When Your Perspective Changes, So Does What You See

There are all sorts of people in this world.

For instance, even if we narrow it down to the small world of students, there are those who grew up in wealthy families from birth,
those who come from prestigious families but live away from their parents,
and those who struggle to even cover their tuition and somehow manage by working while they study,

and so on;
the content of their living circumstances seems to vary greatly.

The method that students who need money to continue their studies usually choose is
a part-time job.
Of course, that is not limited to students.

I believe the first type of job I managed to get was manual labor at a construction site.
Since it was my first time entering the adult world, I remember being covered in tension and anxiety,
like a boy stepping foot into an uncharted land.

This was a one-off job, and it ended in about a week, though.

As I tried various things, there were also jobs that were not very visible,
jobs I hadn't even paid attention to until then.

Things like the annual residential map update survey or selling university textbooks limited to spring break
don't really catch the public eye because they are temporary activities.

Therefore, the jobs that are widely recognized inevitably become the ones that are common in the streets.

For example, cram school instructors, convenience store clerks, movers, coffee shop staff, and so on.

Struggling students who feel the pinch of money
would invest their surplus time and work up a sweat,
trying to add some comfort to their lives.

---

But I feel like I wasn't just looking for money.

A boy who knew almost nothing about the adult world
was directly exposed to various "jobs,"
and had a little bit of a desire to learn about the types of professions and see what suited him.
that kind of feeling was there too.

So, when I actually worked, there were quite a few places where the reality
was quite different from the image I had held until then.

Or rather, just by changing your position,
what you see and what you feel are completely different.

The perspective of standing in line at the register as a customer changes to the position of welcoming that customer,
and a completely different world spreads out before you there.

Until then,
Why is this item out of stock?
The product layout is hard to understand.
Can't the clerk be more friendly?
I used to curse like that in my heart, but...

Once you actually start that job,
you are surprised by the rather bleak backstage area,
you are overwhelmed by the detailed stocking and organizing,
and you might find yourself thinking, 'I hope not too many customers come,' though you would never say it out loud.

Even a cafe that looks glamorous at first glance often consists mostly of mundane tasks.

I used to take it for granted that furniture would be moved safely and carefully,
but once I was in the position of doing the moving, I was worn out by the physical weight and the mental strain of being so careful.

The atmosphere and character of a workplace you are hired into are things you can never truly know until you start working there,
in a sense, it's like a lottery.

But in terms of learning about a profession, you do end up feeling a variety of things.

---

It is said that in this world, there are opposing laws such as front and back, light and shadow, positive and negative, brightness and darkness, and yang and yin.

It may not be quite that profound, but
I feel that human interaction is also built upon these opposing sides, like 'that perspective' and 'this perspective'.

It is common for flight attendants to fly as private passengers.
Since dentists cannot treat themselves, they must become patients somewhere.
It is not rare for someone who serves coffee to sit as a customer in a different shop.
People who work at construction sites use the roads in their daily lives,
and actors sometimes watch performances from the audience seats.

People who were on the side of providing a service
will also end up receiving services once they leave that role.

In other words, I think it can be said that most people
are either standing on that side or moving to this side.

When someone who has experienced 'that side' comes over to 'this side',
they can objectively see the circumstances and hardships of 'that side'.

You realize there are reasons why things can't be done well,
you see them trying to hide things they don't want to be seen,
and you might even learn from the clever methods they use that you didn't have yourself.

In recent years, there has been talk of 'customer harassment',
and it seems that various places are starting to take measures
to protect those who provide services a little more.

On the customer side,
perhaps they feel that since they are paying money, they are just demanding what is natural as a fair exchange.
Perhaps they have accumulated stress in their lives and want to take it out on someone.

For various reasons, each person likely ends up acting aggressively.

However,
just as 'scolding' a child is different from 'getting angry' at them,
I feel that customers could think a little more about
whether their complaint will lead to any future progress.

A lack of understanding toward the shop side might be one of the causes.
Or perhaps, are they thinking that the customer is God a little too much?

In the long run,
once those who were children eventually become parents themselves,
they may find themselves juggling both the child's perspective and the parent's perspective.

The saying that you only truly understand how a parent feels once you have children of your own
might be a good example
of not being able to understand the feelings of the other side.