In chapter 25, Alberto Knox mentions the "Red Tinted Glasses". I think what Knox means is that our perspective gets affected. So, for example, using what Knox said, "clear glasses" would be our own personal perspective which is what we really think ourselves, whereas, "red tinted glasses" would be our perspective which has been 'tinted' by the society, media and peers. Thus meaning that our perspective from behind the "red tinted glasses" are no longer our own. A part of it may be our ideas and opinions but they have all been changed by what we see and hear from our society and the media.
I think, the way that Knox chose to use "tinted" was interesting because if he was trying to say that we have no personal point of views, he might as well have called the glasses "black glasses" showing that we can't see anything through our own eyes through them. But Knox chose to use "red tinted" to show that we are still able to see through them ourselves but it's been "polluted" by the red (in reality, the society and media). However, another thing is, the choice of "red" may be Knox trying to indicate that's it's dangerous for the society nowadays to have no individual thoughts. I mean, there are "individual thoughts" but for example in a fashion magazine, we are practically only obeying and following what the magazine says, like "pink's the colour this year" and the magazine editor's thoughts are the "individual thoughts" in this case. Although when we read this we might think, "No, I'm not going to wear pink even if it's 'the' colour to wear." However we don't really have a choice in this because when fashion designers read this, they'll start designing clothes based on pink and when we buy clothes from the designers, there'll only be pink to buy. Therefore although we aren't directly affected by the society, we are still affected in the end.
So the main point Alberto Knox is trying to make from these 3 words is that we have to start thinking for ourselves and not just accept what people tell us to believe in. We should be unique and have our own individual personality even if it means not everyone thinks that way. We should see that our thoughts count and we should just believe in what we think and not think about what other people tell us.
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4 comments:
Hello Jacqui :]
I agree with your opinion on how the "red tinted glasses" are referring to the perspective which has been influenced by the society, media and peers, but there are also some parts to your post that I disagree with.
You mention that our perspective from behind the "red tinted glasses" is no longer our own, but I have a different view on this. I support your idea that the society influences our views, but I don't agree with the implication that you made - that everyone is wearing the same coloured glasses, and that everyone is made to think in the same way (no individual opinions).
I think that in fact, everyone is wearing glasses of different colours - because each one of us has access to different media, culture, religion, education and experiences.
I'll give an example of two people who could have grown up in the same society, say in Hong Kong:
(A) a person who was born to a Hong Kong-nese family, believes in Buddhism, studies at a local school, has access to local media and participates in community service working with refugees
(B) a person who was also born to a Hong Kong-nese family, goes to church, studies at an international school, has access to overseas media, and is a member of an environmental group
Both person A and B were brought up in the same society, and was influenced by it. But would they have the same perspective towards God? Would they have the same views on fashion? Would they have the same ideas on the environment or humanitarian issues?
They probably wouldn't. And I think that these people's views can actually be called "individual opinions", because what forms their point of views is the mixture of these different influences within even the same society - and these combinations are unique for every single person. Because even if another two people had the same nationality, lived in the same area, believed in the same religion, watched the same TV programs, studied in the same school and joined the same activities, they would still have different opinions on certain things. They may both be against pollution, or both believe in Christ, but every other thing they experience differently can influence their ideas. Perhaps one of them sees people happily cleaning the beach one day, or come across refugee children that were on an outing at the park. No two people live the same lives and thus their perspectives are influenced by the society differently.
I think that this shows how people actually do have personal point of views. True, they may be influenced by the society, but they are all affected in different ways – thus their opinions are not all the same either. Like Kant says, our “senses” are shaped by our “reason”, and everyone’s “reason” is different. Even if these people are all influenced by society, they still have different PERSONAL opinions, because the numerous combinations of the things in society that affects them are different, and these are actually the basis of their personal opinion.
i agree with both of you, i think your points are very clear and makes a lot of sense
I do believe in your point of view Jacqui! I think it’s really interesting how you thought of the black glasses Knox could’ve used. Even though our perspective may have been polluted by media, peers and society, I believe that we still carry individual thoughts within us. I think that no one in this would have the exact same pair of glasses as another, as the experiences we’ve been through are all different. Yes, we may learn the same facts and figures, but we’d never experience the same things twice.
I agree with the fact that the our glasses are "tinted" by the society. But what do you think in the society makes our own "tinted" glasses unique
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