Nothing is inherent. Change is always possible.
In 1454 the German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press — a time when most people couldn’t read, let alone use a printing press.
In 1901, Wilbur Wright told his brother Orville that man would not fly for fifty years. Two years later, the brothers built and flew the world’s first plane.
Grover Cleveland remarked in 1905 that “sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.”
In 1909, the Scientific American published that “the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development.”
In 1977, Kenneth Olsen, president of Digital Equipment Corporation, remarked, “there is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.”
Nothing is inherent. Change is always possible.
Yet, our brains make it difficult for us to embrace this reality. For the most part, we do not first see and then define — we define first and then see.
As humans, our tendency to categorize is reflexive, automatic. We need to know what something is before we can figure out how we’re supposed to relate to it.
Hence, our frame of reference and categorization of people, brands, products, and ideas impact how we view the world. It impacts how we interact with people. Our ability to build relationships. Our ability to trust.
Just as people aren’t inherently evil, business and capitalism aren’t inherently bad. What matters is our frame of reference.
The beauty is that, like when choosing which new pair of glasses to buy, we have the freedom and liberty to choose the lens through which we see the world.
To do this, we must be open to trying on several new pairs of glasses. We must be open to listening through multiple new pairs of headphones. Most importantly, this willingness and openness must occur often and with intentionality.
Ultimately, you see what you expect to see.