"Perception is reality" can be compared to "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It's true, what the object is IS what it is. But it's the perception of the individual, the lens through which we perceive of the object, that determines what we will see and how we will see it. And as humans our ability to perceive is so so very limited, we cannot see anything for what it really is. Even perceived color is nothing more than a reflection of light through the filter of our eye. And if you're color blind, more restricted still. Can't see X-rays, or gamma rays, or so-called "dark matter", or anything beyond this narrow band of color wavelenths. Yet all that exists. Recognition of the fact that's there's far more we don't know and cannot perceive of allows us to get away from the concept of every knowing anything close to what any object really is. Best we can do is strive for a realisitic impression. And to do that, recognition of the reality of subjective nature of perception is essential. Recognizing that what I perceive differs from what you perceive, puts us all on the same playing field. And there mutual understanding can begin. But when someone claims to know objective reality, they are discounting everyone else's perception of what is reality.
Originally Posted by bobby
Their perception doesn't change the reality, only their response to reality
That's right, and it's the response that the individual has the ability to change. We can choose how we perceive, but only if we're consciously aware that we are choosing our perceptions, and in that defining our reality. There's so very much ongoing all the time around us that we filter out, aren't even aware of. Or conversely, the details one chooses to focus on might distort reality completely, blown all out of proportion, altering perception of reality that way. Purely subjective. All subject to change.