Perceptions

On Saturday night, after watching CHAN FINAL at Cape Town Stadium, my two friends and I hanged around Cape Town CBD, since it was the J&B Met Weekend. Cape Town was abuzz with activities and festivities.  We strolled along Long Street. We had fun, joked around, and also discussed various issues. One of the things we spoke about was perceptions. When this word was interpreted (from each person’s viewpoint) you could see passion in each of our eyes.

This topic comes a long way, and it tend to still get the better of the people even though one would expect people to still have some know-how. However, it seems as if people are still in abyss about it. Even in this age of information highway and much alertness amongst most people especially youth. One would expect a breed of new generation that would want to delve and understand issues before making a judgment, decision or declaration or even passing information to the third party about what one has observed. One still has to explain, justify and clarify themselves most times in order to dispel certain myth that is created in another person’s mind. We often say” It is not how it looks, or what I am doing does not mean this, it means that”. However, the mind, having the mind of its own still process and interpret issues the way it wants…obviously based on what it has been fed (or trained) throughout the years.

The more open minded our generation becomes the more it will learn to understand that it is more than what meet the eye. As they say the devil is in the details. Unfortunately many people died, relationships ended, couples divorced and friendships ended because the perception overruled the situation. Perception has somehow taken the centre stage and incapacitated certain individuals from free thinking capability.

Perceptions are everywhere and all of us are somehow guilty of assuming to a certain extent, however, those that pass their perception to the third party are even worse.  These people pass data (information) that is somehow or entirely incorrect, unprocessed and raw. One can imagine what effect that data will be to the fourth person in line, even worse to the fifth and sixth. I chose to use the word data because of its complex (not complicated) nature, and also emphasize and indicate that it is not as it meets the eye.

Our main point of departure after much deliberation was that do not ever assume, do not ever take information as it is. As they say don’t trust everything you read (even this article, test its worthiness), even the Bible state that test what you are being taught, see whether it agrees with your spirit. Don’t be landfill or dumping place of unprocessed data.  When you see something, ask if not sure, that is if it concerns you, otherwise mind your own business and focus on your priority. When a person speaks Venda, it doesn’t mean he is one. The same goes, if you see a man and woman holding hand, it does not mean... (I am sure you can complete that sentence) exactly the point.  

 Let’s us test the information we receive, does it pass the test of it being true, pure, trustworthy, noble, right, lovely, admirable, as well as excellent and praiseworthy. Immediately you pass on the information, you are making it praiseworthy (noted) either way. Let us be the difference and not perpetuates rumour-mongering, lies and treacherous.  We are a new generation, supposedly with better knowledge, more informed, access to information and ability to interpret and apply our minds. Let us also educate and train those who are still holding unto perceptions as a way of life. Let us act likewise and change the perceptions…change the society perceptions and viewpoints about life. Next time you bring a lady friend at home, your parents will not think it’s your boyfriend until you confirm (there are so many examples that I can list that you are aware of). This is a journey we are all in…we can also be gracious to each other especially the older folk but the twitter generation, I have bad news for you…there is not excuse for you. Do not perceive, it is simple as that.

As a conclusion, I looked up the word perception on Wiki, it state that”is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment”. If this definition is to go by, then we have abused the application of this word. As they say assumption (postulations) is the lowest form of knowledge. This is not the end to this topic…watch posts to come.