The rise of perspectivism
From herd beings to individuality to POVs to personalisations and customisations, we people have come a long way. We used to be the gullible Gullivers who bought into Lilliputan myths invented by a few street-smart spontaneous storyteller kind of alphas. Accepted alternate theories of Nature Gods being angry when a storm pelted rocks at our villages. Offered alms to beggars not feeling for the poor sods’ plight but fearing that it might be the Almighty in Disguise. SNAP. Enlightenment struck like a spark of lightening tearing through a dead tree.The wwwdotcom had arrived!
Internet made knowledge accessible. Almost democratic. Although much like in a democracy, the masses do have a misplaced sense of power and control on the information brought to us by the internet. Nevertheless, what it has managed, quite harmlessly so far, is the sudden surge in self-awareness. Like some classic case of a neo-cinematic wave taking over the likes of Hollywood, this phenomenon is taking over the mass mentality, more quietly than my little ‘Blubber’ sneaking up behind his lively prey for a delicious ratmeal.
Self awareness is about the I. The I in Independent. The I in Individuality. The I in ‘I’. My mind, my voice, my opinion, my version, have gained importance, not just in a philosophical way but also in an everyday conversational way. Perspectives matter like they never mattered before. Suddenly everything is subjective with the only constant being ‘I’, looking at the entire universe, in a unique way. Redefining every belief. Reinventing every myth. Reinterpreting every fact, every hypothesis.
The rise of perspectivism has killed the concept of just white and black. Establishing an intermittent space between the two, for most of what we know. So basically, our grey matter sees most of the cosmos as grey matter? Swell! It has hurt the judgemental kind very badly, the kind who’re always championing one out of the ethical-unethical, wrong-right, left wing-right wing. They’re feeling disoriented, nauseous even, watching the previously insignificant individual perspectives rise against them and their ideologies.
On the other hand, this perspectivism is also an economist’s delight. Because a ‘masses’ with individual needs only strengthens the demand which further strengthens the supply, the innovation and the creation. Trade benefits, masses benefit. Masses benefit, trade benefits.
POVs are indeed changing the world as we know it, bit by bit everyday. Flip sides? Would it make the I too independent to inter-depend? Wouldn’t an absence of ‘we’ put too much pressure on ‘me’? Shouldn’t there be a balancing force to check the powers of the rising perspectivism? Key questions to think about.