Throughout my life I have seen how a difference in a person's point of view can alter the situation. What I have realized recently is that changing how you look at the world is as good as changing the world itself.

Perspective may not be all that matters, but it does matter. A lot.

For me, a person's perspective is what defines him/her(/it). As evident from my blog's title, I consider myself a cynic. Or rather, perhaps a cynik - most of you would not consider it much of a difference, but I do not follow the original Greek cynics exactly. The modern notion of cynicism is a bit closer to home, but still, I interpret it in my own way.

Those old, horrendous cliches 'there's a silver lining in every dark cloud', ' 'tis an ill wind that blows none good' merely address this. Looking at an event/object/person with a different view changes the person.

Changing how you look at the world changes you.

Let me see look at it in another way. Imagine being stuck in traffic in a bus, or as a passenger. Either you could grumble about the conditions, or do what I do - go to sleep and use this time to relax.

My computer was recently formatted - for no apparent reason - but while I re-install all the software it had I have the time to write a lengthy post. Perhaps this was a bad example, as many readers would see it as two evils.

When there is a terrorist attack, the perspective of victims, the victims' families, the police/government - and those watching yet another spectacle unfold on television is completely different.

Watching and playing sports are two completely different ball games.

I will never say that one perspective is right and one is wrong. There are never any absolutes. Looking at terrorists from one point of view may show them as evil incarnate; seen from the other side you have noble revolutionaries.

Every person has his/her own perspective; based on experience, prejudice, life. Changing these changes the person - but we must never lose the ability to look at the world through someone else's eyes.

Empathy is one of our greatest powers. To understand a person completely, analyze the world in the way s/he does. To come to an understanding, to solve a dispute - all factions involved must be ready to see things from the opponent's point of view - and accept or reject them.

Of course, seeing the world through the eyes of the murderer who just butchered you - or the maniac whose blog entry drove you crazy - is completely different and unnecessary. It is a case of a random, abstract thought being applied to the real world. What else do you suppose could happen when a product of cool calculation & observation is applied to the illogical, warped world?

Note to self: I must resist from ending all posts with question marks. ?