Kalahulani

Expecting a person from one perspective to see the world from another perspective is futile, whether they are a Democrat, a Republican, an Iraqi soldier, a South African tribesman, a 14 year-old high school freshman, or a born-again Christian. You can’t argue or reason another person out of their level of development. As you view and relate to other people, or as you watch the news, I hope you will realize that each person thinks and acts from his particular developmental perspective, and that this is the only way he can make sense of his environment and his life. All perspectives include a certain type of cognition, a way of determining what is right or wrong, a way of relating to spiritual matters, a way of understanding one’s sense of self, a way of deciding what is important and what to believe (including a way of determining what is “true” and what criteria are used to determine that truth), certain strategies for navigating the world, and a lot more. Understanding these perspectives allows you to see why people act as they do, and it allows you to better communicate with them (or realize that you probably aren’t going to get through to them). And, of course, understanding these developmental levels also allows you to better understand yourself, to understand why you see things the way you do–and to realize that your perspective is just ONE of many.