You have probably heard it said (often, if you are in the second year of my class!) that context is everything. Okay, so I admit, it is definitely a cliché, but I would also like to suggest that it is a whole lot more than that.
I recently read a blog post in which a woman detailed a story about attending a church service that was very "charismatic." In other words, people were very vocal and enthusiastic in their worship style. She was okay with that, at least at first. But it really started becoming annoying to her when a woman behind her started yelling "Glory!" and sometimes, "Glory, Glory, Glory!" during the service and the preacher's sermon. Once was fine. Twice or three times was pushing it. But when it became constant, the blogger had enough. She had formed a judgment about this woman and it wasn't a complimentary one.
After the service, the blogger stopped to speak with the pastor's wife, who was a friend.The pastor's wife asked, "Did you happen to notice the woman who sat behind you today?" The blogger commented that yes, indeed, she had noticed her, but she stopped herself from saying anything negative or judgmental that she might regret (she was in a church, after all!). That was when the pastor's wife said, "Her son was killed just last week in a drive-by shooting." The pastor's wife went on to share what an inspiration the woman had been to everyone at the church in the way she had clung to her faith through her pain, "It's truly beautiful," she said.
In that moment, everything changed. No longer did the blogger see the woman as an obnoxious, overzealous churchgoer. The woman calling out, "Glory!" had suffered unspeakable loss and tragedy; she was a human being who was bravely confronting her pain and suffering. The blogger posted these words: "When we know context, we are slower to judge, slower to write people off, slower to feel disdain, and slower to puff ourselves up in self-righteous [or indignant] pride."*
Communication and social interaction processes are an integral part of our everyday lives; at school, at work, and at home. In each of these situations, both our culture and the unique context of our individual lives and situations play a role in how information is communicated, received, and most importantly, understood. This is such an important revelation as you take in the flurry of information hurled in almost rapid-fire succession at you every day. Whether in watching the news, paging through advertisements, engaging in hallway gossip, or just making your own observations, you must always consider the role that the larger context of that message or sound bite is playing.
This should inspire this question in us all: Who is judging you without a context today? All of us can do only so much to allow others to see the "bigger picture." But ultimately, in a world of Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, short tweets, and snippets of time that people may see us in the grocery store, hallway, or out on the field, they are going to see what they want to see, make of it what they will, and form an instant judgment. This shouldn't surprise us; after all, we live in a hurried, "instant" world. Personally, I'd like to hope that people who see me out and about, at my best and my worst, will give me the benefit of the doubt...
I have attached a video link here that highlights the results of a very interesting experiment. Several photographers were hired (unaware of each other) to photograph the same man. Each photographer was given a simple background or "context" of their subject. None of them were true, and all were very different from each other. It's very interesting how it affected even their artistic choices! Please watch it by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-TyPfYMDK8
In your post, share what you learned in the video, and what your own life experiences have taught you about the importance of context.
We live in a fast-moving, rapidly changing world of quick reactions and snap judgements. We live in a society that gets its news in disconnected soundbites. Perhaps it would be beneficial for us all to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect on the experiences, emotions, interactions, and relationships that have brought us to this very moment. Maybe it would do us all one better if we took the time to stop and consider all the possible factors that have brought each individual we encounter to this moment, as well...
(*Booker, Adriel. "Context is Everything," I Still Belong blog, 2017)
The video furthered my knowledge of how one's preconceived notions and prejudices affect how they interpret the people that they interact with. I found it very intriguing to see the vast differences between each portrait. Context has proven to be very important in my relationships with others. When conversations are overheard and are missing vital details, gossip can start and friendships can be ruined. In the modern age, it is important to explore context of news and media shared verbally and on social media websites.
ReplyDeleteThe personality quiz stated that I was an ENT-P Debater, meaning I am a vibrant intellectual force that enjoys being challenged. If I am being honest, this somewhat surprised me, as I usually do not argue with many people unless I deem it necessary. I am not surprised, however, with the aspect of constant thoughts being in my mind regarding problems and solutions, as I often ponder many things about the world both related to my circle of life and the greater circle of life. As for my Harry Potter quiz, I received Gryffindor, which did not surprise me at all as I have taken this quiz before. It does insinuate that I am brave, which I would agree with as I am not afraid to take risks. These results on both tests are somewhat surprising, while also comforting to my identity.
ReplyDeleteLiam - this is the wrong blog. Please read the blog before posting to make sure you are answering as directed.
DeleteThe video proves how one's assumptions and prejudices of a person can shape how they interact with them. We all have an idea of a person, and we act out what we believe is to be fitting for them, like those photos. However, that alone is not sufficient in determining who they are as a person. That is why context is very important. For example, many people tend to spread misinformation online, twist the message of words and stories, and slander others all because they lack the proper context. Only when a person has context, can they see something in its entirety.
ReplyDelete- Eli M.
The video helped me understand that because of someones picture. You don't know what the background is on the person so you have no right to judge some without context. I really like how the photographer was able to "make" the man someone he was not. Which if we were to look at just the photos. We wouldn't know he was a "criminal, millionaire, a fisherman etc." We see the man as a nice man who is dressed nice and happy. We wouldn't know any of this. Unless we got to know the man. Which is why I feel like its important to get to know a person before we judge them based off looks or actions. In my personal life I have been misunderstood a lot before anyone got to know me. When I ask my friends what did you think when you first meet me or when you first heard of me. The answer is usually I thought you were mean. Or something completely different from who I am as a person. A lot of my friends have had a misconception of me thinking I was a " mean person" Just because I have a "RBF". But they would later say that I am nothing of the sort of "mean". I just look it but I am a great person with a big heart that love to make friends that can goofy, caring, a positive person overall. People wouldn't know that unless they got to know me and I mean actual me instead of judging the outside of me. Which is why I think it's SO important to get to know someone or their life before judging them right away. This has given my the understanding of what its like to be judge without context. I try to use a open-mind in my everyday life to help people avoided the same treatment I went through and help end quick judgement.
ReplyDelete-Anabel Salazar
The video really highlighted the effects that opinion and precomposed assumptions can have on someone's perception of another person. All the pictures taken of the man conveyed drastically different stories, and it was shocking to see how such little contextual information could completely shift the photographer into a different headspace in their search of capturing who the model was as a person. As for real life, interacting with other people has proven to me that you need to avoid judging based on your schema because all people are individuals with context that explains not only how they behave, but who they are as a person. Simple things like judging the mannerisms of classmates, or the ways one articulates their thoughts, could result in a decision you highly regret when you learn the reasons behind them. It is important to fill yourself in on as much information as possible before jumping to a certain conclusion because it is better to understand the whole story instead of unjustifiably speaking poorly about someone in shameful ways.
ReplyDelete-Tatum Eleopulos
The experiment provides interesting knowledge on the way humans perceive and want to imagine someone. While each photographer was given a different background, that background shaped how they wanted their picture to turn out. Showing that with background knowledge it shapes the way that a person can be perceived, we see this as an opposite as well. As humans we can see what a person perceived themselves to look like (Their "Image") based on that as humans we let our imagination start to run wild, and start filling our mind of a person's image and start drawing conclusions to how they may act, think, believe. All sorts of things without even having to talk or interact with the other person. The phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" is true to the background and context of any given thing that we as humans fail to comprehend or look at.
ReplyDeleteGreat point. I think that we see this as being so true in how people accept information. They are content with sound bites that have no context over fully explored stories. Everything has a context that shapes it. :)
DeleteI was very intrigued by the video and how all six photographers captured the same man in different ways. Each photograph was told a different story and captured the man that way, whether they meant to or not. I found it interesting how when each photographer was told a different background of the guy, and they all got caught up in his background and captured him exactly like how he was described to them. Context in life is so important, even if we do live in an "instant" world. It is important to slow down and take time to look past the beginning of the story because there is always so much more to be discovered. In my life, context has helped explain a lot, it has helped and saved friendships. It was vital for me to learn the context of another person's story because there is always two sides of a story.
ReplyDeleteThrough this video I learned how deeply context shapes perception. Each photographer was told a different backstory about the same man, and because of that, each captured him in completely different ways, from the lighting and pose to the emotion and meaning behind the photo. It showed me that the way we interpret people and situations often depends on the stories or assumptions we bring with us. The video taught me that context isn’t just background information; it actually creates meaning and influences how we see the world. This idea connects strongly to social media, where posts, captions, and algorithms frame how we view people and events. Just like the photographers, we often judge others based on the limited “story” we’re given online, without knowing the full truth. It reminded me to question the perspectives and labels I accept as true, especially on social media, and to stay aware of how my own biases can shape the way I understand others.
ReplyDeleteTHIS makes me so happy. :)
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ReplyDeleteIt was interesting, but not surprising to see that six people could look at one guy and see six different things in him. This reminds me of a Sylvia Plath quote which says, "After all, we are nothing more or less than we choose to reveal." When we meet new people who reveal little or nothing about themselves, we tend to fill in the blanks with our own preconceptions and make up context. This video further proved that to me. I do wonder if they told the man to act the part to the photographers and how that impacts the reactions of the photographers. In my life I try to take people as they are and nothing more, but I have learned that it is hard to stay away from judgment for reasons that I don’t know. The video helps me to realize that judgment is normal, especially when we are given context that might sway our opinions.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, I was astonished by how much power context holds in shaping the way we see the world. In the video, six photographers were asked to photograph the same man, but the results where different, as each photographer's choices of lighting and camera angle were dependent on the six unique stories that influenced the direction and mood of the photograph. It showed that reality isn't always objective and that it's very deeply influenced by the perspective we bring to it. Additionally, what fascinated me most was the “decoy” element, where the person being photographed was the same, but our understanding changes based on the information given and our sense of interpretation, as these judgments can create opinions with a limited context of what is truly happening, which dramatically shapes our understanding of the truth. Overall, after watching this video, I realized how context has shaped my own life, as this idea connects strongly while working at the Banner Hospital, where sometimes, when I walk through the halls and smile or say words like “hello” or “good morning,” to doctors and nurses, they don’t respond. At first, I assumed that they were being rude or unfriendly, but as I got to know them and started working more at the hospital, I realized that many of them are dealing with stressful situations all the time, from carrying heavy responsibilities to processing difficulties that they have just witnessed. Their reaction had nothing to do with me but everything to do with the context of what they were experiencing in that moment, and so this understanding taught me the importance of being respectful and understanding of people without knowing the full story about their lives.
ReplyDeleteYou can see from the video the assumptions that have been implied from a few photographers, while others instead took the time to get to know Michael and more about his character. I feel like it showed how everyone builds a assumption on someone’s character with little information given, and many often don’t take the time to give more time to a person to instead learn more about them because little information about a person isn’t enough to know about their character until you truly talk to them and learn more about them this way. I found it interesting how each photographers photograph looked differently, capturing how they all viewed him from the story they heard about him. I felt like this similarly connected to social media to today’s world and how easily we can judge others without realizing how much we are. I felt like it also connected how every photo we post is often selected to curate a specific image of us online for others to perceive us a specific way we want to instead of knowing how we truly are fully.
ReplyDelete- Elizabeth Garcia
From watching the video they idealize that context plays a crucial role in interpreting and capturing a story. As demonstrated in the lab, six photographers were each given different backgrounds about the same man and asked to photograph him to convey his story. From personal experience, without knowing the full context of a situation it creates false narratives of what someone was trying to say about me and created a hostile environment to work within. This experiment highlights how context influences not only what people focus on but also how they interpret and communicate narratives, reminding us that without understanding the full background, our representations can become fragmented or biased versions of the truth.
ReplyDeleteThe ending words "A photographer is shaped more by the person behind the camera than by what is in front of you" really summed up this video. There were 6 different photographers that photographed the same man but when looking at all the images after, they were all different. We can see that everyone has their own perspective of a person because of the different angles and lighting each photographer used. The "twist" of this session was the photographers angles and lighting to see their different approaches. In the end, we all learn to be open-minded and appreciative of the different artistic shots to create powerful images. -Cadance Skok
ReplyDeleteThis relates to some life experiences because it relates to how people see others. Some people have never spoken to someone before but just assume something negative. You can't assume something in life because most of the time, your assumption is wrong. You can create your own opinion of someone after you have met them. You can't go by what you have heard. -Cadance Skok
DeleteAfter watching the video I have realized how you can be so quick to judge or assume something without knowing the whole story. I have experienced people thinking that someone is giving them a dirty look or being rude but if you don't know the full context of maybe they are going through something or they had a bad day, they just assume that they don’t like them or they did something wrong. I feel like it is the same way in reading a book or watching a movie. You may need some prior knowledge of the topic or to stop and try and figure out what the full story is. People are so quick to form opinions or rumors but if you don't have the full context that is where things get messy. This video showed me how people can be so caught up in people's past actions or backgrounds but don't know you for who you really are or who you are now. This video highlights how the photographer's seemed to be so caught up on capturing Michael for his past and not just for who he is.
ReplyDelete-Braelyn Skok
After watching the video, I learned how quickly someone will form an opinion about someone before even meeting them. Each of the photographers based their session on what they were told instead of taking photos that show more than just a story. When all the photos were revealed, it showed how all the photos were different, showing a completely different person despite being the same man. The experiment shows that it is a natural behavior to judge someone when receiving certain information, but that should no longer be the standard. As a society, we should strive to be better people and learn more about people before forming a predetermined opinion. I have experienced firsthand where someone will look a certain way but act completely different, for instance, they may look scary but can be the sweetest person. Before judging someone, you should ask questions about them or get to know them.
ReplyDelete- Paityn Schroll
After watching the video, I realized how easy it is to adopt a belief about someone based on the context you are given, and how we make efforts to ensure that we highlight who we perceive them to be, essentially putting them in a box instead of looking to see that there is more to them than what we see/are told. In my life, I have learned the importance of context through personal relationships and through society as a whole, especially in politics. Often, something might be said that can give off the wrong impression, leading to miscommunication with people being so quick to judge, but when context is provided, things become clearer, teaching me that I need to be slower to judge and more eager to learn the context behind what someone is saying before forming an opinion.
ReplyDelete-Gwendolyn Carricart
From the video, I have learned the significance of one’s judgments about a person. Before, I thought that it did not matter what others think of you, which is true in a way, you should not let what others say about you affect you negatively. However, the video helped me realize that even if you are unbothered by the perceptions of others, they are still able to paint you differently to other people, presenting you in a way you would not present yourself. As for my own life experiences, there have been more than a couple that served as a reminder to not speak or make a comment about something before understanding its origin or meaning. Some of these personal instances still stick with me, and I think about them often, reminding myself to try to give everything and anyone the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteThe way everyone has a different view of one situation and how they want to depict it is very interesting. From the video I've seen how people's lives not only affect themselves but also how it may affect others not just how they act but how they may look. The man from the video had never experienced the things the ‘photographers’ have, yet based on the posing they had him do it made it seem that way; at least from an outside perspective. The woman from the story that went to church, because outside people don't know what her life is like or what had happened in the past they judged her. They seem to truly not like her at all but once there's an explanation to her actions they become understanding. Their perspective completely changed from what it once was. The way people are depicted isn't always up to the person themselves but from outsiders typically. One thing I know is that no matter what everyone, even yourself will view you differently no matter how you try to depict yourself. It's people's opinions that shape who you are and how others view you.
ReplyDelete- Natalia Seawright
After I watched the video, I was really surprised how much small pieces of context can shape a persons view and in this particular case their presentation of someone's character. Each photographer portrayed the man how they wanted him to look like based on the information they got before which show that we are the ones deciding how we see other people and how to interact with them. Two tiny interactions captured my attention: as the woman who knew the man as a former prisoner had a misunderstanding with the positioning of his shirt and when the photographer who portrayed the man as a millionaire talked with him about the short time period they were given for the shooting. These situations also emphasise how we treat people different based on the context we are given or think to know about them. Furthermore, the video shows me that we need to think about how we present ourselves (image) because we can influence how others see us by the context we provide or not. In my own life, I experienced the importance of context in the news where headlines might be catchy but details and further information are necessary for a better understanding of the situation. I also believe that many people including me create a mental picture of other persons and sort them into boxes with people who seem to be similar which is not fair because every person is different and we never know the whole story and therefore, should not make a fast judgement about someone.
ReplyDelete- Luis Suessmuth
The video taught me that when people are given different pieces of information it shapes their point of view of someone. Even if the context given is wrong, it still impacts the way we view a person, as shown by the very different pictures taken. My own life experiences have taught me that if someone is given the wrong context as a first impression, it is hard to move past that and try to view someone as they truly are. In addition to this, rumors also tend to give people incorrect context, leading to false information being spread around since no one knows the actual story.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, I was surprised to see how quickly people perceive someone else solely based on the context they’re given about them. In the video, six photographers received a different story about Micheal and were told to convey it through the photograph. The video revealed that without someone's full story, people tend to create false narratives about them. This preaches to the audience that you shouldn’t always create assumptions about others with the little context or background knowledge you have about that person. It’s one thing to form an opinion about someone after getting to know them, but forming an opinion about someone without knowing them can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Personally, I have learned and understood the importance of getting to know someone completely, rather than making assumptions with little context I received. If context about someone else isn’t fully understood, then it tends to lead to things such as gossip and rumors that are oftenly inaccurate.
ReplyDeleteKnowledge of a subject’s background will lead a photographer to portray their subject in a manner that reflects this background. In photography, visual elements such as angles and lighting can dramatically shift the mood of an image. With only one piece of context, the photographers did no further probing of their subject, basing and limiting their entire perspective of the man to a single detail. The photographers are a prime example of how quickly humans can form an assumption about a person and their personality, despite barely knowing anything about said person.
ReplyDeleteIn my own experience, I have found that it is easiest to forgive someone when you know more of their personal story and the motivations behind their actions. Society teaches children early on not to form judgments of a person based on surface-level information, but to instead consider the hidden context.
-Kyarah Charles-V.
This video demonstrated how important context is in order to understand who a person is; each of the six photographers were given a short description of the man’s past, and were essentially able to make a character around that description that they then photographed. The photographers, using their limited context, made judgement on the man that was then reflected in their photos. The photographer who was told he went to prison thought of the man differently than the photographer who thought he was a lifesaver based on their own limited knowledge. The video warns us against making prejudices with the limited knowledge we have on a subject. This video reminded me of another that I had seen beforehand, essentially the video said that every person has a different version of you in their head because of their amount of knowledge of you and their perspective of you. This means no person has ever grasped who you truly are, no amount of context will give you the complete picture. These videos give the same lesson against prejudgment, and I think it's very valuable to apply into our daily lives.
ReplyDelete-Austin Schmidt
I thought that it was really fascinating how each photographer used what they learned, even though it was not true, to fit their perspective, which is quite scary considering the world we live in now. It really shows how people take the littlest pieces of information to form judgements, good or bad, of a person. I can say that for myself, doing folklorico has had the same effect. When people find out that I do folklorico, knowing I am a Filipino-American, they begin to judge me, as it is "not my culture". It becomes slightly humorous as I have grown up around Hispanic heritage for most of my life, as well as Filipino heritage. This just really goes to show how wild the human mind can run, especially without making judgment. As selfish as it sounds, we all fit information to our own perception of somebody ELSE; just imagine how you would feel if someone did that to you, and you never know. Learning this once more in my life, it reminds me to come to a full understanding of a person before making a decision, like what my mom has taught me as well; do not burn that bridge with someone unless you are ready to accept the consequences that follow. - Jayden Guerrero
ReplyDeleteThe video capturing the man in six different perspectives made me contemplate how surface-level information can force you to make judgments about individuals and view them differently without truly knowing them. As I was watching the video, I began to consider how ignorant and critical you can become when you do not have proper context. This caused me to think about how social media is such a prominent example of how this currently affects our lives as young adults. As a teenage girl who frequently uses many platforms of social media, I, myself, only showcase the parts of my life that are enjoyable, meaningful, and pleasurable. With this in mind, I do not display the moments where I am vulnerable, weak, and feel incapable. Therefore, those who only view the photos of me at my happiest do not fully understand the behind-the-scenes chaos and growth that it took me to get to that point (and I know this goes for many people). The feeling of sonder is the perfect description of this; every person has a life as vivid and complex as your own. This realization can foster empathy and compassion, as it shifts focus from oneself to the intricate lives of others. Moreover, the video reminded me that I truly can never judge anyone (or even anything) for who they are, because I do not have the context of why they may be that way. Although I may have been judgmental of others and their circumstances in the past, I now always try to consider the feelings and perspectives of others before making a final determination.
ReplyDeleteThe video captured a man with six different photographers, each knowing a different story about the man’s background. However, the video revealed that the man never participated in any of the stories. The video showed that when individuals are told a piece of context, it drives their perception of the individual. All of the photographers tried to capture the man based on the information they were given. The six photographs of the man all looked like a different person because the photographers fixated on photographing the man through the lens of his persona. As I watched the video, I realized that people build their entire perception of a person based on a little piece of information they heard without getting to understand the individual as a whole. It made me realize that first impressions can dictate how someone views a person, regardless of any other new information that is revealed through getting to know them on a deeper level. In my own experiences, I realized I tend to do this, but quickly realize how wrong I can be about a person when I base opinions on little information, ignoring the context. The video helped me understand that the context of what someone has been through can help individuals get to know each other better and on a more personal level.
ReplyDeleteI learned in the video that people created the truth or reality they want to see or the truth they have already heard.They didn't bother to dig deeper and talk to Michael when they took pictures of him, they believed every word and based his appearance around that. Each picture with positive content had more light and he was smiling. The photographers who were told he was an ex-convict and an alcoholic picture had a much darker composition and he wasn't smiling. They took a man who they knew nothing about and fit his appearance into lies they were told. First impressions have strong impacts. In my own personal experience when I was much younger, like 9 or 10, I used to judge people for being late to school, sleeping in class, and never doing their work. I never considered what I know now which was : they had a bad home life and couldn't sleep at home or they had a learning disability. I made assumptions about people I didn't know anything about and without the context and were unfair. I've been giving myself a little slack since I was 10 but I definitely don't do that anymore. I don;t speculate about people. I have my own life. Why would I worry about/ judge another person? Miles Berendsen
ReplyDeleteThe video showed 6 different photographers taking photos of one man, but each photographer is told that the man is a certain type of person, and each type is different across all 6 people. Through this I learned the importance of one's perception of someone, which touches on the context you may also know about that person. You can form an opinion on someone else only with what YOU know or are told about them. If you are told someone is mean and rude, you will think the same about that person and therefore will either avoid that person or treat them rudely. Or, if you are told someone is the sweetest person ever, you will think the same about that person and feel more inclined to be closer to them and nicer. You will find qualities to justify the context you know of the person, but that rude person could be dealing with something terrible in their personal life that makes them sheltered and seemingly rude. Or, that nice person may be putting on a show and hiding their truth. If you are told someone is a millionaire, you may feel intimidated by them because of their power or if you are told someone is a recovering alcoholic, you may treat them with sensitivity and kindness, just as the video shows. It all comes down to a context, which the video showed me. Your perception of someone and the way you treat them is only based on what you yourself knows about them, their context. They could be hiding something from everyone and you'd never know, it would never change your initial perspective of them If you do not know about it. I have also learned the importance of context from my own experiences. Once, I was in class doing my work when I overheard a conversation between two other people at a table across the room from me. They were speaking rudely of another person who wasn't in the room. I was offended by it, even though their discussion wasn't about me. I felt bad for the person being talked about and immediately thought of the two others as rude bullies. But then, one of them revealed they were just giving a recount to the other person of something they themselves heard being said about that same person. Neither person was talking badly about anybody, simply just recounting that another person had. After learning the context of what they were saying, my perception of the two had changed. I no longer thought of them as rude bullies, they were just two people having a normal conversation. But, if I had not known the context of their discussion, I would have gone on thinking of them in that incorrect way, which isn't okay. Context truly is everything.
ReplyDelete- Dilini Marasinghe
The video taught me that the context people are provided with is almost more important than what the context is meant to be supplementing. This is proven in the video when each photographer was taking a portrait of the same man, but chose to focus more on the backstory they were given instead of the person himself. The photographers framed Michael in a way that matched what they believed him to be. While this may not have been harmful in this particular context, the idea that a person can shift the meaning behind something by simply changing the information that surrounds it can have serious consequences. My own experiences have shown me time and time again that this idea is a fact. People often spread rumors about something that happened, therefore changing the context around it and changing how people perceive those involved. This new context sometimes affects the person more than the inciting incident does, proving that it is crucial for background information to be provided and accurate.
ReplyDelete-Alex Rogers
After watching the video, I learned that context really changes how we see people. The photographers were all told different stories about the same man, and because of that, they each took pictures that looked completely different. It showed me that people’s opinions are shaped by the information they’re given, even if it’s not true. In my own life, I’ve realized that you can’t judge someone without knowing what they’re going through. There have been times when I thought someone was rude or distant, but later found out they were just having a bad day or dealing with something hard. This taught me to be more patient and understanding because everyone has their own story and struggles that might not be seen right away.
ReplyDeleteThe video gave me another retrospective on how people view different contexts with very different attitudes, and they take that context to define a person's thoughts and emotions based on what their experiences were overall. Photographers were all given different contexts and backgrounds of the same man, yet all of the photos turned out different because they weren’t necessarily trying to understand the man, but to portray who they thought he was and capture the emotion that most affected him by their knowledge. Someone put in Jail had a much more grim and pondering photo than the photographer, who has the impression that the man was a fisher. These photos change in emotion, and setting because they were trying to represent a person whom they have no idea about, but someone who defines themselves, or often gets defined by. Someone who’s been put in jail and someone who is a self-made billionaire will have a more intense photo because these people believe that this man has gone into the lowest part of your life you can go, and therefore have a different and much darker perspective on the world than most. People make preconceived notions about what they see as fit and what is seen as acceptable. This video perfectly encapsulates the connection humans have with what people are defined by rather than who they truly are. This video teaches how context is something that is important to viewing a person or character, but may not define the person as one. These photographers bring outside knowledge and put it onto a man they have never met, showing how humans will seem to connect other experiences to try and understand the specific experience that is placed in front of us.
ReplyDelete-Lillie Edwards
The video really provided a perspective on how the notions people have of you shape the way they look at you or believe you to me. The sad truth is honestly a lot of people are very quick to judge. I feel in today's society, it's almost second nature for people. We take things completely out of context based on what we believe about people, but we don't take the time to truly understand or find the facts about certain situations. Most of the time we feel that we are so educated and informed about certain things, but it turns out we couldn't be far from the truth. To me it's very important to understand, and try not to judge based on things you've heard. I think people should go out, take the time to truly understand things, and from there they can make their own decisions about what it is they want to believe. To me, it's the same thing with the video. The photographers believed what they were told about the guy they were photographing, and used that misconception to shape the photo they were taking. The product of each of the photos were completely different, looking like a different person in each one. I believe this truly communicates how important context, facts, and an understanding mindset is.
ReplyDeleteThrough the video I learned that context and how people view others literally shape the way people see them in real life. For example we view each photo of the man depicted in different ways due to his "Persona" when it was the same man but different lenses of view. Context has been very important within my life because many times I confess that I have a pre-conceptualized view of someone based even on something so surface level as their appearance, but as I've grown up and experienced more and more people I have learned to not be so judgemental. The only person I believe that can truly judge someone is God, and when I came to that conclusion I also learned that everyone has flaws, nobody is perfect, and through humbling myself and not putting myself on a pedestal I haven't been quick to judge, but quick to learn and understand people, context has been very crucial in my life. - Janbernard Markowski
ReplyDeleteThe video has taught me how easily it is to judge someone or create an assumption about a person with such little information provided. The photographers' ideas and styles of each photo differ from each other in ways to represent the small piece of information they were given about the man, which wasn't very surprising because that is what they were tasked to do. The way the photographers made the man look or pose is what was surprising because they took the piece of information they had and created their own definitions to show in the photo; for example, the ex-inmate photographer made the man appear more intimidating, while the life-saving photo made him look cheerful and kind. I believe that as a society, we create our own definitions of people based on simple facts or instances that we experience. I know that at times I can be very judgmental towards people, especially in situations where I feel that someone was rude or inconsiderate. There are moments when I am able to stop and remind myself I shouldn't be judging others because I don't know their backstory, and I have also had my moments of inconsideration. I have noticed that throughout school, many people have formed opinions early on and kept those same opinions about that person. There were many people, for example, in 7th or 8th grade, that I wasn't particularly a fan of, and now I am good friends with those people. Sometimes it's difficult to realize that we can change our opinions, and most people change over the course of many years. I have come to this realization many times, but I also know that I don't do this for everyone like I should. I should take into consideration other people's stories and not be so quick to judge others.
ReplyDelete-Viviana Lalone
DeleteAfter watching the video, I learned how quickly people are able to judge on another without fully knowing who they are. I also learned how the context that is given about a person can ultimately change a perspective and the way you treat that person. For every photo that was shown of the same man, we see a different view based off of the context given of who he was meant to be. In my own life, the importance of context plays a huge role of how I viewed a lot of people and activities in the past. For example, I used to let the value of only relying on other peoples context to be how I view certain parts of society.
ReplyDeleteIn the video, I learned that people will develop opinions based on the information provided to them, whether it is limited or detailed. Without context, it may lead someone to form a false opinion about someone. People are perceived based on what others know about them. Each portrait told a different story, because each photographer was told something different about the guy. This is important in the real world, especially in today’s society, since gossip is a major issue. It is important to know the full story; without context, you might make an opinion or statement that is hurtful towards someone else. It is better to learn the full story before forming an opinion.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, I learned that context is vitally important to the perception of someone, as it was demonstrated that various perspectives drastically altered the photographs taken of Michael. The video confirms that different perspectives have an impact on how one interacts with others, which is why it is crucial to understand one’s entire context before formulating an opinion on them. In my own life, I have encountered moments that taught me the importance of context through my interactions with other peers. I am often quick to produce a perception of someone based on limited factors, which has proven me wrong on multiple occasions once I began to truly understand the particular person. A peer that I was disinclined to befriend due to false perceptions is now a very good friend of mine, which I would not have considered a year ago if I had remained closed-minded. Thus, I understand that context applies to all areas of life and that I should not be quick to judge without the proper knowledge, as life is more meaningful when there is context behind it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watched the video I saw that people will see what they want to see, if you hear something about someone you tend to see a different side of them weather what you heard was true or not. Based on this months blog I think that context really is important in order to not judge others based on what you think you or what you have heard; the truth of the context will always be important when trying to understand others and understand a story. When learning something new, we should look for context to see the truth and not a fake context that we, or others have made up.
ReplyDelete-Lola Baldonado
After watching the video, I had my previous perception of bias validated as everyone in the video was judged harshly and quickly. Context truly is king as it holds the power to change one's perspective and how their attitude, as shown in the video. In my personal experience, I relate to the video as I have grown to learn that you must be fully informed on the context before jumping in a situation/problem in order to avoid any regrets or misjudgments.
ReplyDeleteDamian Rosales
ReplyDeleteThis video is really insightful into looking at how we think of each person from what we know. However I also think it's interesting they gave fake context to each photographer, most of the time when we judge someone it's with zero or little context but it's interesting to see how the photographers "knowledge" made them a bit preemptive when taking the photograph and the way that it changed the composition of each shot. This definitely shows how we need to find the truth from the actions and habits we see the person live out not what we perceived just from looks or initial experience. The fact is that we will never really know a person from those first impressions.
I found that the video made interesting points as to how the conscious agendas and unconscious biases affect how they perceive us. Despite the fact that no aspect of the model’s appearance, greeting, or disposition changed throughout his sessions with each photographer, they each captured a vastly different impression of him in their photographs based on the small piece of information given beforehand. For example, while the photographer who had been told he was responsible for saving someone’s life had shot him in bright lighting and from a closer, personable distance, those who had been told he had a dark past of addiction or incarceration had shot him in duller lighting and heavier shadowing, and at a greater distance from the camera. The experiment taught me that regardless of the way we present ourselves, the limited knowledge that others have about our lives and characters not only impacts the way they view us as individuals, but also shapes the way they describe and depict us to others.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, I learned that context can play a role in all aspects of life. Although the photographers were professionals, they still allowed the context they were given to impact the way that they took photos. The video showed the importance of context by showing how different perspectives can impact the way that someone acts towards another person. My own life experiences have taught me the importance of context primarily through things such as rumors or gossip. Often when given someone's perspective about another person it can form a preconceived idea and affect how you view that individual. However, I have learned that it is important to form your judgments based on what you know to be factual. Not what you hear from others.
ReplyDeleteI found the video to be an incredibly interesting experiment about the importance of context and how it can so effortlessly shape our perception of the world around us. Just by providing the photographers with a broad summary of the subject’s character, they produced drastically different results when capturing his likeness. This isn’t too surprising considering that context has also made me judge someone in an entirely different way than I might have before, a prime example being one of my friends in the early years of high school. During freshman year, they slacked off in class and barely kept up their grades, which naturally led me to assume that they were lazy and couldn’t care less about their education. However, it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I found out they were going through a lot of personal and familial issues. I then realized that they weren’t lazy or careless, but a strong, resilient person who persevered through life when the going got tough. It’s instances like these that remind me just how much context matters when it comes to accurately judging and representing others, which is an incredibly important detail to remember when interacting with them.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, it gave me a different perspective to how everybody on earth has a perception of something. Although, the photographers were given the same setting and person to photo shoot, they all were able to come up with their own personal concept of their perspective on how the photo shoot should be shot. So, once the images were shown at the end of the images of the man, although they were of the same man they all had a different perspective and style of a photo shoot. After watching the video, it opened my mind to understanding that though me and my classmates may be learning the same thing, we all look at it from a different perspective and interpret it differently not only due to our perspectives, but along to nearly everyone having a different style of learning. In summary, the video led me to do a lot of self-reflection I had never done before into understanding how everyone has a different perspective and perception of everything than myself.
ReplyDeleteThis video gave me insight on how important context truly is. Context shapes how people perceive others, and even with slight misinformation that perception can be changed. In the video, we can see how true this statement really is, and the large impact context has on our judgement. Though all the photographers were taking pictures of the same man, not a single one of their opinions were the same. From this video, it helped me better understand the significance context plays, especially when making assumptions or judgments based on our impressions of a person. This video just serves as a reminder to keep an open mind in any situation, and think about context before making any unjust opinions.
ReplyDeleteI learned from the video that context, or lack thereof of does affect the perspective of others and hinders relationships. My life experiences have taught me to try to assume the best and do for others what I hope for myself. If I make a mistake or am having a bad day, I would want others to be patient with me because they do not have the full context of my life. I have found that I can be patient and forgiving of those around me because I understand that they are human and are living with their own level of difficulty that I do not have the full context of.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this video, it has helped me realize just how important context is in any scenario. I learned that you can shape a person into whatever you think they are based on the context that you are given, even if it's not at all accurate to the identity of that person. My personal life experiences have taught me to change the way I view others in order to become somebody with an open mind who thinks of other possibilities before making my final judgment. Unfortunately, everybody will make a judgment on everything they see, but I think it's really important to stop and think about it and take into account the person's situation before making that initial judgment.
ReplyDeleteThe video presents are fascinating experiment in portrait photography that reveals how much of a photograph is influenced not by the subject, but by the photographers perspective. In the video six professional photographers were invited to photograph the same man. However each photo session, every photographer is given a different back story on who the man is. So each photographers asked the man different questions and guide him to poses and expressions to fit the man description of what they were told. What I learn from the video was not only about photography but how we as people reflect/view, interact, and interpret people when were told a little bit of their personal background.
ReplyDelete-Matthew Rodriguez
Something I learned through this video is that, based on your own personal experiences (Context), you will see people differently and view them differently depending on what you've been told and taught. Though the way you perceive that person may be entirely different than what the person is actually like. The importance of your past experiences and how you’ve lived your life all affect how you perceive the world and other human beings. The way you perceive something now may be unique from someone else due to the difference in experiences and changed opinions over time.
ReplyDeletePersonally, my own experiences have taught me a lot about the importance of context, whether it's the way I am told to do things or meeting someone new. Context is very important when it comes to exploring something new or someone you've never met. For example, when im told to maybe fix a faucet, that's something I know how to do. Though within the context of if im at Wavertree apartments in Flagstaff, because that's where I was taught to do it and how. However, say im at a random apartment complex built much later, the setup may be entirely different, and the way they decide to go about fixing that faucet may be different than how I would do it. That is because of context; what you say to me before that job is important, and how you'd like it done. Though when it comes to new people, that's a whole different situation. When you meet a person, and how you meet that person, their individuality brings so many different perceptions into your own head about what that person is like before actually meeting them. For example, I met my now boyfriend at a church camp before I became a Christian myself. I was under the impression (as an atheist at the time) that all church things are boring, the people are bland, and they're just not fun to be around. Though I soon came to find out that both my boyfriend and the church camp (Camp ALOMA) are very fun to be with and present at. They are all different and their own person and place depending on where you go. I would have never known that if I didn't go and take a risk of going to the camp, I would have never met my boyfriend and found God for myself, I would also miss out on so many friendships and my summer job as Junior Staff there.
Wow - this is beautiful! What a great personal testimony of how important it is to stay open hearted :)
DeleteAfter watching the video something I learned was to not judge someone based off of what your told about them, but you should rather talk and get to know them that way you can get your own opinion on them instead of just judging them based off of what your told. This relates to my life experiences because I will aways prefer to make my own judgment on someone when I first meet them, I never like to view a new person I met based on how someone ese feels about them. I think it is important to personally get to know someone and their life before you make your decision on how you feel about them.
ReplyDelete- McKenna Woods
After watching the video, a key idea that I grasped was that it is difficult to capture who a person truly is without knowing their background (or context). In the video, without any further information despite a single description of the subject, each photographer had a starkly different image of the man, reflecting their perception of his identity. As humans, we tend to hold biases and prejudices about people from the little information we have, most often stemming from our first impressions. In my life, I find this to be true as I often base my view of a person on a first impression or simply something told to me. As I’ve matured and grown older, I’ve come to the realization that this can be highly unreliable, as painting a picture of someone you don't truly know both leads to misinterpretations and disconnect. Although it may seem challenging, taking the time to understand someone’s background and experiences can lead to a more accurate perception of their true identity, forming deeper connections, and reducing the impact of our own biases.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first clicked on the link, I wasn’t expecting the video to have such a meaningful message. That message is to never judge someone based on the little information or pre-existing notions you have about them. I learned that context truly does have a significant impact on how people see each other in today's world. For example, the photographers who took pictures of the man with the “he’s been to prison" and “he’s an alcoholic” context took pictures that have a darker background as opposed to a lighter, more blissful one for the “he’s a fisherman”, “he saved a life”, and “a psychic” context. The only exception to this is the “he’s a self-made millionaire,” because I believe the photographer wanted to capture just his face, without any distractions or colorful elements in the background to take away from the true focus. When the two photographers were given a “bad” context of the person, they shot him in that light, even though he may not have looked “bad.” They wholeheartedly used the information given by the producer to instantly judge him. I also noticed that he had a straight, almost emotionless look on his face in the two “bad” contexts. Although this video was filmed nine years ago, I still believe the results of this experiment to be true to this day. An experience I had was in a public setting with a couple of my friends, when we saw a family of three sitting on a bench. The mother left, and now it's just the father and his daughter. He immediately goes to his phone and stays there for close to ten minutes, leaving his daughter to wander around and approach other people. At this time, we were getting kind of worried that something might happen to the kid, so we were keeping a close eye on her. One of my friends says something like he’s a really bad dad for doing that, and I bet he doesn't even care about her. I contradict, saying he’s probably just distracted or has something going on. The next thing I know, I see him crying with his hands over his face and no phone. He goes and grabs his daughter, hugs her really tight, and begins playing with her as she had wanted in the first place. I had no idea what he had gone through in those ten minutes, but it seemed he had received some terrible news, and I felt for him. I didn’t judge as harshly as my friends had, but I still judged him based on the ten minutes I had ever seen him. This experience and what I learned from the video taught me to never fully make up my mind about someone before knowing who they truly are. Context is important for people to understand certain situations or people, but we can not let it control our judgment of someone before even getting to know them.
ReplyDelete- Bella Woods
As I watched the video I saw the real importance of context in any situation, you can never truly know someone just of one interaction or just passing by them. And in reality the truth is many of us are quick to judge others before we ever give them a chance to share who they are or before we allow ourselves to get a further context on who they are. Context is the key in order to understand someone, and if we disregard it, we also disregard the ability to truly know the person. We can't let our normal habits control ourselves, as we need to give ourselves the opportunity to get to know somebody. - Kaeden Sabatina
ReplyDeleteBy watching Michael unfold the narrative, I realized how quickly we make assumptions based on the first detail, just as the photographers did, as they were asked to capture a portrait of Michael in a way they perceived him. His dark background produced a dramatic image, but seeing that some of it was not true forced me to think about how often people reveal various versions of themselves. As a person who has moved across cultures and come across new environments, I know what it is like to be blinded by thinking you were a different person because someone only saw one chapter of your life. This video helped me discover a version of myself that I tend to hide from myself. Additionally, the idea of "context" has taught me that identity is not fixed. Rather, unconsciously, we as humans show off different versions of ourselves so that we meet that "someone's" views. I have also learned that by looking deeper, I can find more meaning in people's stories than they ever could on their own. Throughout Michael's session, I recall that learning to understand someone's needs requires empathy and patience to see beyond the first impression.
ReplyDeleteThe video helped me realize that it truly depends on a person’s morals. The lady who perceived Michael as a psychic claimed that she believes in “Treat people like everybody, people like everybody is.” Not all of the photographers had the same viewpoint as her, with another photographer being intimidated by Michael because she perceived him as an ex-inmate. The different contextual perspectives proved how people will perceive others, even without rationality or truth. I can be very judgmental internally, but I have been starting to grasp the fact that people are the way they are for a reason. I interact with negative people every day, but I have told myself not to match their behavior and instead move on from it while reminding myself that there must be something hiding behind that pessimistic mask. A big reason why I have learned to see this way is because of the way I grew up. The way I grew up helps me understand why people look a certain way or act a certain way, because I can sympathize with them. Although not everybody has as many struggles as others, we should learn from experience not to conclude people are the way they are because of what we see upfront. Context is crucial to utilize within everyday life as you interact with several people and creates better people overall.
ReplyDelete- Meredith Hession
The knowledge we have of a person affects how we see them and perceive their actions, it can make an excited or genuine smile seem condescending, turn confidence to arrogance, timidity to stupidity, or cause us to misinterpret the source of someone’s emotions, thinking they must not like you when they simply slept through their alarm. A different version of ourselves lives in the head of everyone we meet. The less context someone has, the more different that version could be from reality, allowing them to decide whether they like you or not based on some character they have conjured up in your place because they don’t know better. This concept applies to more than people too; especially on social media you can find an abundance of information which frames something in the worst possible light in order to lead you to creating false assumptions about the subject. This is why finding the context matters, whether it is getting to know someone better or finding opposing or corroborating sources, you can prevent yourself from making incorrect judgments about the world. If you can’t do either, then making a judgment in the first place is likely a waste of thought regardless.
ReplyDelete- Owen Elledge
The video allowed me to understand how much people judge each other based on looks or preconceived ideas that society has set up. A lot of people judge others based on looks. This is an unavoidable factor of life, as the looks of someone are the first aspect of them we see. Oftentimes, people will make judgements off of looks alone rather than interacting with the person. This is where the preconceived ideas regarding people and objects will tell the person if they are a good person or bad, rather than talking to them. I have no relatable experiences with this in my own life but I have heard many times of situations where people were judging my friends.
ReplyDeleteThe video drew parallels between photographers with different knowledge about their subjects, and with people learning through others about someone, whether that information is in any way correct. There are also parallels drawn between the pictures that photographers created and the ways that people perceive others in their minds. In the pictures, the photographers use angles, composition, lighting, emotion, and poses in their subjects completely differently. The same effect happens when many people hear gossip about the same person, but because of differences in who says that gossip and how it is interpreted, a different version of that person is created, and it is usually a negative version. The lesson learned is that what you hear about individuals usually does not reflect who they are or their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI've learned that perspective comes from what people learn on another person and what opinions they already have on that. Like if someone meets a new person whose favorite color is blue, they will profile them into what they think people who like blue act like. Context is important because so many different people have different views on things based on many different factors. You can never assume something from a person based on one fact, and you yourself must reach to learn and connect to a person to truly understand them.
ReplyDeleteAriana Bills
My mother is a photographer and I have been in front of her camera a lot growing up so this video really connects with me. When I look at the person in those pictures she takes of me it doesn’t always feel like I’m looking at myself. Pictures can convey a lot about the subject but ultimately it is the photographer who makes all the important stylish choices of how the subject is portrayed. This video really just gave me a name and a deeper understanding of something I see every time I walk through my house. The pictures hanging on the walls aren’t me exactly, more how my mother sees me and her perspective of who I am. So ultimately, how someone portrays another is based on their preconceived notions about the person and the person might be much different then what they are seen as.
ReplyDeleteIn the video, I was able to learn about how the different backgrounds caused the photographers to have different ways in which they wanted to portray the man. They had to make assumptions about the man in order to be able to portray him. With each different portrait being captured with different assumptions that the photographer had about the man. The different assumptions show how they perceive each context, each being different, such as the recovering alcoholic and the lifesaver. In the image of the Life Saver, the man is smiling and joyful, and the image is filled with more brightness. In comparison to the recovering alcoholic, where the image is more filled with darkness, with the dark background taking up most of the picture, and there is a melancholy feel to the image, especially with the man frowning in the image. I personally have experienced many events and scenarios where I have judged too quickly myself without knowing the context and have been embarrassed when I am given the context. An example of this is my first encounter with one of my current best friends. When I first knew and encountered her I judged based on rumors and who she surrounded herself with but after getting to know her and talk to her and not go off of what others said, I was able to see who she truly is and saw that she was nothing like the way I perceived her to be and now she's one of my bestest friends. With knowing the context behind her and knowing her I was able to see what an amazing and kind person she truly is.
ReplyDeleteThe video really showed how strongly assumptions shape perception. Each photographer was given a different backstory about the same man, and because of that, they each captured him in completely different ways—through lighting, pose, emotion, and overall tone. It was surprising to see how such a small amount of context could shift the entire narrative of who they believed he was. This made me realize how easily our own schemas and preconceived ideas influence the way we view others in real life. When we judge people based on surface-level behavior—like how a classmate speaks or acts—we risk forming unfair opinions without understanding the bigger picture. The video reminded me how important it is to learn someone’s full story before making assumptions, because once context changes, perception changes too. It also connects to how we interpret things on social media: posts, captions, and algorithms give us just one version of a person, and we often accept it without questioning what’s missing. Overall, the video was a reminder to stay aware of my own biases and to avoid jumping to conclusions before I truly understand someone.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of situations I've experienced where I thought I understood a situation with the previous information I had. I come to find out that there was a completely different conversation taking place! Focusing on this on a broader scale, there are a lot of things that are happening in the lives of others that we don't know about. We cannot assume anything about their character and who they are as a person until we know the full story. I also think that just in general there are a lot of every day conversations that depend on having context, and every interaction and idea we associate with people depends on context. Whether we know it or not context has shaped the world as well as our version of it. Realizing this and accepting that we might not always know best is the first step to becoming a more understanding and empathetic society.
ReplyDeleteWatching the video brings me to realize that it is part of human nature to be too quick to make judgments based on even the smallest pieces of information for or against the individual. The experiment with the photographers highlights how different stories can greatly affect the perception of individuals. Even the slightest change in information told can affect the whole way someone is viewed, both in a positive and or negative manner. Taking this into consideration, we can all try and understand people differently than what we are told by others and construct our own opinions about someone based on our own experiences with them.
ReplyDelete-Maddy Twarek
ReplyDeleteWatching this video has been an eye opener for me. I have looked back to all the short interactions that I may have had with strangers or how I have viewed them without knowing their story. How my prejudices may have been the complete opposite of how that personal actually is. How my own biases can affect how I see a person by not knowing the full story or truth. It’s a new learning lesson for me and leaves room for growth to not let my pride or biases get in the way of fully knowing the story and not believing false information. For instance, social media, more specifically an influencer. They like to give out false information for views and fame more often than necessary.
-Marisol E
This video taught me the significance of the context we are provided, and how that coincides with our own perceptions based on the heuristics of the human mind. Each photographer was given an alternate dimension to showcase. In one world, the man is praised, in another, he is degraded and untrustworthy. When meeting the man being photographed, the photographer provided a more melancholic or barbaric aspect of his supposed personality would interact at a distance — a classic human response when considering a threat; survival instinct. On the other hand, the photographers provided a much more appealing quality of the man to portray, they would sometimes even physically interact with the man when instructing him to pose for the photographs. Even in the end products, the differing results were astronomical, the man himself states that it was as if there had been six entirely unrelated individuals in each photograph. In the photos where he was given a positive context, he would be portrayed with a smile and a bright healthy glow cast upon his face, in contrast, the more gruesome aspects of his nonexistent personality being portrayed would become a product in which he would be seen sneering at the camera or emitting a hazardous aura due to the stark shadows caused by the darker litting of his facial features in the dark. My own personal experiences have shown that danger lurks in the concoction of assumption and misleadment. At times, it can be easy to start conflicts by taking words spoken out of context and even misplace intentions due to the fact that the mind does not rationalize when a primary message is interpreted before a new one is filtered through and we can change our perspective.
ReplyDeleteDuniya Ahmad
This video has taught me that not everyone see you though the same lens. Its all about the context you give them when you meet. And since your always meeting new people they will always have different opinions of you. Which means that no matter the person, two people might never come up with the same opinion of you. Because of this in life I might absolutly love someone, while someone given differet context might actually hate them. This gives me a different view on people and life. - Max Castillo
ReplyDeleteI thought that the experiment performed in the video was really interesting. It was astonishing to see how the differing contexts made each photographer want to frame and capture him so distinctly differently. The experiment expressed just how vital context is in shaping someone's view around another individual and that one’s perspective of someone may differ from another as no one learns the same thing about that person when they meet them; you’ll always be seen in different lights.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I’m an anxious person, I naturally come to judge others much too quickly than I would like. Say I talk to someone the first time and their tone sounds a little disinterested, they could just be tired, or have something else on their mind, but when that happens my mind goes into overdrive and I start to overthink the entire interaction. I end up distancing myself from that person because of my inability to consider the possible context to the situation and I think it really limits the relationships I’m able to have with others.
-Elvie Hathaway
This video has taught me just how important context is. in the video the photographers getting experimented on had one small detail about their client shared with them and based off of that created an idea about their client (essentially judging). They had never met their client or had a conversation but due to that one tiny amount of information on him they judged him and the pictures that were taken reflected that. This experiment acts as an example of what we as people tend to do in our lives often. We choose to judge without context, without fully understanding or knowing a situation or person, just simply off of one fact. one fact doesn't cover who a person or how a situation is, it gives you one simple tiny detail. We as people are made up hundreds of details so one simple detail doesn't reflect who we are as a whole. It's important to not be quick to judge but instead value the importance of knowing people and especially their context.
ReplyDeleteby Zoe Garcia
DeleteThis video has taught me just how important context is. in the video the photographers getting experimented on had one small detail about their client shared with them and based off of that created an idea about their client (essentially judging). They had never met their client or had a conversation but due to that one tiny amount of information on him they judged him and the pictures that were taken reflected that. This experiment acts as an example of what we as people tend to do in our lives often. We choose to judge without context, without fully understanding or knowing a situation or person, just simply off of one fact. one fact doesn't cover who a person or how a situation is, it gives you one simple tiny detail. We as people are made up of hundreds of details so one simple detail doesn't reflect who we are as a whole. It's important to not be quick to judge but instead value the importance of knowing people and especially their context.
ReplyDelete-Zoe Garcia
This video opened my eyes to the power of context and how it can significantly shift understanding. In the video, the backgrounds used by the photographers impacts the meaning of the photos, and can change the viewers' perceptions of the man pictured. This concept additionally allowed me to reflect on my personal past and the ways I may have let my judgement of others get out of hand. For example, when the swim season started this year, I believed a certain group of my new teammates was going to be rude and judgemental. Ironically, those people were extremely kind and similar to myself, so my judgement hindered my ability to foster a friendship with them until I cast it aside. This experience made it clear to me that removing the lingering judgement and understanding the context inside of new people can lead to enriching experiences that add more wonderful meanings to life.
ReplyDeleteFrom the video I learned the true extent of the impact of context has on the influence on us as humans. While in the video, what they were told about their subject simply affected how they portrayed them in their photos, it sort of acts as a commentary of how what we know about someone influences our perception of them, even if it may be untrue or be lacking the full story. The video helped emphasize and visualize how these biases are created and where they stem from. I believe that most people if not everyone has had an experience wherein they had an experience like this, whether it be having the false perception of someone or being the one that the false perception was of, and the video opened my eyes to how easily these things occur; if they can occur from a photographer being told one detail about their model, they can easily materialize in our lives from different scenarios.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this video, it has lead me to take an account of how i portray myself to the people in my everyday life in all environments and situations in my life. Lately I’ve been out of touch with this concept and this video taught me how important it is to display myself correctly. It’s taught me that I shouldn’t be surviving but instead living everyday like it’s my last opportunity. If not, is there truly a purpose to survive and pass by life with no true desire or path to pursue? Even with a path or desire, is it a path that would benefit in the long term or the short term? Either way, these daily choices form our character and naturally is reflected to those we encounter in our daily lives. From getting coffee at 6am to taking a bus at 8pm, there are an infinite amount of opportunities to allow true freedom to shape our character and portray that freedom to others effectively to point them towards the bigger picture as to why you do what you do. There is absolutely no reason as to why we should live our lives with no meaning or purpose. Allow all opportunities to shape your lives with faith, because taking that step will shape your character forever.
ReplyDelete- Khai Miller
After watching this video, I realized how important it is to reflect on how I present myself to others and live with purpose. It reminded me that life shouldn’t be about simply surviving but truly living each day with intention and meaning. Every choice we make shapes our character and influences those around us. Whether it’s starting the day early or taking a small action, each moment is an opportunity to grow. We should live with faith and purpose, because every step we take helps define who we are and who we become.
ReplyDeleteThe video really put into perspective the importance of not judging people based on a small amount of information. Context is important in not just media or literature but also in how we interact with people. I learned and reflected in my own life that I need the full picture before I make decisions and it’s never ok to jump to conclusions or else I might miss out on something someone has to offer.
ReplyDeleteVery true - people are way more complicated than one meeting can tell.
ReplyDeleteThis video made me realize how people often take a small piece of information they have about someone else and make assumptions about that person and who they truly are. It is very common for people to see or hear one small thing about someone and then use that information to base their opinions on someone. This was really highlighted in the video because when you look at each picture they are completely different in facial expressions, lighting, angle, and other components to a photo. Even though I think that someone shouldn't base an opinion on little bits of information I know that I have done it before consciously and unconsciously. There are times where I easily create perceptions of people in moments where I feel frustrated or when given small pieces of information about people, similarly to the video. Watching the video was able to illustrate how easily it is to judge or create assumptions about people, and I can be more cautious of my thoughts of others.
ReplyDelete-Madia Schweitzer
The video made me dislike people who enjoy to scrutinize even more. Clearly the people in the video are trying to spread awareness. Yet I don’t think stating soulless gentle words will make people change for the better. People are so quick to assume and validate opinions that aren’t even theirs. Of course there is always people who believe their special, but they truly aren’t. These same people who judge others never had a thing worth saying, that’s why nobody quotes them. Regardless of who you are, there’s always people out in the world who could care less about what you say or do. If someone judges what you say or do, who really cares. Unless those people radicalize their opinions, their commentary is as disingenuous as they are. Awareness is fine if you live in a sheltered box, but action is what matters.
ReplyDeleteProviding likewarm commentary is as moronic as trying to cash a check that you can’t pay. I don’t believe any of the people who listened or viewed it changed whatsoever. Their point has no relevance or meaning when there are “Good Samaritans” who step on the faces of those they claim to represent.
- Dyce J
I am a bit confused by your response here as well as the tone of it. I would caution you not to make judgments as to what people think or feel or do t think or feel, as that is presumptuous. We cannot know. I also caution cynicism. It steals opportunities for learning and joy. I am sorry you did not get anything from this blog message. Thank you for your response.
DeleteThe video really opened my eyes to how powerful context is. Six photographers took pictures of the same man, but each was told a completely different story about who he was, and because of that, every photo looked and felt different. It made me realize how much our assumptions and the information we’re given shape the way we see people. What we believe about someone can change everything about how we interpret them. It also made me think about how this plays out on social media. Online, we only get small, carefully chosen pieces of someone’s life. As someone who posts only the good moments, I know I’m guilty of shaping how others see me too. People might think they know me from what I share, but they don’t see the hard days, the doubts, or what’s really going on behind those photos. The message I took from the video is to look deeper, to remember that everyone has a story beyond what we can see. It reminded me to lead with empathy instead of judgment, and to be aware that context can completely transform our understanding of others.
ReplyDeleteThe video really emphasized how different each person’s perspective is. I think this is important as we go through our normal lives especially as high school students. The stories we hear from the people around us are always going to have a bit of their own narrative based on who is telling it. In TOK we learned that people will confuse facts from opinions because of their emotional ties to the situation. We as the listener have to be able to filter those things out especially when meeting someone new or just listening to someone talk about other people.
ReplyDelete-Sophia W
While watching this video, the phrase "don't believe everything you see on social media," struck me as I watched the different reactions the photographers gave and illustrated in their photos after the man gave each of them a different picture to portray. It's easy to hear people say that phrase and tell it to yourself whenever you find yourself comparing but it feels different when you see it in real time. It was obvious that each photographer would believe whatever the man told them he was and create a story based on his response. After looking at the finished products side by side, that's exactly what happened, a story was created but no truth was told. We forget that this is also exactly what happens in what we see online, in-person, and even within ourselves, that we make or even just hide the entire truth to give off whatever narrative we want others to see. Even more so on the flip side, we take what we hear others say or do at face value, most times not bothering to learn more or "dig deeper." This is an epidemic in our society as of now because we have given too many resources that result in an avoidance of human interaction, developing a major lack of empathy and compassion in today's world. Context is incredibly important for this reason because it doesn't take a lot but it gives so much to any party involved as it closes the door of wrongful judgement and assumptions. As stated earlier, all of this is much easier said than done but I can and have definitely applied it to past situations in my own life. For instance, I was in the middle of a theatrical production and I was friends with a majority of the members in the cast but some of my friends were not too fond of each-other. This was due to a series of events that ticked one person off and then made the other one mad about their rebuttal and vice-versa. These two would then come talk to me about what the other one did and exclaimed their frustration with the situation. The point of this scenario is that both parties were genuinely upset with what the other was doing and were in their right to do so but didn't take into account of how their actions affected the other in the exact same way they were feeling. It does take more than just thinking of how one's predetermined feelings towards a person can hurt someone if the full context isn't acknowledged and even just one conversation wouldn't have fixed this situation but it would have been a step closer. Context is key to the first step of working through an accusatory argument or problem as it lays all the cards on the table for how it is as well as simply just eliminating the possibility of making assumptions on first impressions. As we circle back to the video, like the one photographer said towards the end; "you have to dig a lot deeper," and he then states how creative the man being photographed is to put on so many different personas, taking the full picture of the situation and seeing who the man really is which is none of what he was told initially. As I walk away from the video now, I wish to try to make an even bigger effort to give more to people than just the benefit of the doubt but seeing them as people with souls who are alive on earth for the first time just as I am, regardless of what situation, circumstance, or problem we find ourselves in.
ReplyDelete- Chloe Finch
The video taught me about different perspectives. Every single photographer had the same person in the same clothes however they were able to display almost completely different people just from how they photographed him. They made assumptions based on there own experiences and beliefs about who he was but also how he'd like to be portrayed. Even the audience of the video (us) make assumptions of the images. Its human nature to judge people, it is how we can connect to people and determine what is safe to say, or do. The video doesn't showcase it in a bad way, because it's not, it can just be dangerous when all we base things around if assumptions, because as humans we only get one perspective and it can vary vastly from the truth. I've experienced this myself numerous times in my life, everyone has. An example of this could be seen by watching television with my parents. Generally we have a show running while we eat, however my parents also watch there shows on there own. This leaves us kids missing loads of context, left to assume and fill in the gaps that are left. It is our job to assume what the directors wanted, what the writers wrote and the twists and plot lines we missed. Often time this leads to us asking loads of questions but also forever changing that story for us. Context is key, which is why its important we engage with society, so we don't end up making false assumptions.
ReplyDeleteThe experiment taught me how drastically a small amount of background information can shape a person’s perception. Although the person who was photographed hadn’t changed, just mentioning a different quality/occupation of the man caused completely different outcomes in photographs. Depending on what the photographer was told, the composition completely changes from position to lighting to even facial expression. It presents that even with just very little information, a person’s real-life experiences will automatically create an image in their head, either with a positive or negative connotation, depending on what quality they’ve been told about. Although such little information doesn’t fully define a person, people’s perceptions seem to be easily manipulated by what information they're told, leading the brain to create an artificial story that may not actually be true. It has also taught me the importance of context, as without a sufficient amount of information leads the brain creates presumed characters of other people, which reflects the flaw of “judging a book by its cover” in both individuals and society. This trend of creating characters based on very little context shows how people should strive to steer away from this pattern and should begin seeking to minimize any characters created by biases or personal perceptions of a certain quality.
ReplyDelete-Gian True
Along with the story and video, this made me realize how truly fascinating the human mind is. Whether intentionally or subconsciously, we make judgments and perceptions of people based on impressions or minor details we note about them without knowing the whole story. Though I would never claim to be judgment-free, as I've grown older, I have realized how important it is to give people the benefit of the doubt. At times it comes off as naive or unrealistic, but it's helped me see the world through a different lens--a more positive one. Being taken advantage of for this type of outlook is almost unavoidable. Yet, you can gain more insight and connection to people by not automatically judging them. Like the cliche goes, "never judge a book by its cover," I try to apply the same thinking to my daily interactions. My thinking is never perfect, but I've grown to incorporate it into my decision-making and to intentionally recognize that I truly don't know what that person has been through and thus see things with an optimistic point of view, bettering my mental health and relationships. So if you are reading this, my one piece of advice is to never come to a conclusion without reading the whole essay (an English metaphor lol).
ReplyDeleteThe video made me think about how complex people can really be. Everyone has their own backstory and life that shapes who they are as a person. The interesting thing is that the world often bases its ideas about a person on its own preconceived notions about that person. Usually built around what they wear, how they speak, how they carry themselves, etc. I work as a cashier in retail. The other day, a boy around my age came into the store and was looking at the bikes. He found one he was satisfied with, and began roaming the store asking if people would buy it for him. I later found out that he can often be found exploring the bike section and leaving empty-handed after an hour or so. He was simply asking people if they would be kind enough to buy the $8 bike for him. A woman came to the front to check out. Almost in tears, she reported that she was uncomfortable because a ragged homeless person was panhandling in the store. Based on her own preconceived notions about homeless people, she was highly emotional at the simple request of transportation. A man later bought the bike for him. His eyes lit up, and he smiled the same way we all do when we are happy. He is just a normal person who was asking for a bit of human kindness, and the woman's perception shifted his intention from procuring a form of transportation to someone with ill intentions trying to make a buck off of a gullible or overly empathetic person.
ReplyDeleteThis video taught me how the smallest amounts of information can shape one's perspective. When we hear some sort of information about someone that is how we make our judgements of that person. This is evident in the video as it showed how each context of the man changed the way each photo was taken of him. The photographers tried to convey the man in a way that would show the kind of person he is based on what they were told before he was photographed. This is also evident in real life as when people are told certain information, whether positive or negative, that information can change the way someone is viewed entirely. Context is important not only in media and literature but also in real life too as it forms people’s perceptions of others
ReplyDeleteMelina Lupercio
The video showed me that a photo can't show you who a person really is because no matter what the person has done or are currently doing is who they really are. A photo can capture any moment and make the person seem different in every way. It is who you see personally and how you talk to them to see who they truly are. Each picture had showed a different person but each photographer had "known" someone else so they captured who they thought they knew. This video also shows that no matter the information that someone has gotten told is true and you can't believe everything that is said to you.
ReplyDelete-Aubree Melendrez