“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” — Anaïs Nin
When I was a young lad, I thought the world was exactly as it appeared. A glass was a glass, and if it had water in it, well, I was either lucky or about to be scolded for spilling it. It wasn’t until I grew up, got kicked around a bit, and listened to enough fools and philosophers argue about that same glass that I realized—nobody’s looking at the same thing.
Some call it half full and pat themselves on the back for good cheer. Another swear it is half empty and blame Congress. A third measure the temperature of the liquid, chart its viscosity, and swear on Newton’s beard it was important. And then there was the artist—they just drank it, painted the empty glass, and called it freedom.
It dawned on me, slow like heat rising in July, that most folks don’t see with their eyes. They see with their stories. And worse, they confuse their stories for truth. So if you find yourself arguing with someone about how much is in the glass, maybe ask yourself first: What story are you bringing to it?
The Lens of Perspective
A simple glass of water, half-filled, has sparked debate for generations. Is it half full or half empty? This classic riddle, often used to distinguish optimists from pessimists, serves as a powerful metaphor for the human condition. But as the image above whimsically shows, there are many more ways to look at that glass—each one filtered through a unique lens shaped by profession, personality, worldview, or prejudice.. It is all about our perspective.
Perspective is not just about what we see; it’s about how we interpret what we see. The optimist sees promise; the pessimist sees loss. The realist observes the facts; the surrealist sees the impossible. Each stance, while seemingly trivial, reveals the deeper truths about how we think, feel, and make decisions.
Consider the physicist in the image who sees gas and liquid—not optimism or loss, but matter and state. Or the relativist who acknowledges that both “half full” and “half empty” can be true depending on context. Then there’s the sceptic, who challenges the very substance: “It’s not water.” Each one makes decisions based not on what is, but on what they believe is.
That belief—that frame—determines how we act.
Prejudice: The Shadow of Perspective
But not all perspectives are born equal. Some are shaped by experience; others are warped by fear, trauma, misinformation, or cultural bias. This is where perspective becomes prejudice.
A person who has been betrayed may become the Sceptic in life—distrustful, doubtful, assuming danger even in kindness. A person who’s been sheltered might turn into the Utopist—overflowing with hope, blind to risk. Our past becomes our prescription lenses, distorting or clarifying what lies ahead.
And here’s the crucial insight: how we interpret our reality directly influences our outcomes.
- If you see opportunity (like the optimist), you act boldly.
- If you see failure (like the pessimist), you hesitate.
- If you see nonsense (like the surrealist), you create art or chaos.
- If you see only facts (like the realist), you might miss the magic.
Prejudice, in this light, isn’t just racial or political. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s how we prematurely judge a person, an idea, or a possibility—based on a fixed internal story that may not serve us anymore.
The Feedback Loop of Outcome
Here’s the kicker: our perspectives shape our behavior, and our behavior shapes our results. Then, those results reinforce our perspective.
An artist, like the one in the illustration, dips a brush into the water and creates something new. They don’t ask if the glass is half full—they ask, “What can I do with this?” That act reshapes the world. The same water that someone else would mourn becomes a painting, a message, or a movement.
Your perspective isn’t just a reflection of your world; it’s the architect of it.
Choose Your Glass
We often think our views are rational, that we “just see things as they are.” But the truth is, we don’t see reality—we interpret it.
The glass doesn’t change. We do.
Whether you see it as a problem, a possibility, a paradox, or paint water depends on the story you’re telling yourself. And that story is optional. It can be rewritten. It must be, if your outcomes don’t match your hopes.
Final Thoughts: Refill Your Perspective
Perspective is the most powerful tool you have. Not education. Not money. Not even talent. Perspective drives all those things. Prejudice—whether against others or against yourself—is when that tool turns against you.
So the next time you see a half-filled glass, ask not what’s in it—but what you are bringing to it.
Because in the end, the glass only reflects the shape of your mind.
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