The Ugly Duckling

Prompt: Perception

Georgia’s asserted that objective perception is impossible. He believed that the only way to understand something is to experience it and that people cannot truly understand each other because of the problem of varying perceptions. From a nursing standpoint I find this to be very truthful. Then on the other hand as a citizen of this country, I also find it truthful and logic.


Georgia’s also believed that since people have different ideas about the same thing, no conceptual ideas actually exist. The way I perceive his understanding is one in which we all have our own concepts and beliefs in life so therefore an exact correct answer would be impossible. This is why we have our governments in the world. I have to say I am thankful to be in this country; however, certain ideas and decisions that are made within our government greatly affects us and we are to accept them and move on, no matter how much we may disagree or how much we are hurt in the process….ex: (family going into war; OR family being deported taken away from their loved ones due to immigrant status).


Back to the statement above….the only way to understand something is to experience it. Who are we to judge just because someone looks a certain way? Objective perception does seem impossible because we are quick to look at something or someone and automatically make subjective decisions and then those decisions are the objective and that is how we believe an idea to be truthful. As I mentioned earlier, as a nurse I agree very much with Georgia’s thoughts. For example, a patient in pain; we as nurses are not to judge pain regardless of our opinions such as, knowing from a medical standpoint that the patient is a drug user. We are to treat that person as we would anyone. Every effort is to be made to ensure our patient comfort and relief. Cultural beliefs take a part as well. We are not to make decisions about a patient just because of what they believe and trust. Someone may not accept blood because that is their belief. To us it seems ludicrous because we know that the person could possibly die without the transfusion. But if we are to be competent caregivers, then we have to look at other perceptions other than our own.


Socrates argued that knowledge and virtue are so closely related that no human agent ever knowingly does evil: we all invariably do what we believe to be best. Improper conduct, then, can only be a product of our ignorance rather than a symptom of weakness of the will. I find it very interesting when criminals of our time are time lined back to their origin and we then are able to piece together the traits of their doings. For example, being raised through neglect and abuse, then as they grow the world is how they perceived it as a child and that is the only way they understand how to live. No, that does not support the crime or make punishment less severe, it is an insight, a guide to help us understand how someone perceives and makes judgments to do such things.