Knew that if I just stewed about it a while I’d come up with something (see previous post). No, not an answer, exactly, but a temporary way around it so that I don’t have to dwell on it for another week.
Perception: 1 a) The act of perceiving or the ability to perceive; mental grasp of objects, qualities, etc. by means of the senses; awareness, comprehension b) insight or intuition, or the faculty for these 2 the understanding, knowledge, etc. gotten by perceiving, or a specific idea, concept, impression, etc. so formed.
Interpretation: 1 The act or result of interpreting; explanation, meaning, translation, exposition, etc. 2 the expression of a person’s conception of a work of art, subject, etc. through acting, playing, writing, criticizing, etc.
(Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition, IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. Foster City, CA 2001)
Obviously, both perception and the resulting interpretation are up to the individual perceiving and interpreting. This then, would mean that anything, art, literature, the freakin’ monitor screen are all open to description and understanding by the individual. So far, score one for the art and literary world and the belief that a work belongs to the user/viewer/reader (remembering, of course, that this is only my interpretation of the dictionary definitions).
However, score one for Susie: MY interpretation is what I believe the artist/author is saying (subject to change, due to a conscious decision based upon further perception that may include other people’s interpretations).
How’s that?
If nothing else, this little exercise will prevent my frustration and further lack of understanding of different points of view. I need no longer merely tolerate, but give consideration to other opinions. Sounds like simple common sense, and you may be thinking I’m a bit slow for just happening upon this bit of knowledge, but just surf the web for fifteen minutes and you’ll find that from art to politics, a lot of people are way behind me in accepting this concept.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Perception and interpretation stand a good chance of being performed as simple impression-ism nowadays. You don’t need to know much to have an opinion syndrome. The effect of instant gratification has stretched impressionism from art and music to politics, or any other means of conversing for that matter. Everyone wants their voice to be heard, and they have every right. History, wisdom, experience, analogies -these help to bring depth into our thought process. Ah! Learning, isn’t it great!