Exploring Perspectives, Not Elephants

When were you first told the story of the blind men and the elephant?
Not had the pleasure? Behold:

Sages, educators, pastors, and parents have retold this fable for more than over 2500 years.
"Oh silly person," it says. "You're so confident that you know what's what, but your confidence is foolish. No one can see the whole picture. Hold what you know humbly. Listen to those around you to learn more. "

I've heard this fable shared in talks covering everything from critical thinking to resolving personality conflicts to religion. I then repeated it in my book on meetings and used it when teaching decision making, because it gave me a well-trodden way to discuss the importance of considering other people's perspectives.

Reframing the Elephant and the Blind Men

Despite the many times I've quoted it, the fable has always bothered me for two reasons.

First, it's told from the perspective of an independent observer who supposedly can see the elephant and therefore knows that these blind dudes are idiots. Sometimes this independent observer is described as the universal trans-dimensional consciousness (aka God). In which case, OK. Fair enough.

Other times, though, the observer is a boss who is testing the blind men's wisdom. Secular venues tend to use the smug dude in power who's testing you version of the fable, which reinforces great-man hero myths. I've seen self-proclaimed "great men" go on to weaponize the fable, using it to point out how their peers are blind to an elephant which only they are wise enough to see clearly.

Wow. Backfire! That's not the message we're after.

The second reason I dislike this tale is that it's just dumb.

Do you know any people who can't see? If you do, you know that they're usually pretty good at listening, smelling, and exploring a space by touch. How many scent-free, silent, motionless elephants have you encountered? Especially ones that stay calm while being mobbed by a bunch of fumble-fingered fools? The whole setup is preposterous.

Beyond the need to seek broader perspectives, the fable sends a clear message that you, the listener, are like the blind men in the tale. If you attempt to assert any position with authority or conviction, you must be a nincompoop. The result? Some people shut down – "Oh no! If I speak up, they'll know how ignorant I am!" – and others get even cockier. "Nincompoop? Ha! I know you are, but what am I?"

When our task is to become humble before a higher power, perhaps we should continue cautiously palpating the elephant. Otherwise, though, I've found it does more harm than good.

If we want to encourage collaboration and understanding, we need a better metaphor—one that invites exploration and curiosity, rather than making everyone feel a little dumb.

If not the elephant, then what?

If you look back at previous articles, you'll see that our 2023 experiment reinforced the importance of framing for problem solving, creativity, and more. Coming out of that experience, I developed the 5D Thinking Map as a tool for exploring possible framing (i.e., perspectives) for any topic. Since then, I’ve introduced it to hundreds of people.

But If you don't have a sense of why mapping perspectives might be useful, the 5D Map just looks like a weird cube and a line with some vague labels: Topic, Sentiment, Scope, Stakeholder, Time.

I needed a way to easily convey the value of perspective-taking and make perspective mapping intuitive for vastly different kinds of thinkers. I wanted a quick intro that would work equally well for my kids, my parents, my international colleagues, and my business clients.

The elephant fable wouldn't do, because it's designed to humble the listener. Instead, we need a new metaphor that lets everyone know their perspective is just as valid as everyone else's, that everyone is working with an imperfect understanding, and that when we share and compare what we know, we can make better choices together. Exploring perspectives should be an interesting voyage of discovery, rather than a walk of shame.

After many trials and iterations, I've found a new story. This story consistently gets groups sharing and discovering together. And while my purpose was to introduce 5D Thinking, I've learned that the story stands on its own.

Here you go.

New Story: Welcome to Clearview Tower

What can you see out your window right now? If we could all compare, I'm sure we'd hear about many wildly different views.

Now, let's imagine we are all visiting Clearview Tower, a tall building overlooking a lush park full of winding paths and tall trees. The building has windows at every level, each framing a unique view into this lovely space.

Imagine you are on the top floor looking into the park. What do you see? You can see the treetops and, if the light is right, maybe you can see over into other elegant offices across from you, or even out to the horizon beyond. The view from the top floor is great - expansive, breathtaking, and inspiring.

The building is full of people who can see through the windows where they are.
Some look right onto a tree, making it easy to see the details on each leaf and an old balloon caught in the branches. Windows on the other side of the building look away from the park entirely. What do these show? The city beyond, the beach, or the concrete backside of another building? It's impossible to know from where you're standing because walls block your view.

Next, imagine you're in the basement looking through one of those barred half-windows near the ceiling. It's a little tiny bit of hazy glass looking into the park. What can you see there? Maybe not a lot, because that view is blocked by a garbage can, where you see trash overflowing and rotting behind it. That view is awful, dirty, and dark. 

Finally, imagine looking out of your favorite window, but at a different moment in time. What did the park look like 50 years ago? In the morning or at sunset? How might it change 50 years from now? Time shifts the view, just as much as your position does.

We know that all these views are true. All the windows show reality as it is, but the people looking through those windows do not see the same reality. 

Like the people in this building, we are all looking at the world through one of many windows.
When it comes to understanding the world around us, there are as many windows as there are people to see through them. We each have easy access to the windows where we sit, but the full view is blocked by walls. And, just like the people in the building, we're each capable of looking through other windows. We simply must remember that the other windows are there, and move a bit so we can see the view they offer.

Exploring Your Windows and Walls

As you reflect on this story, what does it bring to mind for you?

What does your unique window on the world show that might prove valuable to someone else? How could you share what you see?
And how might your familiar walls and go-to window be limiting your view? Where do you need to go exploring for a different perspective?

Perspective sharing is about telling others what the world looks like to you, from your eyes through your windows, without denying the validity of anyone else's view.

Perspective taking is all about listening and learning to see through other people's windows. This is the root of empathy and understanding.

At Braver Angels events, an organization dedicated to bridging the US political divide, I've seen people come together when they commit to sharing and listening to each other's views. The key is for each person to share only from their own experience - the view from their window - and not about a rumor they heard on social media or why their 'facts' are more factual than other people’s. When people on opposite sides of an issue recognize and speak as folks who simply have different views of a broader landscape, they quickly drop their hostility and become more curious together.

Perspective shifting is about noticing that you have access to other windows and moving your view to gain a new understanding.

After a Braver Angels event, the most commonly reported insights are "I realized that we're more alike than we are different", and "All the terrible things I'm hearing on the news - that isn't the full picture." When people have an opportunity to curiously share and take perspectives from folks who see things differently than they do, two shifts occur. They shift their view of the situation, seeing their "park" from a broader vantage point, and they shift how they feel about one another.

I'm using a Braver Angels example today because we've run dozens of events (like this one) leading into the 2024 election, and it's fresh on my mind. This is what that shift looks like.

Beyond learning to appreciate people we disagree with, these shifts come in handy in so many ways. Once we notice that we can look at a situation from a different vantage point, we're better able to see opportunities and find creative solutions to our problems.

Reframing is about choosing the windows that give you and your group the best view for achieving your goals and directing the group's attention to look through those windows together.

Some examples.

Same parks. Different windows.

If you or your group could benefit from perspective sharing, taking, shifting, and reframing, tell them about Clearview Tower. I've been delighted to hear groups embrace the metaphor and spontaneously discuss which "windows" they need to go look through, where they're worried that "walls" might hide important information, and in several ways make this story a useful part of their shared language.

I hope you find it useful too. Please share your experiences with this story; I’d love to hear your perspective on it.

It's so much better than the elephant!!