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The Importance of Understanding the Viewpoints of Others

     The founding fathers of the United States rose up against a world superpower to create a nation of freedom and opportunity.  Today, that nation stands as one the most powerful, as well as influential, nations in the world, The United States of America.  Rosa Parks, wanting to go home after a long day of work, became the catalyst to one of the largest movements against racial segregation.  Martin Luther King Jr., in a time of segregation and racism, rose up against the injustice, becoming the face of the civil rights movement and the youngest man to win a Nobel Peace Prize.  He later was assassinated for his beliefs, but his words live on in those he touched.  These men and women changed the world by sharing their perspective with others, being both praised and scolded for their beliefs and actions.  However, they did not become egotistical when they gained a following nor were they angry towards those who opposed.  Rather, they used the views of everybody to initiate change.  They analyzed those who opposed them, understood the reasons for their beliefs, and countered those beliefs with their own.  They were not afraid to share their perspective with the world and used their knowledge of others' views to both understand people and make a difference.


     Today, society is filled with ignorance, most of which stems from those opposing different perspectives.  Rather than listening to what other people have to say, many people become defensive, believing their thoughts and opinions could never be wrong.  Some even become aggressive when they see or hear something which goes against their beliefs.  This mentality has damaged people’s self-confidence.  Many now believe they will be chastised for sharing their viewpoints.  We should not feel the need to hide who we are due to the close mindedness of others.  In order to fix this, we need to explain the importance of understanding other’s perspectives and how it can benefit both the individual and the world.


     Understanding the perspective of others allows the person to better handle people.  Many of these handlers can be classified as leaders.  They put themselves in the other person’s shoes.  They think of the other person’s environment, both past and present, as well as their personality.  They try to understand why they act a certain way or believe what they do.  It is common for those who do this to focus their attention on listening rather than becoming angry.  By doing so, the individual has a chance to have a civil conversation with the person they disagree with.  This gives the person a chance to share their perspective, potentially changing the other person's mind in the process.  Sharing knowledge and the discussion of different viewpoints are what initiate change, not screaming matches about how wrong the other parties are.


     Our knowledge and understanding is based on the environment we live in.  Because of this, everybody has a unique perspective.  We are not all-knowing.  Each of us has knowledge to share.  We all have experienced life differently than those around us.  If we brush off everything a person says as wrong or unimportant, we will go through life believing only what we have learned from our own environment and experiences.  However, if we allow ourselves the opportunity to listen, we may learn something new.  Nobody has to agree with another person’s perspective, but they should try to understand what they believe and why they believe it.  We can use this understanding of others, the knowledge they have, and their beliefs to advance civilization grow as individuals.


     The world needs more open-minded people now more than ever.  Far too many chastise and hate on those who oppose them, never trying to understand their side.  It is up to us to take a stand, make a change, and spread the word.  We cannot allow this type of behavior to continue, else chaos remains.  The more who open their minds up to other’s views allows for more discussion to commence.  The more discussions, the higher chance to initiate change.  So, be the person who is not afraid to speak their mind and who is willing to listen rather than lash out.

Have anything you would like to add?  Be sure to let me know in the comments!

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