Friday, October 17, 2014

2331 Forced Perspective


Perspective. It's what we put things in. It's also the view we have on things. And it helps to hold on to a healthy version of it as we go through the world. Then it's okay to take note of the shifts in it.

Such as when I heard a sportscaster on the radio talking about one team prevailing over another in a sports contest. Namely soccer. He said one team had trounced the other 4 to 1.

4 to 1 is a "trouncing"? So I assumed, from my other-sports-skewed perspective. Only 4 points against only 1 point. Only in soccer would that be considered a trouncing. Then I reflected on my perspective and it made perfect sense. In football years that would be 28 to 7, if we count as the basic scoring increment the touchdown and almost obligatory extra point. Or 24 to 6 if you're a gridiron TD purist.

The fact that soccer only gives one point to a goal doesn't mean it's any less hard to get it. Not does football arbitrarily assigning 6 points make it any more hard. Still, it sure seems to make it more exciting. 

Another perspective observation I made was when I was at Starbucks recently. They had some items on display in their food case. One of them was a sausage, cheese, and egg muffin sandwich. It was $3.25. Compared to McDonald’s, it seemed a little high. Until I looked at another item. It was a 6-inch by 3-inch concoction known as a Marshmallow Dream Bar. It was $2.25. Suddenly my perspective changed. All that egg, cheese, and sausage protein looked like a very good value. 

Because $2.25… for a Rice Krispie Treat? 

Who does Starbucks think they are? A professional sports stadium? It's all perspective.

America, ya gotta love it.

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