Friday, October 29, 2004
A Matter of Interpretation
This happened recently on an international flight. Not long after take off, a sick bag was found in the plane toilet bearing the letter “BOB”. The pilot when informed of the situation thought that the word could mean “bomb on board”. So with the safety of the passengers on board in mind, the pilot made a decision to turn back to the original airport and the plane was subject a full security check. During the period the airport was on full security alert. It turned out that it was a hoax.
The word “BOB” could have been interpreted simply as “best on board” or simply the name of a person “Bobby” at other times.
This brings to one important aspect of interpretation. Our interpretation of an issue is very often influence by the environment we live in and also by the state of mind we are in. Sometimes, in a hurry, we said a few words to others thinking that the message had been conveyed only to find out that the other party had interpreted the other way. The same applies to us. We often misinterpreted other’s intention when communication is not done properly or precisely. It pays to communicate in a clear and uncertain manner.
The word “BOB” could have been interpreted simply as “best on board” or simply the name of a person “Bobby” at other times.
This brings to one important aspect of interpretation. Our interpretation of an issue is very often influence by the environment we live in and also by the state of mind we are in. Sometimes, in a hurry, we said a few words to others thinking that the message had been conveyed only to find out that the other party had interpreted the other way. The same applies to us. We often misinterpreted other’s intention when communication is not done properly or precisely. It pays to communicate in a clear and uncertain manner.
