episode 02. PERCEPTIVE PERSPECTIVES
- thelawdsway
- Jan 25
- 5 min read
who do we follow? thelawdsway
In this post we’re going to discuss about the power of perspectives and how such power can change the narrative we portray over our life story. For this post, I am going to reference the 2016 film called Inferno. Though, before we start, it would be important to outline the definitions of change and perspective as separate and joint components.
Change: to make different, to modify and/or to alter.
Perspective: having a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something, a point of view.
Film: Inferno, 2016
You may or may not know of the 2016 film called Inferno. Great film by the way if you are into the mystery/thriller genre! Bertrand Zoborist, who in the film was a nationalist and transhuman scientist created a virus that he thought could save humanity from an apocalypse. He believed that transhumanism was mankind’s only hope for long term survival.
Transhumanism is a theoretical belief that humanity can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology. Zoborist having this belief went on to say the phrase in the film, and I used this phrase in the caption of my poem ‘Process’ from my third poetry collection ‘10’ that states:
‘Nothing changes behaviour like pain, maybe pain can save us.’
Now in Zobrist’s view he was using this phrase as a message that he thought was for the greater good of creating a virus to kill 95% of the world population, so that humanity had a better chance of survival as a race in the long term. Zoborist was using that phrase, and many other like phrases within the film, to gather hundreds of individuals to follow his mindset, in effect, changing their own perspectives in regard of human life.
There was one key follower of his, Sienna, who we find out later in the film was his lover. Irrespective of their relationship status, Zoborist had influenced Sienna to follow his perspective to the point that she was willing to fake save Robert Langdon, the guy who believed that he was chosen to save the world and use him as a toy to get closer to the location that Zoborist had planned, before his death, for the virus to be released and change the world that we know forever.
Sienna lost sight of her own perspective and meaning of human life, from merely falling in love with the words that were spoken by Zoborist as well as obviously having a relationship with him.
We’re going back to focus on the spoken words of Zoborist:
‘Nothing changes behaviour like pain, maybe pain can save us.
As you can see from the example of the Inferno film, they only wanted change to be a revival for mankind and the only way they believed that they could have acquired that change was to go through pain, here in this case it meant the killing of 95% of the world population. I think it’s safe to say that as humans it can be easy for us to have a sudden desire to transform our lives and adjust our lifestyle for the better, especially in times when we have been the direct or indirect individual who has experienced some type of pain. When we have dealt with pain, irrespective on the level of how traumatising that pain may have been, we change our perspectives on the situation and decide to do anything within our means to make sure we do not ever have to go through such hardship again.
So, it’s true, 'nothing changes behaviour like pain, maybe pain can save us.'
Film Analogy
My question to you, and well it’s a question I should ask myself too as we’re all humans, why does it have to get to that extent before we realise it’s time to change our perspective on a situation, that isn’t doing us any good and essentially, we are suffering and drowning because of the consequences of that situation, understanding that we wouldn’t be in this place in the first place if we had just changed our perspective?
Having a changed perspective is key when looking from the view of procrastination. To think that all is required for us is to be able to focus, push through and achieve what needs to be achieved can be prevented through the act of procrastinating. Yet, we would rather wait till the last minute where we’re left to experience the sense of being overwhelmed, worried, tired, and drained because we chose to procrastinate- viewing it would be easier to live this way. We didn’t change our perspective to do better and be better, so we’re not lessened to this procrastinated lifestyle.
When will we realise that we are only inflicting pain on ourselves and no one else is to blame because we made that choice.
The number one enemy that prevents an individual to be able to change their perspective from living a postponed life to living a life where they can stay on track and progress into the person who they seek to be is procrastination. Yes, it can be so easy to give up and decide to leave things to the last minute, but it can be much harder to get back up once you have become so use to living through this lifestyle. As your identity has seen the beauty in doing half-hearted attempts to succeed in a project of yours, your perspective now only views life to be easier when you live life half full as when in the past where you lived life wholeheartedly. In those times you would try and try again but you could never seem to break out of this cycle that only left you to feel like a failure.
Ten doors may not open for you, but that eleventh door could be the gateway of a bright future for your life. All it takes for you to reach that door is to change your perspective and believe that you can make it.
See in the beginning when you were reaching for the first door you were driven, focused and motivated. But unsurprisingly when you kept hearing the word ‘no’ or knowing that you had to try again, your perspective was likely to have changed to not fully caring or being determined to still pass that door. Now you reach the tenth door and you’re still living with this mindset, unaware that the eleventh door is the beginning of you seeing brighter days. If only you could change your perspective, realise the power in your hands, regain the determination in your mind and just go. Overcome the barriers, the challenges, the issues. See them as stepping stools to get pass, and not for their literal meanings. You can do it. All you have got to do is show up to the starting line in this race that you’re running for your life and show out at the finish line knowing that you made it.
Never forget the reason why this dream of yours was ever created. Change your perspective and don’t let others influence your perspective on your dreams, especially when it’s out of jealousy.
Remember your vision and stick to it and you will surely succeed.
BIBLICAL REFERENCE
James 4:17 So it is a sin to know the good and yet not do it.
You know of the dreams and goals you seek to attain. You know of the plan and pathway you have to follow to achieve it. You know of the effort you need to put in to reap the rewards of your labour and yet, due to procrastination, you remain still and do not progress forward.
You know. So, use what you know, lean onto God, and allow it to transform your life into the purpose that you have been created to live. Change your perspective from knowing and remaining still to knowing and living to see it through.
Remember, Trust in the Lord, Love like the Lord and Walk with the Lord. TLW
who do we follow? thelawdsway
