Thursday, December 10, 2015

Well, I didn't think you meant it...

I'm not sure these pieces fit properly ...
image credit
Funny how quickly we jump to conclusions, isn't it? We tend toward whatever fits our current perspective. It's why drawn illusions work so well. We expect to see something and so we do, even if closer inspections reveal otherwise. Recent examples such as in the movie "The Maze Runner" where a girl is brought in with a note saying this is the last one. The audience & characters assume it means the last person for the maze, but an equally valid assumption is she is the only and last girl. Another example is "The Book of Eli." I won't spoil the twist, but when you see it, ask yourself if there is more than one obvious possibility? You either see it or you don't. It's all on how you look at it.
 
The point is, our first leap to conclusion may be absolutely wrong. What conclusion did you make at the end of "Inception," when the top began wobbling? The funny thing is, even if our conclusions are wrong, the story still works out. I love when I read a story that leaves a few things unfinished, because my mind immediately fills in the blanks. It doesn't always work, though, which is a pity.

Sadly, life doesn't usually allow such second chances. First impressions (and all the conclusions contained within) typically last for a very, very, very long time. I doubt there's much we can do about it, aside from willfully taking another look at our assumptions (a good exercise to make your mind more flexible anyway). But, because I realize it happens, I enjoy looking at movies and books with multiple points of view and watching how it changes the story.
 
- M

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