The podcast made quite a few valid points about how we typically do not perceive the impact we have on others. We go through the motions of life only concerned with the way others make us feel. It’s rare for us to really sit down and think about things from others’ perspective. How do the things I say or do make someone feel? How do my comments about someone’s outfit make them feel? Is that something that makes their day, something that will stay with them forever, or merely a comment that is appreciated in the moment and then disregarded?

This approach to situations can really open our eyes to ways that we affect those around us on a daily basis. The NPR Podcast mentions that we are often victims to our own ego-centric bias. We fail to see when we are in situations in which we hold power over someone else in a scenario when they cannot say no. 

A great example of this is when charities are raising money for campaigns. Oftentimes, charities have booths set up in areas where there is high foot traffic. As people pass by, it’s the representative’s job to approach individuals to deliver their campaign pitch. Many people deliberately veer away from the booths so as to not be approached, because they know that being close could put them in a situation where they could not say no. Likewise, the charity representative knows that after stopping, but before delivering the pitch, odds of the individual donating are high because the only reason they stopped was to not let down the representative. And though they have not yet heard the pitch, their internal desire to satisfy the representative makes it difficult for them to decline donating. This internal struggle is something the representative takes advantage of, though not always knowingly. From their perspective, they are just doing their job raising money. But in that moment, the charity representative holds significant power over the outcome of the interaction. Most often, to better motivate them to act in a desired way, they will reassure the individual that the thing they are asking of them is something that is helpful and considerate. The result? The charity receives a donation, and the individual walks away with a sense of relief as they have helped both the representative and a good cause.