The larger triangle hides in the room, perhaps awaiting the other two…?

When they arrive, the larger triangle confronts the smaller triangle, and the circle hides in the room, afraid

The larger triangle is aggressive towards the smaller triangle, and the circle comes to the door to see what is going on

The circle distracts the larger triangle, allowing the smaller triangle to escape round the side of the building

The circle goes back in the room and closes the door

The larger triangle, no longer able to see the smaller triangle, goes to the room, opens the door, and enters; the circle moves to the farthest corner out of the way. The larger triangle closes the door

The circle, trapped, panics; the larger triangle is between the circle and the door. Meanwhile the smaller triangle creeps up the outside of the building

The smaller triangle opens the door, offering a means of escape to the circle, who takes it

The smaller triangle slams the door shut, with the larger triangle inside; the smaller triangle and circle celebrate

The larger triangle forces the door open, and the smaller triangle and circle flee, and a chase ensues. The smaller triangle and circle stick together and escape

The larger triangle, furious, takes its temper out on the building, and smashes it up

Of course all this is the meaning I’ve given to the video. They are just shapes, being moved. There is not necessarily any meaning attached. But to quote Richard Bandler, “Man is a meaning making machine”: we are all hard wired to give meaning to anything we experience; to interpret it. Two really important things follow from this:

• Firstly, the meaning we give may not be true; it may be, literally, made up
• The meaning we give may not be what someone else gives.

Most events are open to interpretation. For a really great example of this, have a read of GT Allison’s book, Essence of Decision, in which he looks at a familiar event – the Cuban Missile Crisis – from 3 different perspectives – each of which is totally compelling. Firstly, the rational perspective, based on the Government as single rational actor; secondly the bureaucratic perspective, where the decisions made were essentially the result of automatic, conventional and rule bound procedures – also convincing; and thirdly, the personal political perspective, where the decisions were essentially the outcomes of the key people involved – also persuasive. And if you are really interested, then watch the movie ‘Thirteen Days’, which is a dramatic reconstruction of the crisis, with Kevin Costner as the lead as President Kennedy.