Changing Perspective

PSY/220

Changing Perspective

The way that we look at things and problems in life can be very important in the outcome of events and things we think, that maybe what we think we have seen or feel about something, may not be the true story. There is a problem-solving technique that we can learn and put into action that could make solving things much easier for us, and it is called “changing perspectives”. This technique, especially if more than one perspective is being given, can make a difference in the way things are seen and heard. In the following scenario, more than one perspective is being looked at, that can make a big different in the outcome of an event. This will give you, the readers the opportunity to also have a perspective on the event being described. It was a beautiful fall day when John was able to get a ride from some of his friends, to go to another small town, about 20 miles away, to get a part for his car that he was working on. As john, his 2 friends, and one of his friends children got into the car to make the journey, never did anyone dream that today would alter john’s life forever and have people wondering for years to come, exactly what happen. The trip to the junk yard where the car part waited John, was uneventful, just some friends out on one of the last nice fall days, but the trip back was anything but uneventful. Traveling down this two lane highway, which had a reputation for being very dangerous due to the many semi’s that also traveled it, using it as a short cut, to get to main interstates. Being aware of the reputation of this highway, caution was used by the driver of the car John was in, and when the road they needed to make a left hand turn into was coming up, the driver put on his turn signal to give traffic plenty of warning of the upcoming turn, the driver of the car became aware of, and it appeared that a semi was about a mile behind them, so felt safe in making his turn, Unaware to John’s friend, as he slowed to make this turn, the semi was not slowing down, and had continued at his speed of just over 55 miles an hour. The impact to the rear end of the car John was a passenger in, and in the back seat with the child of his friend was quick, and over with, within seconds, according to witness’s that was behind the semi. John’s life was also over with, as the semi’s front wheel had caught the rear of the car on the right end side, totally destroying everything on that side. According to the few witness’s that were some miles behind the semi, the accounts of what they saw was accurate, but none of the witnesses had seen the actual impact, so that was to be guessed at by the work of the local police deptartment, and the accounts of their guessing at what happen did not make sense to the family of John. The family of John was aware that there were some personal problems between John and the small local police department, what the police department viewed as one less problem, the family viewed as the loss of a human life who had the same rights as every other human being. The events of this day and what happen was to be seen in different perspectives by the mother of John, the local police department and the prosecuting attorney, each viewed the event in different views, and the outcome of their different perspectives would make a large difference in the outcome of the sentence of the semi driver. The prosecuting attorney would view this wreck as a “terrible accident”, and with Johns history of problems, was bound to happen to him someday. The police reports that were filed concerning this wreck were vague, with very little description of the actual events. Their view on this was the same as the prosecuting attorney’s in that this was just an accident. The semi driver had been held for a few hours and released and the semi had been released also to be taken to its home base. When asked about different things, like the speed of the truck, and condition of its driver, the prosecuting attorney’s perspective was this was just no big deal, and over with now, so just let it go. His perspective was, this was just an accident and unavoidable. The mother of John had a totally different perspective of the event. Her perspective was that this was not just an accident, and was completely avoidable by the driver of the semi, that his carelessness had caused this to now become a vehicular homicide without the intent to kill, but would change the outcome of the sentence. John’s mother saw the events of that day as the semi driver was traveling at just above 55 miles an hour, and looking at the scene of the wreck, she found that no brakes marks by the semi had been applied, nor did he go off the road to avoid hitting the car, until one and a half miles past the wreck, and then skid marks made by the semi was deeply imbedded into the highway, which told her, the driver had never slowed down, and when he did realize something had happen, he applied his brakes hard to stop his truck. This clearly showed John’s mother that the driver of the semi was not paying attention to what was in front of him, as he did not see the turn signal of the car John was in and did not slow down to allow for this turn to be made. Instead he maintained his speed, which resulted in the wreck. Her perspective of the event was that the driver could have avoided the wreck, and her son’s life would have been spared. The outcome of this event was that the mother of John did prove her point, and the semi driver did face many more charges and jail time. In conclusion of this event and different perspectives of people looking at the event through different eyes can do a lot to change the outcome of events and our different perspectives on many things in life, that what we think is what happen or the truth of something may not in fact be even close to it. In looking at different perspectives we may find that two or more perspectives is not enough to see the full picture of an event, but if one looks at the different perspectives together, then a complete solution can be reached. It is in hope that reading the above event one can realize that what is first seen or thought about people, events and other things in life, that one does look at the different perspectives, instead of making snap judgments about all things around us.