SDF Media

Looking with intention while embracing hesitation and dought.

We face many challenges every day. However, there are these moments of strength and determination, that we have and wish we possessed always. But why do we have that hesitation and dought?

That is part of the logic that helps us to deal with a constantly changing world. We are more able to identify and comprehend a trend. It is monotonic, but over time it does have a constant behavior i.e. a trend. But occasionally we have an inflection point i.e. a regime change. We are so conditioned to perceive the world as static or having a trend, that an inflection point is neither expected nor occasionally totally unrecognized. We see what we expect and not what we perceive.

But to deal with these regime shifts we need to be skeptical, and have doubt. If we fall into "group think" we always expect the status quo, after all, everyone agrees.

Hesitation and dought allow for the possibility of realizing change and as a result our ability to adapt and not perish. Hesitation and drought are a sign of awareness and expecting change.

If a society is without dought or hesitation, it becomes dogmatic and rather than adapt is faced with a sudden change. That is referred to as a catastrophic change. we neither expected nor were ready for that change. The cost of that is very high.

Part of a series "Societies constantly have groups with opposing perspectives. A society that does not embrace doubt, hesitation, and dialogue, does not find a common ground and ends up with everyone losing social vitality. The path for change was not embraced" ⁠
⁠
📸 ⁠
⁠
⁠

Looking at vs understanding society and the world around us. Do we need empathy to understand the world?

We are by nature highly observant. In cities, squares and meeting places have encouraged "people watching" as a pastime. That is looking for the odd and the curious, the occasional bizarre and the trendsetters.

But do we understand, and have insight into what is happening around us? Part of the challenge is that our environment is constantly changing and rapidly. So to have insight we need abstraction, generalization, and to comprehend the main drivers of behavior rather than trying to understand every event. In short, we need abstraction and context otherwise we can get overwhelmed.

But in a modern society where distraction is an art form, we really need empathy so the difference does not become unacceptable, and the unfamiliar as wrong. Empathy is viewing all people with an interest and curiosity but also with some admiration, not necessarily agreeing with them but respecting that they come from a different place.

Civilization is the most vibrant where there are different perspectives and diversity. One of the biggest risks in society is "group think" when we all have a consensus, and then when the world around us changes we are all surprised and astonished. "Group thinking" happens in too homogenous societies or communities.

Part of a series "Progressing the dialogue towards a more balanced individualism vs social harmony. Looking with understanding and sidestepping "group think"
⁠ 📸 ⁠
⁠
⁠