Conflicting Perspectives

The innate human obsession with the “truth” and the persistent search for it, poses the question: Does one truth really exist, or does the truth depend on one’s perspective? The relationship between truth and perspectives is a key concept in Ted Hughes’ Birthday Letters, this idea is supported in the film Vantage Point and the Scientific American’s report on the social perspectives of the death of Bin Laden, “What Bin Laden’s death means to us and society?” Essentially Vantage Point is a film about one event seen through eight different perspectives. As each perspective is revealed, more about the event is understood. There is no one single perspective that reveals the “truth” it is only through the evaluation of all eight perspectives a conclusion can be made. While all eight individuals will believe there perspective is the truth, one perspective in isolation lacks vital context. When read together with “what does Bin Larden’s death mean to society?” the two reaffirm the concept that the truth can only be found through the assessment of conflicting perspectives, as well as showing that influences such as point of view, personal history and morals alter one’s overall perspective.
Point of view is a key component that shapes one’s understanding of an event or situation that has transpired. A point of view is determined through a combination of life experience and the level of relevant context known. This is the motif and the underlying principle of Pete Travis’s Vantage Point, in which each perspective completes the viewer’s metaphorical puzzle of the kidnapping murder of the US President. The forth vantage point (perspective) we witness is that of Howard Lewis, a middle aged African American on vacation to the Spanish capital, Madrid. One telling perspective in which this idea of understanding through point of view, is seen when Howard witnesses what to him seems like a romantic encounter between two young lovers. From later vantage points we learn that this encounter was one of blackmail and deception between two terrorists. From this we learn that the perceived truth can be completely different from the reality. This is seen throughout Ted Hughes’ ‘Birthday letters’ with Hughes continually insinuating this about Plath in his dismissive and condescending tone. This tone is due to a negative point of view of Plath as he was left to pick up the pieces after her suicide. The way Howard witnessed and perceived the encounter was directly linked to his predisposition as a result of his life experience, thus showing us how an understanding is formed from point of view.
A perspective is also partly formed from ones sub-conscience according to social theorist and author of “what does Bin Larden’s death mean to society?” Mariette DiChristina. According to DiChristina’s theory, people perceive ‘novel events’ in two ways, “First, we find a way to make the abstract concrete and, second, we anchor the new and unfamiliar to something old and well understood.” This is said to be done on a sub-conscience level and serves as a form of protection from the daunting unknown. DiChristina claims that this was the case during the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and parallels were drawn to past events and influential figures. One such parallel included, making comparisons of Bin Larden to Hitler. From this we understand some of the internal complexities involved in the forming of a perspective. However DiChristina’s social study also describes the role and relevance of personal history and connection to an event and its influence on one’s perspective. DiChristina wrote “Once bin Laden was killed, those who identify strongly as Americans experienced a clear sense that "we" have won, that "we" have avenged the humiliation wrought upon "us," that "we" have reasserted "our" ascendancy.” However this conflicts with the more personal and tragic view of those closer to the events due to personal history, on to which DiChirstina wrote “we also think, as parents or as spouses, of those who will be remembering the loss of a child, a husband or a wife in 9/11—and therefore our sense of jubilation will be tempered by sadness.” This conflict of perspectives between American citizens shows that people have inevitably conflicting perspectives of the same event due to personal history.

However possibly the most overriding of factors that affects ones perspective are morals. Theodore Roosevelt when questioned about the importance of morals once said “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” While many could argue this proved to be all to true in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, this also raises the idea of conflicting morals. This encompasses such questions as: because morals are ultimately sourced from common societal opinion, how can one’s morals be ‘right’ while others are ‘wrong’? This question is particularly poignant when assessing the assassination of Bin Larden and particularly the result of his remains. The United States came to the decision to bury Bin Larden at sea, a decision which DiChirstina believes that the United States “gained a social advantage by denying a site of pilgrimage.” However DiChirstina also discusses the conflict of morals in this event of which many Muslims regard as an illegitimate burial due to their religion. “In the Muslim faith bodies should be buried pointing toward Mecca with the head to the right. Hence the disposal of bin Laden's body was an illegitimate act that does not respect Muslim practice.” From this we can see the role of morals in terms of perspective and the complexity of conflicting perspectives when taking moral values into account.
In conclusion, an analysis of Vantage Point and DiChirstina’s analysis of social response to the assassination of Bin Larden represents only some of the many factors that influence one’s perspective. These influences vary and therefore perspectives vary and conflict. This conflict is represented throughout both texts with each perspective revealing their own interpretation of the “truth” in each particular situation. While one truth may never truly exist, it is vital for the growth of human existence, to assess each perspective as well as the factors which have influenced these perspectives. As only with the increasing understanding of different perspectives can society as a whole gain a greater understanding of the “truth.”