A Shift in Perspective: Unveiling True Reality
One can distinguish the real from the unreal by analyzing how the perceived object or event aligns with our immediate life experience and our understanding of overall reality. For example, one perspective on this issue is expressed as follows: The Real is not given to us directly—it always eludes capture, being something that cannot be immediately grasped but only understood through a shift in perspective from subjective perception to a more objective interpretation. As it is said: "Thus, the Real destroys the distinction between real objects and their virtual counterparts: if in virtual reality I indulge in an impossible fantasy, then I can experience there 'artificial' sexual pleasure that is far more 'real' than anything I can encounter in 'real reality.' Thus, the Real is BOTH at once a Thing that I cannot directly reach and an obstacle that impedes direct access to it. It is something that slips away from our understanding—a distorting screen that forces us to bypass it. More precisely, the Real, in the end, is the very shift in perspective from one point of view to another." (source: link txt)Another important aspect is the early experience of perception.
Even a child develops the ability to ask, "Is this true?" when a story being told does not match his or her accumulated experience. This question helps establish a criterion for differentiation: "As the child grows, it becomes very important for him to separate the 'real' from the 'unreal.' Any story told to a seven- or eight-year-old always prompts the question, 'Is this true?' The child often tries to understand the veracity of something that does not match his accumulated experience." (source: link txt)Thus, the method of differentiation is based on two complementary approaches. On one hand, it involves analyzing how the perceived experience corresponds with our common understanding and personal experience; on the other, it requires the awareness that the 'real' often appears through a change in perspective, as we try to see the true essence behind external images. This can even be illustrated by comparison—when, for instance, a mirror reflection is perceived as a double, but upon closer inspection turns out to be merely an imitation of the original (as detailed in similar discussions).In conclusion, the distinction between reality and the unreal occurs through comparing the acquired information with personal and societal life experiences, as well as through understanding that true reality often hides behind visible images and requires a change in perspective to be grasped.