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Challenge Your Perception Box: The Joy of Unlearning

Challenge Your Perception Box: The Joy of Unlearning

Unlocking New Perspectives by Rethinking What We Know

Alejandro Betancourt's avatar
Alejandro Betancourt
Jan 29, 2024
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Thinking Through It
Thinking Through It
Challenge Your Perception Box: The Joy of Unlearning
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This image was created using OpenAI’s DALL-E, based on a prompt designed by Alejandro Betancourt.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler

Every one of us lives within an invisible box made not of wood or metal but of perceptions, experiences, and beliefs. This “perception box,” as it were, shapes our view of the world, coloring everything from the mundane to the monumental. But here’s the kicker — what if this box, with all its familiar corners and edges, limits us more than it’s protecting us?

In an article by neuroscientist Heather Berlin, I read that our brains may not always be reliable narrators of reality. Our brains, wired by years of experiences, cultural norms, and individual upbringing, craft a unique lens through which we see the world. This lens — our perception box — while helping us navigate through life, can sometimes distort, omit, or even misinterpret the reality a…

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