New book promises to unlock the secret power of context

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — These days, it seems many employers are trying hard to identify and confront systemic bias among their workers to make for a more inclusive environment. A new book seeks to go “beyond the blindfold” and make us look at how our own perspective may colour our view of the world.

Beyond The Blindfold: Harnessing The Secret Power of Context is made up of 52 parable style essays author Vince Taylor uses to demonstrate the fact that we all are biased, in one way or another, and the sooner we realize that the better off we’ll be.

“And without an awareness that you have a perspective that was borne of your upbringing, nurture, and nature and all those things that we’ve been hearing about all our life, without understanding it, you say and do a lot of things without realizing it,” he says.

“I’m going to ask the reader to come along and share some journeys through my perspective and maybe learn to see how and why you do things in a certain way. So, in many ways, it’s help yourself.”

LISTEN: Beyond The Blindfold

Taylor, a real estate marketer by trade (“You’ve heard of Bob Rennie? Well, I’m the other guy!”), says the book started out as a series of emails between friends.

He defines context as “the most powerful, naturally occurring interruption of the conscious mind” he has ever experienced. In fact, it’s such a compelling concept, he spent 10 years writing a book about it.

“You have four people standing on four different corners. They will give you four different versions of the facts. Well, you wouldn’t think that’s possible because the facts are the facts. And, yet, perspective and context and who you are and where you grew up and how you were educated…all of these things affect what you saw. And I find that absolutely fascinating,” Taylor says.

“You know, like Goldilocks, the stories themselves are not so much the point. They’re more to illustrate and demonstrate the clear understanding of the power of your own perspective, and how it colours everything you say and everything you do, often without even realizing it.”

Part memoir, part self-help manual, Beyond The Blindfold is not aimed at any one audience in particular, though it would be appropriate for workers and managers alike. And, at a time when more workplaces are confronting systemic bias, the book certainly adds to that conversation.

“If taken seriously, this book can really, really, fundamentally change the way you look at the world,” Taylor concludes.

Look for it at www.beyondtheblindfold.com.

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