Ellison’s quote kick starts a conversation about our inability to “see” one another. A simple fable about perception animates the point. A traveler from America–where everyone wears yellow sunglasses–visits Japan. While there he notices that all the people are wearing blue sunglasses. He decides to put on the blue glasses to better understand the Japanese culture. After a two month stay, he determines that he has learned about the values and beliefs and habits of the people. He concludes that the culture of Japan is “green.” Turns out, he forgot to remove his own yellow sunglasses (Mercil, 2009).

The moral of the fable presents us with a challenge. Before we can be open to other cultures–and truly “see” what they are like–we have to remove our own filters so we can notice and appreciate the differences. How do we remove a lifetime of experiencing the world through our own “sunglass” filters? We can start with a true examination of our own values, attitudes, and beliefs. The more we come to understand–and articulate–who we are, the more likely it is that we can understand others. First comes a recognition that we are actually wearing a lens which colors our world. Then, perhaps, other cultures’ colors will begin to become more visible.