Distinguishing Between Facts and Interpretations: Practices to Enhance the Power of Listening
Have you ever heard about the concept of distinguishing between facts and interpretations? How many people can truly put this into practice? I have come to realize its importance through the practice of listening.
Many people tend to add their own interpretations to facts and attempt to solve problems based on those interpretations. To improve listening skills, it’s necessary to develop the ability to distinguish between facts and interpretations and to strive to communicate only the facts in our own statements.
Adding interpretations complicates matters, and it’s not uncommon for people to mistake these interpretations for facts. On the other hand, in an effort to remain faithful only to the facts, one may overlook “perceived facts,” making it difficult to empathize with emotions. Understanding the two aspects of “actual facts” and “perceived facts” can lead to the ability to distinguish between facts and interpretations.
Through practice in the ALL EARS community, participants have shared the following comments:
★Participant:
I felt the difficulty of separating my facts and evaluations. Maybe I was better at communicating just the facts when I was younger. As I’ve aged, I see more of the background of others and tend to say or think unnecessary things.
I felt a certain coldness in communicating just the facts, but at the same time, I seemed to grasp a sense of not feeling responsible.
“When I said, ‘Mr./Ms. XX said XX,’ I found myself saying it with hesitation, ‘Mr./Ms. XX hesitated a bit before saying XX,’ as if it might not have been their true intention.”
I thought I was doing good by sharing my observations, but the moment I shared, my interpretation got involved, and it felt like it became my responsibility.
★From the principal:
In a novel, we are advised not to say “The boss was angry” because it is not a fact. If we are to convey it as the fact we felt, we would say, “It seemed like they were angry.” Even correcting our use of language can make the truth clearer.
In the movie “Oppenheimer,” an exchange between Einstein and Oppenheimer causes a misunderstanding for someone. However, the facts were different from that person’s interpretation. Feeling angry without understanding the other person’s circumstances is unnecessary stress. Having the ability to distinguish between facts and interpretations can significantly reduce stress.
The other person might have been angry for their own reasons, not necessarily at you. Without making such a distinction, the people listening might join in, continuing the cycle in the same vein. We want to break free from this endless loop.
While learning about listening, it seems you have also come across obstacles to listening. These realizations often feel like they’re happening for the first time, and it can take time to unravel why. But once you understand it, it becomes easier and listening no longer feels like a burden.
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