3rd February 2012
One of the readers wants to know how the `other' and the `observer' differ from each other.
The main difference is that the `other' position is an attached position and the `observer' position is a `detached' position. When you are attached to a point of you, you are likely to be biased. If you are detached, you will be impartial. Let me explain this by an example. Suppose you meet with an accident. You will argue that the other person was at fault; the other person will argue that you are at fault. Both of you will be defending your positions; the quality of listening will suffer. In this case you are in `self' position from your point of view; other person is the `other' position. From the point of view of the other person involved in the accident, he is in `self' position and you are in `other' position.
In this context, if a traffic police who has not seen the accident enters the scene, he will listen to both the people to ascertain what happened; he will ask the bystanders to explain to gather all the facts. Based on the best information, he will reconstruct the accident as an independent `observer' position. He will not shout, he will not blame or complain either you or the other person.
I want to narrate a very interesting incident which I came across to explain this concept. You will really appreciate the what is an attached and a detached position.
Getting curious? Keep reading….
N C Sridharan
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