Recently, I caught an interview with Aerosmith’s lead singer, Steve Tyler, who made a comment that made me contemplate things: “We’re just living on the tail of a comet.”
I have long been a star-gazer. I often catch myself stealing a sneaky peak at the heavens, dreaming sub-consciously of galaxies far, far away. But that’s another story.
It is fascinating, though, to consider our place in a universe that we barely understand, even more so when you put it in the context of being just a mere speck in space and time.
Sounds precarious for sure but whether it’s frightening or exciting is really just a matter of perspective. After all, in reality we’re clinging onto the surface of a rock hurtling through a vacuum at 67,000 miles per hour.
Perspective is a key feature of perception, the importance of which should not be underestimated. It is an integral part of our everyday life – how we look at the world around us, how others see us and, most importantly, how we see ourselves.
When it comes to professional communications, the concept of perception is a key consideration when attempting to move the consumer through the purchase decision-making process, especially in the early stages of gaining attention and creating desire.
Price perception, around value for money; benefit perception, relating to the service or product’s contribution to quality of life; and, most importantly, self perception and our view of ourselves, all create the barriers to decision-making.
Awareness of this phenomenon may help the communications industry but sometimes we get so self-absorbed, thinking only of ourselves and our needs, that it is easy to forget the impact we have on others, our role in the bigger picture or, indeed, our place in the universe.
After all, it’s all just a matter of perspective.
Steve Tyler may have coined it perfectly, but I think Father Ted explains it better to Father Dougal so I’ll leave you with this classic clip:
CAT ~ Communications by Allison Thomas 