Seeing the World Through Another Person’s Eyes

What might it be like to see the world through another person’s eyes? Sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it’s so easy to become locked in our own way of seeing that perhaps we should pose this question to ourselves more often.

Inevitably we see the world from our own point of view – and ultimately cannot do otherwise. But sometimes it is worth taking an imaginative leap and thinking about the other perspectives.

After all, as we often point out, the imagination is a very powerful resource. Through films and television fiction we allow ourselves to enter into other people’s lives, seeing the world through the eyes of our hero or heroine and losing ourselves in the process. Perhaps we should apply this skill more often in our everyday lives.

Not only would this help us to empathise with other people, but it is also a way of helping us to become more complete individuals.

The reason we enjoy film and television so much is precisely because they offer us the opportunity to momentarily escape from our own lives. Although sometimes seen critically, the escapism they offer provides a sense of relief and is a source of relaxation.

People who are shut off in their own worlds to the exclusion of all else can be selfish and indulgent, but they can also find it very difficult to dissociate from their own worries and concerns. Stepping outside ourselves in order to gain new perspective on our problems is a healthy and refreshing experience.

Three Perceptual Positions

NLP points out that there are three basic perceptual positions which we can adopt in experiencing our environment: first person position in which we see the world through our own eyes; second person position where we see the world from another person’s point of view and third person position where we take an objective perspective and have an overview of any situation.

It is argued furthermore that different people tend habitually to take up fixed positions and this plays a role in their personality type.

People who take up a predominantly first person position tend to see the world entirely in terms of themselves and their own concerns. In the second person position they can appreciate alternative perspectives, but may neglect their own needs, taking on the role of rescuers or carers. People in the third person position may see all points of view but can’t get involved. They may become so detached that they seem to lack emotion and humanity, appearing excessively rational or even robotic.

Avoid Getting Stuck

There are advantages and limitations in all positions. The trick is of course to be aware of the positions you are adopting and avoid getting stuck in one position. Being able to move between the positions according to the needs of the situation is helpful both for ourselves and others.

It can be a useful exercise therefore to consciously try out different positions to give us fuller insight into the situations we find ourselves in and also to achieve a greater sense of personal wellbeing and control.