THE GREEN SQUARE
A simple reflection on perception, learning, and why people often see the world differently.
Look at this green square.
Look at it carefully and tell me: what do you think?
Do you notice the beautiful green color?
Do you see how perfect the square is?
Now hold that thought.
You may be wondering, “Has he gone nuts, or is he making a serious mistake?” If you give me the benefit of the doubt, you would probably say, “He’s making a mistake,” because there is no green and, of course, there is no square.
All you can see is a purple circle.
But consider these questions:
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How do you know it is not green?
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How do you know what “green” or “purple” means?
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How do you know what a circle is?
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Isn’t it true that, at one point in your life, you did not know any of these things?
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Isn’t it also true that you learned them at some stage in your life?
Now imagine that, from childhood, you had been taught that this color is called “green” and this shape is called a “square.” What would you have thought when you read the opening lines?
My friend, in much the same way, many of the arguments we get into arise because we think on the basis of what we learned to be true. Other people learned different things.
That does not necessarily make them right or wrong. It makes them different.
Think about it: people you consider heroes may be viewed as villains by others, and people you consider villains may be viewed as heroes by someone else.
Why? Because people learn different things, and therefore they think differently.
So here is the real question:
Where in your life could you use this understanding to create more empathy, patience, and connection?
I am a Master Trainer of NLP & Hypnosis and a Personal Human Detective. I am the founder of The First Institute of Dynamic Learning, LLC. I study patterns of thinking, emotion, and behavior, and help people gain clarity through them. My work is designed for mentally healthy individuals seeking clarity and personal development, and is not a replacement for therapy, medical treatment, or psychiatric care. Anyone currently working with a mental health professional should continue doing so.
