Change over Time
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Ghandi, India’s most iconic figure, was an inspirational leader who revolutionized a nation through his belief in freedom for the future. He inspired thousands upon millions to create change in the world by first creating change within themselves. Through the lifelong process of bettering themselves, people simultaneously discover that their perspective evolves, as well. A person’s view of the world changes over time as they break free from biases and become more educated. First, a person’s view is changed as they realize that “there are two sides to every story”, so to speak. From the moment a child is born, he/she is, whether it be consciously or not, exposed to their parents’ biases. From the food they find tasty to the clothes they pick for themselves, to their mannerisms and to the way they view other people of differing races, ethnicities, genders, a child learns to see the world through their parents’ eyes. Their perspective on everything is subconsciously decided for them until the child reaches a certain maturity level and starts to think for his or her self. Then, they break free of what their parents think (which can often be old-fashioned and ignorant, if the bias were based on person preferences made largely from close-minded stubbornness) and, suddenly, the world will seem anew. What was previously dictated to a child by their parents to be a group of people they should look down upon might become, after leaving behind their parents’ biases, a group of people that have been unjustly treated by society’s narrow-mindedness. Ultimately, a person realizes not to allow biases to cloud up their thoughts and block out other plausible possibilities. This realization results in a newer, wider, and more appreciative view of the world. Second, gaining education is the key to providing others with a fresh perspective of the world. It is through education that the world can be advanced. The prime