Surya Sree's Blog - Posts Tagged "philosphy"
How I Dealt with Uncertainty
It is safe to say, these are uncertain times. The confirmed number of Corona cases is over 25 million and counting. The number of reported deaths is well into the six-figure mark. We have so many questions unanswered during these perilous times. What is the mortality rate? How contagious is the virus? Is my body vulnerable to the virus? Will our economy bounce back? When will life go back to normal? Or Is this the new normal?
We don't know, YET.
We loathe Uncertainty. We'll do just about everything and muster all the resources under our disposal to avoid uncertainty. We'd even go to the extent in welcoming a known bad result with open hands rather than an unknown good result.
Why do we do this, ever wonder? The human mind perceives uncertainty as dangerous. If our brain is unaware of what's around the corner, then it will fumble because it is inept to keep us from any mysterious peril that pops up unannounced. Our brain prefers to know the outcome one way or the other to take the mystery off. Several studies endorse this age-old evolutionary function of our brain. For instance, a British study found in an experiment that the participants experienced a higher level of stress when they had a 50% chance of receiving an electric shock than when they had a 100% chance. Waiting for an outcome is several times more stressful than accepting an outcome, no matter how dismaying the outcome ought to be.
Let me ask you a couple of questions. Answer honestly: Is it more traumatic wondering whether you'll make it to the office on time than knowing you'll be late? Is it more stressful wondering whether you'll get a promotion than knowing you won't? Is it more stressful musing over the results of a cancer test than knowing that you are contaminated with a brain tumor? Studies have time again proved that intolerance towards uncertainty puts individuals at substantial risk of getting strained with depression and anxiety.
Uncertainty is more like a paradox. On one hand, it is an influential force that propels scientists, think tanks, and researchers to keep answering the universe's mysterious Why's, and How's. In this paradox, individuals relish uncertainty. For example, an astrophysicist's curiosity to know what is beyond the space or a biologist's idiosyncrasy to discover the origin of species. It can be as complicated as a psychologist's curiosity to learn about, say Genghis Khan's behavior or it can be as simple as reading mystery novels. People in this Uncertainty paradox- let's call it as Curiosity Paradox- tends to engage in certain activities precisely because the result is not known yet: Uncertain. Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard says that 'this kind of uncertainty' makes the entire experience 'delicious and delightful'. The people in the curiosity paradox tend to embrace uncertainty.
On the flip side, because of the sophistication and ambiguity of the real world, a large segment of people tends to remain intolerant towards uncertain circumstances. People in this uncertainty paradox- let's call it Dark uncertainty- are prone to change their state of mind from bad to worse. Gilbert expounds that even though the element of uncertainty leads to a prolonged path for pleasure, individuals will be most happy when all uncertainty is eliminated.
I believe there is something immoral about showing intolerance towards uncertainty. Uncertainty is a short-term mystery. It depends on how one perceives it. If one chooses to conceive it as unpleasant, then one is doomed to suffer. It's merely a tendency and not a bygone verdict.
Philosophers have grappled with the proximity of uncertainty and the human mind for hundreds and thousands of years. Seneca, a Roman philosopher, is one of the fascinating figures from antiquity. 'The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately' he said.
Stoicism, a philosophy that flourished in 3rd century Athens (BC) observes several edicts on coping with uncertainty. This school of thought jogs our memory that things around us can be unpredictable at times and much of it lies beyond our control. However, this does not alter the fact that we have a plethora of other things under control: Our belief, our judgment, our desires, and our antipathy. Stoic philosophers admit that it isn't easy, as one would like to think, to control that which falls under one's purview, however, they concur that it is not impossible.
Accepting the uncertainty is preferable than waging a war against it. And when one wage war against uncertainty, one is bound to lose, for intolerance towards uncertainty breeds a troubled mind, and a troubled mind breeds troubled times.
Allow me to iterate a personal experience of mine. During the initial phase of the pandemic, the public health system around the world counseled government authorities to implement a full-scale lockdown. It was the time when the World Health Organization warned the world that the highly contagious Coronavirus is roaring towards a new peak. I, like many around me, felt the adverse effects of this global health crisis. After venting to myself about how cruel the lockdown is and cursing China for exporting the bloody pathogen, I came across an article that talked at length about a particular kind of philosophy called 'Stoicism'. My eyes began examining the article thoroughly. To put it bluntly, stoicism diffused my temporary apprehension by asking me whether or not I have the power to change the present situation. I was also propelled to ask myself whether the energy and time I spent on venting and cursing could otherwise be channel towards things that I have control over- on things I can change-. As a perennial optimist and a deep thinker (takes one to know one), this outlook at once made me realize what a fool I had been all these days (the initial stage of lockdown). It made me realize that I was letting my emotions, and feelings entangled with useless thoughts that I simply have no control over.
Come to think of it, so many people have spent so many hours wasting so much energy to try to change things that they simply do not have any control over. Especially during this pandemic, lots of people have invested much of their thoughts on things beyond their control. These thoughts would reap invaluable fruits if spent on things that come under our sphere of influence.
I chose the latter. To be honest, I must admit that during the initial phase of lockdown, I let my agitation takeover forbearance. I fell prey into the reactive state of whining and progressively grumbled: initially China for sneezing the deadly Virus, and then shifted my blame towards the World Health Organization for raising the alarm painstakingly slow, and then I castigated nationalistic leaders like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro for downplaying the gravity of the situation and then moved my condemnation back at China for picking fights on the border with my native, India. I found myself sulked into the vicious cycle of Social media, moving from one application to another and constantly reacting to the perpetual volleys of breaking news and political debates. I fathomed soon enough that getting muddled in this vicious cycle not only stole away my precious time but also nourished my good for nothing ego. Remember, any action you do that feeds to your ego not only impairs your competence but also chokes your rationality- This I learned the hard way.
Instead of letting my agitation feed my ego, I let stoicism feed my thoughts. I let go of the ego. With much contemplation, I realized that our life is unpredictable. The world that we live in is oftentimes in the balance and the sooner we realize how fragile and short our lives are, the closer we get to understanding our purpose.
Reports claim that more than the virus, the ramifications that followed due to the pandemic affected many. For instance, extreme lockdown measures, loss of a job, excessive use of mobile phones, and the helpless state of mind are some of the many consequences that have taken a physical and emotional toll. More than the Virus, the lack of movement had exacerbated the mental illness multifold. I too was a victim of social isolation. I too was coiled with fear due to uncertainty. But stoicism, and my own independent thinking, propelled me to work on things that are under my control. I channeled my time, energy, and thoughts on things I can, in actuality, change, instead of foolishly reacting and responding to futile things such as Trump's opinion on twitter or the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Born a slave, the Greek philosopher Epictetus once remarked that "the chief task of life is simple: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with choices I control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own."
Embracing this way of thinking can be cathartic. If only we channel our thoughts and knowledge on those things we can control, we can comfortably interact with life's inevitable challenges. "There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will," remarked Epictetus. To embrace this Philosophy, one must first accept the fact that certain things in life are beyond our control. When one accepts this rudimentary tenet of life, then one spontaneously develops the expertise to tolerate uncertainty.
And once we cultivate the ability to tolerate uncertainty, we can reap inordinate rewards. Uncertainty breeds curiosity and curiosity is the magic powder for scientists, creators, and innovators. Ask Richard Feynman, the world-renowned theoretical physicist who is known for his contribution to quantum physics. He once said and I quote "I don't have to know an answer… I don't feel frightened not knowing things, by being lost in a mysterious universe without any purpose." Ask Greek romantic poet John Keats about the art of embracing uncertainty. Writing to his brothers in 1817, John Keats posited that life is all about the inclination to hold onto uncertainties, live with mystery, and bear no malice with ambiguity. The Romantic poet wanted people, that is us, to experience our time on earth as an uncertain place that naturally gives rise to an assortment of perspectives.
It was Einstein's curiosity that propelled him to come up with the theory of relativity. It was Darwin's curiosity that motivated him to embark on the H.M.S Beagle to explore the world, which was paramount in forming the theory of natural selection. It was Edison's curiosity that drove him to discover the light bulb. It was Archimedes' curiosity that led him to his Eureka moment. Einstein, Darwin, Edison, Archimedes, and every other personality out there who transformed mankind were once curious kids. These are personalities who, instead of manifesting intolerance towards uncertainty, they embraced it. They channeled their emotions and thoughts on things they were able to control.
Imagine if they had succumbed to uncertainties. Would the world be ignorant of natural selection, and its inhabitants (STILL) embrace the story of how Jesus designed the world in a week? What would have happened if Archimedes caved into the fear of uncertainty? Would the world be oblivious to hydrostatics? And what would have happened if Edison let his apprehension overtake his curiosity? Would the world still be dependent on kerosene lamps, candles, and firewood instead of bulbs? Certainly NOT. One of us still would have invented bulbs, one of us still would have penned down the laws of levers and pulleys, and one of us (preferably an Indian) still would have gotten on a boat, a different boat perhaps, and put forward the theory of natural selection. But none of these inventions would have the names of the aforesaid scientists along with it.
Life's only certainty is that every possession we hold onto, every memory we cherish, and everyone we love will one day perish. All of it and all of us will perish, not just from our memories, or that of our decedents, but from the face of the earth. From dust, we had come, and to dust, we shall go.
Perhaps between this dire process, let us indulge with the mystery, let us tolerate the unknown and perhaps, just perhaps, we might be able to catch a glance of the joy behind life's uncertainties. My name is Surya, and I embrace uncertainty. Do you?
Surya Sree
We don't know, YET.
We loathe Uncertainty. We'll do just about everything and muster all the resources under our disposal to avoid uncertainty. We'd even go to the extent in welcoming a known bad result with open hands rather than an unknown good result.
Why do we do this, ever wonder? The human mind perceives uncertainty as dangerous. If our brain is unaware of what's around the corner, then it will fumble because it is inept to keep us from any mysterious peril that pops up unannounced. Our brain prefers to know the outcome one way or the other to take the mystery off. Several studies endorse this age-old evolutionary function of our brain. For instance, a British study found in an experiment that the participants experienced a higher level of stress when they had a 50% chance of receiving an electric shock than when they had a 100% chance. Waiting for an outcome is several times more stressful than accepting an outcome, no matter how dismaying the outcome ought to be.
Let me ask you a couple of questions. Answer honestly: Is it more traumatic wondering whether you'll make it to the office on time than knowing you'll be late? Is it more stressful wondering whether you'll get a promotion than knowing you won't? Is it more stressful musing over the results of a cancer test than knowing that you are contaminated with a brain tumor? Studies have time again proved that intolerance towards uncertainty puts individuals at substantial risk of getting strained with depression and anxiety.
Uncertainty is more like a paradox. On one hand, it is an influential force that propels scientists, think tanks, and researchers to keep answering the universe's mysterious Why's, and How's. In this paradox, individuals relish uncertainty. For example, an astrophysicist's curiosity to know what is beyond the space or a biologist's idiosyncrasy to discover the origin of species. It can be as complicated as a psychologist's curiosity to learn about, say Genghis Khan's behavior or it can be as simple as reading mystery novels. People in this Uncertainty paradox- let's call it as Curiosity Paradox- tends to engage in certain activities precisely because the result is not known yet: Uncertain. Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard says that 'this kind of uncertainty' makes the entire experience 'delicious and delightful'. The people in the curiosity paradox tend to embrace uncertainty.
On the flip side, because of the sophistication and ambiguity of the real world, a large segment of people tends to remain intolerant towards uncertain circumstances. People in this uncertainty paradox- let's call it Dark uncertainty- are prone to change their state of mind from bad to worse. Gilbert expounds that even though the element of uncertainty leads to a prolonged path for pleasure, individuals will be most happy when all uncertainty is eliminated.
I believe there is something immoral about showing intolerance towards uncertainty. Uncertainty is a short-term mystery. It depends on how one perceives it. If one chooses to conceive it as unpleasant, then one is doomed to suffer. It's merely a tendency and not a bygone verdict.
Philosophers have grappled with the proximity of uncertainty and the human mind for hundreds and thousands of years. Seneca, a Roman philosopher, is one of the fascinating figures from antiquity. 'The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately' he said.
Stoicism, a philosophy that flourished in 3rd century Athens (BC) observes several edicts on coping with uncertainty. This school of thought jogs our memory that things around us can be unpredictable at times and much of it lies beyond our control. However, this does not alter the fact that we have a plethora of other things under control: Our belief, our judgment, our desires, and our antipathy. Stoic philosophers admit that it isn't easy, as one would like to think, to control that which falls under one's purview, however, they concur that it is not impossible.
Accepting the uncertainty is preferable than waging a war against it. And when one wage war against uncertainty, one is bound to lose, for intolerance towards uncertainty breeds a troubled mind, and a troubled mind breeds troubled times.
Allow me to iterate a personal experience of mine. During the initial phase of the pandemic, the public health system around the world counseled government authorities to implement a full-scale lockdown. It was the time when the World Health Organization warned the world that the highly contagious Coronavirus is roaring towards a new peak. I, like many around me, felt the adverse effects of this global health crisis. After venting to myself about how cruel the lockdown is and cursing China for exporting the bloody pathogen, I came across an article that talked at length about a particular kind of philosophy called 'Stoicism'. My eyes began examining the article thoroughly. To put it bluntly, stoicism diffused my temporary apprehension by asking me whether or not I have the power to change the present situation. I was also propelled to ask myself whether the energy and time I spent on venting and cursing could otherwise be channel towards things that I have control over- on things I can change-. As a perennial optimist and a deep thinker (takes one to know one), this outlook at once made me realize what a fool I had been all these days (the initial stage of lockdown). It made me realize that I was letting my emotions, and feelings entangled with useless thoughts that I simply have no control over.
Come to think of it, so many people have spent so many hours wasting so much energy to try to change things that they simply do not have any control over. Especially during this pandemic, lots of people have invested much of their thoughts on things beyond their control. These thoughts would reap invaluable fruits if spent on things that come under our sphere of influence.
I chose the latter. To be honest, I must admit that during the initial phase of lockdown, I let my agitation takeover forbearance. I fell prey into the reactive state of whining and progressively grumbled: initially China for sneezing the deadly Virus, and then shifted my blame towards the World Health Organization for raising the alarm painstakingly slow, and then I castigated nationalistic leaders like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro for downplaying the gravity of the situation and then moved my condemnation back at China for picking fights on the border with my native, India. I found myself sulked into the vicious cycle of Social media, moving from one application to another and constantly reacting to the perpetual volleys of breaking news and political debates. I fathomed soon enough that getting muddled in this vicious cycle not only stole away my precious time but also nourished my good for nothing ego. Remember, any action you do that feeds to your ego not only impairs your competence but also chokes your rationality- This I learned the hard way.
Instead of letting my agitation feed my ego, I let stoicism feed my thoughts. I let go of the ego. With much contemplation, I realized that our life is unpredictable. The world that we live in is oftentimes in the balance and the sooner we realize how fragile and short our lives are, the closer we get to understanding our purpose.
Reports claim that more than the virus, the ramifications that followed due to the pandemic affected many. For instance, extreme lockdown measures, loss of a job, excessive use of mobile phones, and the helpless state of mind are some of the many consequences that have taken a physical and emotional toll. More than the Virus, the lack of movement had exacerbated the mental illness multifold. I too was a victim of social isolation. I too was coiled with fear due to uncertainty. But stoicism, and my own independent thinking, propelled me to work on things that are under my control. I channeled my time, energy, and thoughts on things I can, in actuality, change, instead of foolishly reacting and responding to futile things such as Trump's opinion on twitter or the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Born a slave, the Greek philosopher Epictetus once remarked that "the chief task of life is simple: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with choices I control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own."
Embracing this way of thinking can be cathartic. If only we channel our thoughts and knowledge on those things we can control, we can comfortably interact with life's inevitable challenges. "There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will," remarked Epictetus. To embrace this Philosophy, one must first accept the fact that certain things in life are beyond our control. When one accepts this rudimentary tenet of life, then one spontaneously develops the expertise to tolerate uncertainty.
And once we cultivate the ability to tolerate uncertainty, we can reap inordinate rewards. Uncertainty breeds curiosity and curiosity is the magic powder for scientists, creators, and innovators. Ask Richard Feynman, the world-renowned theoretical physicist who is known for his contribution to quantum physics. He once said and I quote "I don't have to know an answer… I don't feel frightened not knowing things, by being lost in a mysterious universe without any purpose." Ask Greek romantic poet John Keats about the art of embracing uncertainty. Writing to his brothers in 1817, John Keats posited that life is all about the inclination to hold onto uncertainties, live with mystery, and bear no malice with ambiguity. The Romantic poet wanted people, that is us, to experience our time on earth as an uncertain place that naturally gives rise to an assortment of perspectives.
It was Einstein's curiosity that propelled him to come up with the theory of relativity. It was Darwin's curiosity that motivated him to embark on the H.M.S Beagle to explore the world, which was paramount in forming the theory of natural selection. It was Edison's curiosity that drove him to discover the light bulb. It was Archimedes' curiosity that led him to his Eureka moment. Einstein, Darwin, Edison, Archimedes, and every other personality out there who transformed mankind were once curious kids. These are personalities who, instead of manifesting intolerance towards uncertainty, they embraced it. They channeled their emotions and thoughts on things they were able to control.
Imagine if they had succumbed to uncertainties. Would the world be ignorant of natural selection, and its inhabitants (STILL) embrace the story of how Jesus designed the world in a week? What would have happened if Archimedes caved into the fear of uncertainty? Would the world be oblivious to hydrostatics? And what would have happened if Edison let his apprehension overtake his curiosity? Would the world still be dependent on kerosene lamps, candles, and firewood instead of bulbs? Certainly NOT. One of us still would have invented bulbs, one of us still would have penned down the laws of levers and pulleys, and one of us (preferably an Indian) still would have gotten on a boat, a different boat perhaps, and put forward the theory of natural selection. But none of these inventions would have the names of the aforesaid scientists along with it.
Life's only certainty is that every possession we hold onto, every memory we cherish, and everyone we love will one day perish. All of it and all of us will perish, not just from our memories, or that of our decedents, but from the face of the earth. From dust, we had come, and to dust, we shall go.
Perhaps between this dire process, let us indulge with the mystery, let us tolerate the unknown and perhaps, just perhaps, we might be able to catch a glance of the joy behind life's uncertainties. My name is Surya, and I embrace uncertainty. Do you?
Surya Sree
