Change of Perspective

Musings on Writing, Reading, and Life Narratives

Fiction writers and literary critics speak of point of view. Social scientists are more likely to discuss perspective. But both of these terms refer to essentially the same construct: the consciousness behind the perception and narration of experience. Each individual’s point of view is unique, and point of view shapes the stories people tell to themselves and to others about themselves and their relationships with their environment. The same event narrated from two different perspectives will produce two different stories.

A change of perspective can expand our perception and reframe our thinking about our experiences. We can all benefit from an occasional change of perspective.

[Return to MetaPerspective]

Thursday, October 25, 2007

A New Perspective on the News

News Flows, Consciousness Streams: The Headwaters of a River of Words - New York Times:
The venerable New York Times is moving into a new building, where an art display called “Moveable Type” greets visitors in the lobby. The display consists of 560 small screens displayed in a grid that pull phrases from databases containing all the words printed in the paper since it was founded in 1851 and from search terms and Web commentary currently being posted to the paper's Web site. The display was created by Ben Rubin, and artist, and Mark Hansen, a statistician.

“We want it to feel almost like an organism that is living and breathing and consuming the news,” Mr. Rubin said.

<< Home