Worldviews

What is a worldview?

The term worldview is used to describe an individual’s subconscious outlook on life. A worldview can be thought of as the lens through which one views the world. A red lens would cause a person to perceive the world with a reddish tint.  A blue lens, on the other hand, will provide a completely different perception of the same world. A worldview is not something that is predetermined before birth. Rather, it is constantly changing and compounding based on events that happen to or around an individual, and how each individual reacts to and learns from each event.

How do we get a worldview?

Each of our worldview’s has been shaped by the experiences that we have had throughout our life’s journey so far and how we have interpreted them.  The ethics we believe in, and the worldview that we have, create the expectations that we have of the rest of the world.  Each person has their own individual worldview that has been shaped by their unique experiences.  It is critical to acknowledge that we each have our own worldview, which cannot possibly be identical to someone else’s.  It is important to remember that what one personally expects of the rest of the world may not be what others expect, and therefore may not be considered universal shared ethics.  As humans, we have a tendency to be somewhat egotistical and think that our own views are shared universally.  It is only when we become more emotionally intelligent that we start to understand that our own views do not constitute absolute truth.

Why are worldview’s so significant?

As I become exposed to new worldviews, I try to always remember that each individual has a basic human right to his/her own worldview.  I may not agree with certain parts of another person’s beliefs, but I do understand that each individual’s worldview is a unique snapshot of time, space, and culture.  Worldview may be thought of as an individual’s expression of culture plus external influences.  There is much to be learned from studying and trying to understand a new culture.  Judging a culture for not being like one’s own culture will not lead to anything positive, it will only reinforce ethnocentrism.