people to be less racist, sexist, and more sensitive to the cultural heritage of another person. This is fantastic! Where is the challenge?
The challenge is in doing this, every day, to billions of people. The challenge is teaching the power we all have, especially girls. The challenge is in inclusion and not accepting those who do not want a world of equality. In this frightening challenge, I am leaping ever forward into the unknown (to me) to change the world with an image, a smile, a conversation, a blog. I do not know if it will work or always what I am doing, but I have to try. I hope to find courage and voice through this forum. I hope to contribute to a world where women are not seen as targets but as human beings, where ethnicity is viewed as a source of celebration and not a reason for injustice. I hope to join you in your journey, and I invite you to join me.
